Sometimes, a single player can single-handedly change the outcome of a game—and Jake Oettinger proved that once again. The Dallas Stars narrowly escaped with a 5-4 shootout victory over the Colorado Avalanche in a thrilling Saturday night showdown at Ball Arena. While the Stars walked away with the win, the real story was Oettinger’s heroics in net, bailing out his team time and time again—leaving even the opposing fans in awe. But here’s where it gets controversial: Was this a case of a goalie stealing a game, or did Dallas actually deserve the win?
Thomas Harley led the charge offensively for Dallas with a goal and an assist, but post-game, even he admitted the Avalanche outplayed them for large stretches. "Tonight felt like trying to hold back an actual avalanche," Harley joked. "Thankfully, we’ve got [Oettinger] back there to save us. We’ll take the two points, but there’s definitely room for improvement."
Nathan Bastian, Wyatt Johnston, and Jason Robertson also found the back of the net for the Stars (2-0-0), but it was Mikko Rantanen—yes, the former Avalanche star—who delivered the dagger in the shootout. Oettinger, meanwhile, stood tall with 35 saves, including a jaw-dropping split-leg glove stop on Martin Necas in overtime that had everyone on their feet.
Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan didn’t mince words: "Jake stole this game for us. Period." He even compared Oettinger’s performance to his legendary 2022 playoff run against Calgary. "I was watching him tonight thinking, ‘Wow.’ That’s all you can say. He bailed us out when we didn’t deserve it."
But was this just elite goaltending, or did the Avalanche (2-0-1) let one slip away? Colorado’s dynamic duo of Nathan MacKinnon and Necas each tallied a goal and two assists, while rookie Gavin Brindley notched his first NHL goal in just his fourth game. Coach Jared Bednar praised his team’s effort, calling it their most dangerous offensive showing of the season. "We played the right way," he said. "But Dallas capitalizes on every chance, their goalie stands on his head, and their special teams are sharp. That’s what makes them so frustrating to play against."
The game was a rollercoaster from start to finish. Harley opened the scoring late in the first with a blistering slap shot, but Necas quickly responded in the second, wiring a wrister past Oettinger. Brindley then gave Colorado the lead with a slick five-hole finish—a moment he’ll never forget—before Bastian and Robertson swung momentum back Dallas’ way.
Artturi Lehkonen tied it again early in the third, setting the stage for Wyatt Johnston’s highlight-reel breakaway goal. Johnston later admitted he wasn’t even sure if his stick was intact before the play: "I figured I’d better just deke and hope for the best." MacKinnon forced overtime with a power-play rocket, but Oettinger’s heroics in the shootout sealed the deal.
And here’s the part most people miss: The Avalanche dominated possession, outshot Dallas, and still lost. MacKinnon, visibly frustrated, defended Colorado’s power play despite fan boos: "I guess they don’t know what a good power play looks like." Was he right, or was this just sour grapes?
Notable milestones: Brent Burns, the ageless wonder, skated in his 1,500th NHL game, joining an elite club of just 23 players. MacKinnon, meanwhile, inched closer to franchise history with his 99th career three-point game—one shy of joining Avalanche legends Joe Sakic and Peter Stastny in the 100-club.
Final thought for debate: Should a win like this worry the Stars, knowing they were outplayed but bailed out by their goalie? Or is this exactly what championship teams do—steal games they have no business winning? Drop your thoughts below—agreements, disagreements, or hot takes welcome!
