Jake Oettinger keeps finding ways to shine in the playoffs

25-year-old goaltender Jake Oettinger has been excellent for the Dallas Stars in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

After not playing his best in two home losses to the Vegas Golden Knights in round one, Oettinger has helped the Stars go 7-2, knock off Vegas and put the Colorado Avalanche on the brink of elimination with a 3-1 series lead. 

Since that Game 2 loss to Vegas, Oettinger is 7-2 with a .934 save percentage and a 1.83 goals-against average. That includes allowing only one goal in Games 6 and 7 against Vegas and Games 3 and 4 against Colorado.

He ranks second only to Igor Shesterkin with a .932 save percentage and has the best goals-against average (2.02) of any goalie overall in the playoffs (minimum five games). 

His playoff performances throughout his young career, beginning with his ridiculous .954 save percentage in seven games against the Calgary Flames in 2022, have earned him the nickname ‘Playoff Oetter’ around the city of Dallas.

Most impressively, Oettinger doesn’t feel the pressure when the moment is biggest. 

The former Boston Terriers’ netminder relished playing the villain at visiting rinks in a tough Hockey East conference. He then got his first NHL action in relief of Anton Khudobin during the 2020 Western Conference Final against Vegas. How about that for a debut? 

In the first round against the Golden Knights this year, Oettinger allowed only two goals in the third period or overtime, both coming in the Game 6 loss. 

Here is a save late in Game 5 that secured a 3-2 Stars win, their third consecutive victory in the series: