The case of “U.S. backup” v. “Otter’s better” will, at best, move to a mistrial after a six-game series driven by goaltender narratives and performances that backed the discussions in the first place.
Maybe it’s for the best.
Jake Oettinger has potentially two more playoff series left to focus on anyway.
Oettinger, the Dallas Stars’ goaltender, saved 22 of 23 shots in a 2-1 series-clinching win vs. the Winnipeg Jets in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals Saturday at American Airlines Center. He outlasted Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck — last year’s Vezina Trophy winner and this year’s outright favorite to claim the award again — to clinch a third-straight trip to the conference finals.
“He just went head-to-head with maybe the MVP of the league, and what everyone is saying is the best goaltender in the world,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said, “and he probably was this year, in Hellebuyck. And he went toe-to-toe with him, nose-to-nose with him the entire series.”
Said Stars center Sam Steel, whose perfectly placed shot snuck past Hellebuyck in the second period: “He’s unbelievable. Making those hard saves look easy and he’s such a calming presence back there for us.”
Oettinger, who has a 2.60 goals against average in 13 games this postseason, allowed a Mark Scheifele goal at the 5:28 mark of the second period but was otherwise sharp.
The 26-year-old’s performance reached a crescendo when, with a shade more than eight minutes left in a tied third period, he dove back toward his right to cover up a wide-open net and swallow a Mason Appleton wrist shot with his chest.
OTTER WITH THE UNREAL SAVE TO KEEP THE SCORE TIED IN THE THIRD PERIOD 😱😱😱😱#TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/R4rf9CKI6M
— SportsDay Stars (@dmn_stars) May 18, 2025
“I saw [Kyle] Connor coming in and then I thought Lowry was going to shoot it so I slid over and then I like blew an edge,” Oettinger said. “I just threw a prayer over and it hit me so got pretty lucky. I think we were owed that after some of the bounces we got in this round, so I think it all evens out.”
Nearly even. Hellebuyck, a four-time All-Star, allowed 13 goals in the series despite the fact he shut out the Stars twice at Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre. Oettinger, who owns a 2.49 GAA and a .916 save percentage in 59 career postseason games, allowed 12 goals.
One goal, on Saturday at least, was the difference.
“It was an awesome game,” Oettinger said. “Felt like really tight for the first bit and then felt like we were trading chances for the last period. I felt like if I could keep us in it for a little longer, we were going to break through. We had great chances, [Hellebuyck] made some big saves. Just an awesome game all around.”