Mikael Granlund netted his first career playoff hat trick to pace Dallas to a 3-1 victory over the visiting Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, leaving the Stars one win away from advancing to the final four of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Goaltender Jake Oettinger made 31 saves in a sparkling performance for the Stars, who lead the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series 3-1. Dallas, which is on the verge of reaching the conference finals for the third consecutive season, will try to close out the set on Thursday in Winnipeg.
“We’ve been right there the last two years. The ball’s in our court now. We’re up 3-1, and it’s on us to play a mature game in Winnipeg. We don’t want to come back here and play (a Game 6),” Oettinger said.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets, who finished atop the league standings in the regular season but find themselves on the brink of elimination. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck stopped 21 shots.
Winnipeg has lost all five of its road playoff games this spring, and the Jets have dropped nine consecutive playoff outings away from home over the past three years.
“I really think we played a good game,” Ehlers said. “There’s things we need to clean up and we need to be better, score on those chances we’re getting. … The message is pretty clear to everyone. We need to go home and win.”
Granlund netted a power-play goal 8:36 into the game to open the scoring. The veteran forward worked to the high slot and while using a defender for a screen and fired a long shot that eluded Hellebuyck.
Ehlers pulled the Jets even 62 seconds into the second period with his third goal in the past three games. Two seconds after a Winnipeg power play expired, Ehlers found the mark with a sharp-angled offering.
Granlund put the Stars ahead for good at 17:52 of the middle frame when he buried a short-side shot while participating in a two-on-one rush up the ice.
“The job is not done and we have a lot of work to do,” Granlund said. “That was a good win, and we have a tough game ahead of us in Winnipeg.”
Granlund netted his third of the game at 7:23 of the third period, moments after Oettinger denied a Kyle Connor short-handed breakaway. During a four-minute power play, Granlund unloaded a one-timer from the right circle, which brought a flurry of hats from the stands.
Winnipeg’s best chance to mount a comeback came during a late power play, but the Jets failed to convert for the third time in the game with the man advantage. They have scored only once with 16 power-play opportunities in the series.
The Jets did create a bevy of opportunities in the waning minutes, but Oettinger shut the door.
Hellebuyck said the Jets need to find a spark.
“Just win one game. Leave it all out there. … Sometimes it’s a heartbreak, but all it takes is one little change, one little bounce, and things will start going our way. We’re a good team and we can really rack them up, but we’ve got to get one at a time,” Hellebuyck said.
The Stars had top-tier defenseman Miro Heiskanen in the lineup for the first time since Jan. 28 due to a knee injury. He played just under 15 minutes and collected one assist.
–Field Level Media
