Just 8:07 into the Dallas Stars’ 6-3 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night, Jake Oettinger found himself on the bench alongside rinkside reporter Ray Ferraro. Coach Pete DeBoer’s choice to pull Oettinger during such a crucial moment raised eyebrows, prompting him to offer an explanation post-game.
The Stars struggled with maintaining leads throughout the playoffs, having fallen behind in 15 out of their 18 matches. Game 5 was particularly rough, as the Oilers scored on their first two shots.
Though Oettinger was not primarily at fault for either of the initial goals, DeBoer opted to switch him out for backup Casey DeSmith. He clarified that while he intended to ignite a spark in his team, he also considered Oettinger’s dismal playoff record against the Oilers.
“Anytime you pull a goalie, the reasoning is always to try and spark your group, so that was the No. 1 reason,” DeBoer explained. “We had talked endlessly in this series about trying to play with the lead. Obviously, we were in a 2-0 hole right away. You know, I didn’t take that lightly, and I didn’t blame it all on Jake.”
Translation: “Every time you replace a goaltender, it’s to inspire the team, and that was my main motivation.”
“However, looking back at last year’s playoffs, he lost six out of seven games against Edmonton. We conceded two shots and two goals in an elimination scenario.”
Translation: “But if you consider last year’s playoffs, he’s lost 6 out of 7 against Edmonton. We gave up two shots and saw two goals in a do-or-die scenario.”
Shortly after stepping onto the ice, DeSmith conceded a third goal, as a weak attempt by Jeff Skinner slipped through him, extending the lead to 3-0. The subsequent two goals he allowed—which included a spectacular shot from Connor McDavid and an unfortunate bounce from an intended pass by Evander Kane—were arguably not his fault.
Despite DeBoer’s justification, Stars supporters will likely always be left wondering how differently the game might have turned out had Oettinger stayed in net. Did he stop Skinner’s attempt? Could he have pulled off a crucial save against McDavid? Would he have reacted faster to a deflection off Esa Lindell skate?
DeBoer referenced a seven-game sample from Oettinger’s playoff history as his rationale to bench him. Yet one has to consider his larger body of work over 174 games across the past three seasons, showcasing that he ranks sixth in the NHL with an impressive 48.1 goals saved above average.
Regardless of Oettinger’s past performances against the Oilers, Dallas looks to him to be the key player in winning such critical matches. The franchise is investing in his success, and he deserved the opportunity to rebound following a lackluster opening. Dallas had been in desperate need of a jolt long before Game 5, which unfortunately never materialized. Pulling Oettinger was never a viable solution unless he were to switch positions and contribute goals himself. DeBoer should have kept his franchise goaltender in the game, instead of placing him on the sidelines.
