Oettinger posts 29-save shutout for Stars in 2-0 win over Flames to even series

Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, right, kicks a away a shot from Calgary Flames centre Mikael Backlund during second period NHL playoff hockey action in Calgary, Thursday, May 5, 2022.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Goaltender Jake Oettinger's 29-save shutout led the Dallas Stars to a 2-0 win over the Calgary Flames on Thursday to even their playoff series 1-1.

Joe Pavelski scored and Michael Raffl added an empty-net goal for the Stars.

The best-of-seven conference quarterfinal series heads to Dallas for Saturday's Game 3 and Monday's Game 4 at American Airlines Arena. The Flames opened the series with a 1-0 win Tuesday.

Oettinger, 23, earned his first shutout in just his second career playoff start. Calgary's Jacob Markstrom stopped 21 of 22 shots in the loss.

Calgary (50-21-11) finished first in the Pacific Division, while Dallas (46-30-6) earned the top wild-card seed in the Western Conference.

The Flames outshot the Stars 12-7 in the third period, but couldn't generate a goal. With Markstrom pulled for an extra attacker Raffl scored into an empty net with 69 seconds remaining in the game.

Outplayed in the opening period, Calgary generated more scoring chances for an 11-7 edge in shots in the second. The Flames were denied by Oettinger, however, and didn't get their sticks on the few rebounds the Dallas goaltender allowed.

In a bid to generate more offence, Stars head coach Rick Bowness continued to play forwards Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin on separate lines as he did in the second and third period of the series opener.

The visitors outshot the Flames 9-6 in the opening period and strengthened their forecheck to slow Calgary coming out of its own zone. The Stars mustered more hits (25) in the first 40 minutes than they did in Game 1 (20).

"Close game, just like the first one."

Darryl Sutter talks to the media after Game 2. pic.twitter.com/isvTPYqubA

— y - Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) May 6, 2022

After not registering a shot on net in Game 1, Pavelski scored the first goal for the series for the Stars at 7:47 of the first period on a defensive-zone Flames turnover.

Defenceman Noah Hanifin put the puck off the boards and onto the stick of Jason Robertson inside the blue line. Pavelski deflected Robertson's shot over Markstrom's glove.

A Johnny Gaudreau goal scored on a breakaway 43 seconds after puck drop was waived off for offside.

Matthew Tkachuk and John Klingberg renewed hostilities from the first game in which Tkachuk hammered Klingberg into the boards behind Calgary's net late in the first period.

Tkachuk cross-checked Klingberg, who took a roughing penalty, in the aftermath of Gaudreau's disallowed goal to send both men to the box.

The Stars were held scoreless on a pair of power-play chances and were 0-for-7 in the first two games of the series. The Flames went 0-for-3 on Thursday and scored one power-play goal on eight chances through the first two games.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published My 5, 2022.