DALLAS — Joe Pavelski scored four goals for the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night after missing the final five games of the opening round while in concussion protocol.
His efforts weren’t enough to save the Stars from a 1-0 hole, however, as the Kraken escaped with a 5-4 victory in overtime.
Pavelski’s fourth goal of the night with 6 1/2 minutes left in the third period tied the game at 4. He swatted a puck in the net out of mid-air.
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, at 38 years and 295 days old, Pavelski became the oldest player with a four-goal game in playoff history. The milestone was previously held by Maurice Richard (35 years, 245 days), who accomplished it in Game 1 of the 1957 Stanley Cup Final as his Montreal Canadiens took on the Boston Bruins.
“Epic. Epic. Shame we wasted it and didn’t win,” Dallas coach Peter DeBoer said of Pavelski’s effort. “That’s on our group. … He tried to drag us to a win tonight.”
Pavelski scored twice in the first period, his first goal being a 25-foot wrister only 2 1/2 minutes into the game to put the Stars ahead 1-0. He scored on his first shot, on a pass from Mason Marchment. Max Domi got the secondary assist.
About 10 minutes later, after Seattle had gotten even, Pavelski scored again from about the same distance with a redirect of Thomas Harley‘s shot. The Kraken then scored three goals in a 68-second span to take a 4-2 lead.
Pavelski got the hat trick midway through the third period when he knocked in a rebound after captain Jamie Benn‘s shot off Philipp Grubauer.
The three goals extended Pavelski’s record for U.S.-born players to 68 career playoff goals.
Pavelski was on the ice for the game’s opening shift, though he wasn’t immediately inserted back on the top line. He was with Marchment and Domi, like he was when he went through a full practice Monday.
Tyler Seguin, who scored four power-play goals in the six-game series against Minnesota, stayed on the top line with Jason Robertson and NHL playoff scoring leader Roope Hintz. Seguin had moved up to that line after the 38-year-old Pavelski got hurt.
Pavelski had just cleared the puck midway through the second period of Game 1 in the opening series against Minnesota on April 17 when he took a big hit from defenseman Matt Dumba. Pavelski banged his head hard on the ice when he fell.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.