Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski became the oldest player in NHL playoff history to score four times in a game.
Talk about making a historic impact in a return from injury.
Dallas Stars center Joe Pavelski came back to the lineup for Game 1 of the second round against the Seattle Kraken, and he lit the lamp for the Stars’ first four goals of the game.
Pavelski was injured in Game 1 of the first round against the Minnesota Wild, taking a hit from defenseman Matt Dumba and entering concussion protocol. He missed the rest of the first round, although he was a game-time decision for the Stars ahead of Game 6.
He was good to go in Tuesday night’s series opener, and he made an early impression, opening the scoring 2:25 into the first period. Mason Marchment found an open Pavelski on a cross-ice pass, and he whipped a wrister past the blocker of Kraken goalie Phillip Grubauer.
The Kraken tied it up on a goal by Jaden Schwartz at 11:25 into the period, but Pavelski responded under a minute later, redirecting defenseman Thomas Harley’s shot from the blueline past Grubauer’s glove side. The 38-year-old from Plover, Wis. became the second-oldest player in Stars/Minnesota North Stars franchise history to score at least twice in the playoffs, behind Dean Prentice of the North Stars in the 1972 quarterfinal.
Seattle’s offense got cracking, however, scoring three straight goals in a span of 52 seconds to take a 4-2 Kraken lead that held until the third period.
Dallas battled hard in the third frame, outshooting the Kraken 11-8. But it took nearly 10 minutes into the period until Pavelski stepped up once again.
Pavelski drove the net as captain Jamie Benn shot from the faceoff circle. Grubauer stopped the shot with the pads, but the puck was redirected to the low slot, and Pavelski buried the rebound to complete the hat trick.
It was a great moment to see Pavelski score three times in his return to the lineup – he’s now the second-oldest player in NHL playoff history to score a hat trick, behind only Boston Bruin Johnny Bucyk in Game 2 of the 1974 semifinals. Pavelski is the oldest player on the Stars, and he was born one decade after Bucyk’s feat.
But the Stars still trailed by one goal, and there was half a period in regulation to go. Guess who tied it up?
Pavelski’s fourth goal was a highlight-reel marker. D-man Jani Hakanpaa pinched into zone and directed the puck toward the slot, but the biscuit rolled up the stick of Kraken defender Adam Larsson. Pavelski brought his stick close to his chest to deflect the puck off the shaft and scored over the right shoulder of Grubauer.
Only Maurice 'Rocket' Richard was older when he scored four times in an NHL playoff game. That came in Game 1 of the 1957 Stanley Cup final when Richard was 35 years old. Pavelski shattered the record by three years.
That sent the game to overtime. Seattle ultimately rained on Pavelski's parade, as forward Yanni Gourde scored the game-winner 12:17 into overtime on a rebound that beat Stars netminder Jake Oettinger.
After all that, the Seattle Kraken won the game 5-4 and now lead the second-round series 1-0.