Stars Lost Game 3 to Kraken 7-2
The Dallas Stars didn't string together two wins against the Seattle Kraken. The Stars lost 7-2 to the Kraken in Game 3 at the Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday night. Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger made 12 saves in a losing effort, while Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer made 24 saves for a victory.
The Stars' starting lineup remained the same. Miro Heiskanen, Ryan Suter, Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Tyler Seguin, and Jake Oettinger took the ice. Robertson's scoring form has been mostly MIA in the postseason. Have you read "Where's Waldo?" I've been asking, "Where's Robertson?" No, seriously. Robertson hadn't netted a goal since April 25th and hasn't collected an assist since April 28th. Neither team scored, and the first period ended in a scoreless tie, just like in the opening period of Game 2. The Stars won the faceoff battle 14-7 against the Kraken but were outhit 15-3 after 20 minutes of play. The second period was a goal explosion in favor of the Kraken. Jordan Eberle found a loose puck after it deflected off Miro Heiskanen's face and tucked it home for his fourth postseason goal. Eberle made it 1-0 Kraken at 2:10 of the second period, while Heiskanen left the ice with a facial injury. Heiskanen didn't return for the third period. Jaden Schwartz collected Vince Dunn's pinpoint pass and found Alexander Wennberg, who completed a passing play for his second postseason goal. Wennberg made it 2-0 Kraken at 3:36 of the second period.
Carson Soucy skated inside a circle and used a quick shot to beat Jake Oettinger for his first postseason goal. Soucy made it 3-0 Kraken at 6:30 of the second period. Matty Beniers moved in and ripped a snap shot past Oettinger for an unassisted second postseason goal. Beniers made it 4-0 Kraken at 8:22 of the second period. Mason Marchment helped the Stars avoid a shutout. Marchment winded up and one-timed Evgenii Dadonov's pass into the back of the net for his third postseason goal. Marchment's goal got the Stars on the board, 4-1, at 12:40 of the second period. Eeli Tolvanen capped off the second-period scoring with his second postseason goal. Tolvanen jumped on the rebound at the doorstep to score for a four-goal lead, 5-1, with 39 seconds left. The Stars trailed the Kraken 5-1 after the second period. Dallas led Seattle in shots, 21-17, after 40 minutes of play. The third period wasn't promising for the Stars. Brandon Tanev forced a turnover, skated in on the rush, and fed Yanni Gourde, who scored a short-handed goal for his third postseason goal. Gourde extended the lead to 6-1 at 1:49 of the third period. Jani Hakanpää cut the Kraken's lead to 6-2 at 7:00 of the third period. Hakanpää buried a goal to beat Philipp Grubauer for his first postseason goal. The Stars got physical and started a fight with the Kraken late in the third period. The Kraken, however, wasn't phased by the Stars' antics. Justin Schultz scored his third postseason goal on the power play for a 7-2 lead at 17:30 of the third period. Schultz found space and let a puck rip through traffic past Scott Wedgewood. Wedgewood made six saves in his relief appearance. The Stars and Kraken meet again for Game 4 on Tuesday at 8:30 pm Central.