Facing elimination in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final, Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger gave up two goals on the Edmonton Oilers` first two shots. This prompted Stars coach Pete DeBoer to make the swift decision to remove Oettinger from the game just 7:09 into the contest, bringing in backup Casey DeSmith.
DeSmith ultimately allowed three goals on 20 shots for the remainder of the game, and the Stars suffered a 6-3 loss in Game 5. This defeat marked the third consecutive season that Dallas has been eliminated in the Western Conference Final.
Oettinger spoke about the controversial situation during the team`s season-ending media availability on Saturday.
“It sucks. It`s embarrassing. Any time you`re pulled, playoff or regular season, you just want to get right off the ice, go to your bed, and not talk to anyone,” Oettinger stated.
Prior to Game 4, Coach DeBoer had indicated that the coaching staff had considered giving Oettinger a rest. This was due to him having played more minutes than any other NHL goaltender and also concerns that Oettinger might be dealing with an “upper-respiratory thing.”
However, both DeBoer and Oettinger downplayed any suggestion of a rift between them.
“No one is a bigger fan of Jake Oettinger than me, as a person or a goalie,” DeBoer said, adding that they had not had a chance to speak since Game 5 on Thursday.
Oettinger reflected on the experience, stating, “For me, it`s just the whole experience, just have to learn from it. It`s going to help me grow and be a better person, be a better goalie. My job is to stop the puck. I feel like I`m one of the best in the world when I am playing well at doing that. That`s all I`m going to focus on. The extra stuff is just extra stuff to me. If I go out there next year and I`m the best goalie in the world, [this situation] doesn`t matter. One of you guys could be coaching and it doesn`t matter. Just try to be the best I can be and learn from the experience.”
Oettinger did face some challenges throughout the Western Conference Final. Over the five games against the Oilers, he finished with a 3.20 goals-against-average and a .853 save percentage.
The Stars frequently found themselves trailing during their playoff run, falling behind in 15 of their 18 games. This pattern might have influenced DeBoer`s decision to pull Oettinger early. However, it`s worth noting that neither of Edmonton`s initial two goals were entirely Oettinger`s fault, with the second one resulting from a breakaway by Mattias Janmark.
Going into Game 5, Oettinger had just come off a strong performance where he allowed only two goals on 31 shots in the previous game. Despite this, the Stars` offense managed only one goal or less for the third consecutive game, leaving them in a 3-1 series deficit.
