Petrovic's 'lucky' goal helps Stars turn tide in Game 3 win

DALLAS -- It was the third period of a tied game in a tied series between two of the top teams in the NHL. The turning point? A lucky goal by Alexander Petrovic, a 33-year-old third-pairing defenseman who has spent most of the past six seasons in the American Hockey League.

You never know what might happen in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and you never know what might happen if you keep believing, keep grinding.

Petrovic got rewarded in the Dallas Stars’ 5-2 victory against the Winnipeg Jets in Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round at American Airlines Center on Sunday. Dallas leads the best-of-7 series 2-1 entering Game 4 here Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS, CBC).

“I think for me it was just staying ready,” Petrovic said. “You never know when that opportunity will come, so whenever it does, you just want to take advantage of it and just make the most of it.”

Petrovic embodies the slogan on the back of the Stars’ playoff T-shirts: YOU GET WHAT YOU WORK FOR, NOT WHAT YOU WISH FOR.

He spent years working his way up from the AHL to the NHL, became a regular in the NHL and got used to the good life -- charter flights, first-class hotels. Then he ended up back in the AHL again.

From the 2014-15 season to 2018-19, he played 250 regular-season games in the NHL -- 241 for the Florida Panthers, nine for the Edmonton Oilers. He played 41 in the AHL.

Since? He has played only six regular-season games in the NHL -- one for the Stars last season, five for them this season. He has played 341 in the AHL.

“You’re grinding down there, bus trips, commercial flights, everything,” Petrovic said. “It’s tough, but I think it humbles you a bit and kind of teaches you what’s more important.”

But Petrovic played seven playoff games for the Stars last season and has played 10 for them this season. He has been a mentor and partner for 20-year-old Lian Bichsel.

“I’ve always liked his makeup and his game, and he made a believer out of me last year in the playoffs,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “So, when we got to that point of the year this year when we were talking about depth up here, we brought him in, and he’s an easy guy for a coach to play.”

The Jets won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top regular-season team. The Stars finished fifth in the NHL standings. With the series tied 1-1, the game was tied 2-2 early in the third when Petrovic joined the rush -- something he and Bichsel normally don’t do.

“We know our role, just keep it simple, clear the net front, break pucks out, be physical when we can,” Petrovic said. “If we just do that, then the rest kind of takes care of itself. We’ve got a lot of skill on this team, so we’re not too worried about offense.”

A rebound popped out to the left of the net, and the puck hit Petrovic’s left skate just before the goal line and bounced in front. Petrovic said he thinks it deflected off the stick of Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg. It definitely hit the stick of Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and fluttered into the net at 3:51.

After a long video review -- so long the players skated around to stay warm, so long the loudspeakers played almost all of “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd -- it was ruled a good goal.

“It was a pretty lucky goal,” Petrovic said. “But it was a good timely goal.”

It was Petrovic’s second NHL playoff goal and first since April 20, 2016, when he scored for the Panthers in a 2-1 win against the New York Islanders in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. That was a game-winner, too.

“Long time ago,” Petrovic said.

Worth the wait, though.

The outcome of the video review jolted the Stars and deflated the Jets. Forward Mikko Rantanen gave Dallas a 4-2 lead at 4:40, and Winnipeg called a timeout to regroup. Center Wyatt Johnston iced it for Dallas at 14:06.

“It’s awesome for him,” Stars defenseman Thomas Harley said of Petrovic, with whom he once played with in the AHL. “He deserves it. … He’s so solid on the third pair. He plays the right way. He got rewarded tonight, and it couldn’t happen to a better guy.”

Remember how Petrovic said the grind in the AHL teaches you what’s more important?

He and his wife, Brooke, have a family now, and he said that takes his mind off hockey away from the rink. His wife was watching Sunday. His mother, Kim, no doubt was watching on television back home in Edmonton.

“Being Mother’s Day today, that’s nice,” he said. “Show it to my mom and Brooke, my wife. We’re always just believing in ourselves and just trying to make what’s best for our family, and I think [it’s] just me working hard and trying to take advantage of the opportunity.”