DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger was pulled after giving up three goals on five shots less than 7 1/2 minutes into Game 3 of the Western Conference Final, after their captain had already gotten a game misconduct.
Jamie Benn got a five-minute major for a cross-check on Vegas captain Mark Stone less than two minutes into the game, with the Stars already down 1-0. After the two collided and Stone fell to the ice, Benn lunged forward with both hands on his stick and made contact near Stone's neck.
During the ensuing power play, Ivan Barbashev got his first goal in eight games for the Golden Knights to put them up 2-0. Vegas' first goal came only 71 seconds into the game when Jonathan Marchessault scored on a wrister from the circle to Oettinger’s right.
Oettinger was pulled and replaced by Scott Wedgewood after William Carrier's backhander that made it 3-0 with 12:50 left in the first period.
With the Stars already trailing 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, they needed Oettinger to have another solid performance, like he has so many other times following losses. Instead, he had the shortest start of his NHL career.
Wedgewood also replaced Oettinger about 4 1/2 minutes into the second period Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals against Seattle after the 24-year-old starter allowed four goals on 18 shots in what became a 6-3 loss. That was his previous shortest start, but Oettinger then had 22 saves in Game 7 against the Kraken and allowed his only goal in the closing seconds of a 2-1 win.
Oettinger entered Game 3 with a 36-11-6 career record in his 56 games following a loss. He had been 5-1 after losses in these playoffs, but was coming off consecutive overtime losses in Las Vegas to start this series.
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