By Canadian Press

Joe Pavelski scores sixth of series, Stars top Kraken 6-3

May 9, 2023 | 11:01 PM

SEATTLE (AP) — Joe Pavelski scored his sixth goal of the series as part of a four-goal second period for Dallas, and the Stars routed the Seattle Kraken 6-3 on Tuesday night in Game 4 to even the Western Conference semifinal series.

After a pair of tight games in Dallas to open the series, Games 3 and 4 in Seattle were blowouts. The Kraken rolled to a 7-2 win in Game 3 and the Stars responded with their best performance of the series in a dominant Game 4 victory. Game 5 is Thursday night in Dallas.

Pavelski scored four goals in the series opener, added a fifth in Game 2 and gave the Stars a 4-0 lead midway through the second period of Game 4.

Pavelski’s goal came on a power play after Seattle had challenged for goaltender interference on Max Domi’s second goal of the playoffs that gave Dallas a 3-0 lead. The challenge failed and Pavelski made Seattle pay on the ensuing power play.

Pavelski’s goal was his 70th career playoff goal, tying him with Steve Yzerman for 19th place. The only active players with more playoff goals are Alex Ovechkin (72) and Sidney Crosby (71).

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Jamie Benn scored late in the first period to give Dallas the early advantage, just his third goal in his past 23 playoff games, and defenceman Thomas Harley made it 2-0 early in the second period. Harley had one career goal in 40 regular-season games, but beat goalie Philipp Grubauer high on the stick side.

Roope Hintz capped Dallas’ big second period outburst with his sixth of the playoffs at 19:07 of the period.

Seattle’s Jaden Schwartz scored late in the second period to cut it to 4-1 and added a second goal early in the third period. Adam Larsson scored with 4:11 remaining to pull Seattle to 5-3 after Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger had made several key saves earlier in the third period.

Domi scored an empty-net goal with 2:21 left for the Stars.

Oettinger, who was pulled after allowing five goals on 17 shots in Game 3, had quiet first two periods before some key stops in the third, and finished with 16 saves.

Meanwhile, Grubauer was peppered by Dallas chances from the very start and the damage from the Stars could have been far worse. Grubauer finished with 17 saves on 22 shots and was replaced by Martin Jones for the third period.

WELCOME BACK

Dallas got a boost with the return of top defenceman Miro Heiskanen after he left early in the second period of Game 3 when a puck hit him in the face and left a significant cut on his left cheek. Heiskanen had two assists.

Seattle didn’t get the same boost from the return of Jared McCann after he missed the previous six playoff games due to injury. McCann was hurt on a late hit from Colorado’s Cale Makar early in Game 4 of the opening round series.

McCann played 13:11.

INJURIES

Dallas’ Mason Marchment was shaken up on a hit in the first period and played just three shifts. The Stars were also down defenceman Jani Hakanpää and forward Ty Dellandrea. Hakanpää was out with a lower-body injury, while Dellandrea was ill and did not participate in the morning skate. Seattle was without Daniel Sprong (upper-body injury) after he was injured midway through the second period of Game 3. Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said Sprong was day-to-day.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Tim Booth, The Associated Press