Jake Oettinger Mastering Heavy Workload in Texas Stars’ Playoff Race

CEDAR PARK, Texas -- The Texas Stars needed someone to step up to remain in the hunt for a playoff spot in a highly competitive Central Division.

Jake Oettinger has answered the call.

The rookie goaltender has been lights out for the American Hockey League affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars, handling a heavy workload in goal, appearing in 15 of the Stars’ last 17 games.

Texas desperately needed standings points during a weekend back-to-back with Oettinger in goal, and a 34-save win against the San Antonio Rampage on Friday followed by a 45-stop performance in a victory over the Milwaukee Admirals on Saturday night capped off the pivotal four-point stint.

“You need your goalies to step up at this time of the year, and that is what he has done,” Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham said after Saturday’s 4-1 win over the AHL-best Admirals. “He’s good. He made some good saves all night long.”

At 27-28-3-4, the Stars sit just one points out of a postseason spot in sixth-place in the Central Division, with 61 standings points. Just two points separate four teams in the Central for the final playoff spot, with third place Grand Rapids (63) not far ahead. Chicago (62), Rockford (62), Teaxas (61) and San Antonio (60) are all creating a logjam in the middle.

Oettinger is a big reason as to why the team is still in the hunt. The 26th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft began the year slated to split starts with the more experienced Landon Bow, who is in his fourth year with the Stars. However, the 21-year-old has taken over a majority of the starts while also leading all rookie goaltenders in the AHL with a .917 save percentage and posting a 2.52 goals against average (2nd among AHL rookie goalies).

“It feels good just to contribute,” Oettinger says. “And you know, the guys in front of me do a great job. They let me see the shots I have to see and make the saves I have to make, and I have stepped up and done that.”

“He is in great shape. We’re not worried about the workload at all,” Graham continued. “He played a lot of games last year, some back-to-backs and whatnot. And it’s a time of the year where everybody has to expect a larger workload and now he’s just done a great job adjusting.”

Oettinger is more or less denoted as the goaltender of the future in the Dallas Stars organization, and recently got his first taste of the NHL as a backup to Anton Khudobin due to an injury to Ben Bishop. The Lakeville, Minnesota native notes that the recall was a confidence boost, but a positive outlook all year long has been the biggest key to his success this season.

“I think I’m just having fun, honestly,” Oettinger said. “When you get to play this much in such a short span, you kind of have the mindset of going to the rink every day and being like, ‘let’s do this’.”

The Stars will likely ride the hot hand of their young goaltender pupil when they finish their four-game road trip, where they face the Tucson Roadrunners in search of gaining points outside of the hectic Central Division picture.

“To still be in this fight is great because I know whatever happens, this team is going to give its all and play hard until our last game,” Oettinger says. “It’s a huge road trip but if we play like we played this weekend, we will have success.”