Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger spoke to the media on Saturday following his surprising removal just seven minutes into Game 5 of the Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers. The decision ended the Stars’ playoff run for the second year in a row, as the team was once again eliminated by the Oilers at this stage.
Oettinger, 26, gave up two goals on the first two shots he faced, prompting head coach Pete DeBoer to replace him with backup goalie Casey DeSmith. DeSmith then surrendered three additional goals while facing 20 shots, as the Stars fell 6-3 on home ice.
Goaltender Addresses Shock and Self-Reflection After Early Benchings
Oettinger admitted that he was taken aback by DeBoer’s quick decision to pull him from the game.
“I wasn’t expecting that to happen. It was surprising,”
Oettinger said during the end-of-season media session.
But the reality is, if I make one or two of those saves, I’d still [be playing] in the game.
He added that his focus is now on learning from the experience and improving his performance at the start of future games.
“The way I’m looking at it is, ‘How can I get better from that? How can I make those saves that I made all playoffs? How do I make them at the start of that game and give the guys a chance to get their feet under them?’ As a goalie, that’s your job.”
Processing a Difficult Moment and Public Attention
Oettinger also discussed how difficult it was to handle being on the bench and repeatedly shown on the broadcast during the game.
“I was on the screen a lot more than I thought I should be,”
he said.
I don’t know why they kept showing me. I haven’t moved in half an hour. It sucks. It’s embarrassing.
Looking Ahead to Growth and Future Success
Despite the setback, Oettinger expressed determination to use this moment as a learning opportunity in his career. He emphasized the importance of continuing to improve and not letting this experience define him.
“My job is to stop the puck. If I go out there next year and I’m the best goalie in the world, it doesn’t matter,”
Oettinger said.
Just try to be the best I can be, learn from the experience.
As Oettinger prepares to begin the first year of an eight-year, $66-million contract extension signed in 2024, he ended the season with a .909 save percentage over 58 games and a 2.59 goals-against average. Despite the disappointment of this playoff exit, the young netminder remains a key figure for the Stars going forward.