Oettinger vows to improve for Stars after 3rd straight conference final loss

FRISCO, Texas -- Being pulled after allowing two goals on two shots was not the way Jake Oettinger wanted his season to end, but the 26-year-old goalie said he will take the humbling experience from the Dallas Stars' season-ending 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final on Thursday to come back stronger next season.

“I think for me, it’s just the whole experience, just have to learn from it," he said Saturday, after the Stars cleaned out their lockers for the final time this season. "It’s going to help me grow and be a better person, be a better goalie. My job is to stop the puck. I feel like I’m one of the best in the world when I am playing well, doing that. That’s all I’m going to focus on.

“I feel like I’m half of what I’m going to be one day as a goalie. It doesn’t even feel that close to where I can get, and it’s up to me to change that and put the work in to get there.”

There are always what-ifs after going through such an occurrence, which Oettinger acknowledged. Despite the fact he was coming off a strong season, his fifth in the NHL (36-18-4, 2.59 goals-against average, .909 save percentage, two shutouts), the fact remains this is his third straight loss in the conference final, and second straight to the Oilers, who will once again face the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, with Game 1 at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, MAX).

And being removed by Dallas coach Pete DeBoer 7:09 into the game, relieved by Casey DeSmith and watching the rest of Game 5 from the bench will sting heading into the offseason, yet give him motivation to work toward getting over that hump.

“It's embarrassing," Oettinger said. "Any time you get pulled, doesn’t matter if it’s the playoffs or the regular season, you just want to go right off the ice and crawl into your bed and not talk to anyone.

"I wasn’t expecting that to happen. It was surprising. But the reality is, if I make one or two of those saves, I’d still [be playing] in the game. 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.”

Oettinger, who has played in all of the Stars' 63 playoff games since 2021-22, posted a 2.47 GAA and .919 save percentage through the first two rounds against the Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets. Against Edmonton, he had a 3.93 GAA and .853 save percentage.

“That just shows you, goaltending in the playoffs, you play the best hockey of your career for two rounds and then you don’t have a great round and you (stink) again,” Oettinger said. “I didn’t feel fatigued but as it gets going on, how do you stay sharp that late into the season playing that many games? That’s what I’m going to focus on.”

Oettinger said physically he is the healthiest he’s ever felt, but said he was dealing with an illness at the start of the conference final. He said he did not feel that impacted his play.

After the Game 5 loss, DeBoer cited Oettinger’s 1-7 record against Edmonton as one factor in his decision to make the change. On Saturday, DeBoer said Oettinger’s illness led to a much broader conversation about the deployment of Dallas goaltenders in the playoffs.

“We had talked going into Game 4 going into Edmonton," DeBoer said. "Jake had played more than any goalie in the League, and I think still has. Every other team had used two goalies other than Florida, who had played less games. There was a conversation. ‘Is he wearing down?’ There was an upper respiratory thing he was dealing with. There was conversation within our coaching group of, should we give this guy a rest for a night? Everyone was using two, Edmonton had used two. Is their guy fresher? That’s all real conversation that goes on.

“No one is a bigger fan of Jake Oettinger than me, as a person or a goalie. Does that mean he can’t be coached or he doesn’t have growth in him? Absolutely [not], he’s a young goalie.”

Oettinger said he is determined to make sure next season -- or one season very soon -- ends much differently.

"I haven't won the Stanley Cup or the NCAA Tournament so every year of my life has been a disappointment," he said, "and I've bounced back and I've learned from it and I've gotten better.

"When you finally get that win, it makes it all worth it so hopefully whether it's next year, whether it's five years from now, I'm looking at you guys, we just won the Stanley Cup and I said 'Remember all that B.S.? That was all for this.'"