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Pavelski became the oldest player in playoff history with 4 goals
Joe Pavelski makes history for the Stars in Game 1 versus the Kraken as he becomes the oldest player in Stanley Cup history to score four goals in one game.
DALLAS — Yanni Gord scored 12:17 into overtime, and the Seattle Kraken — after defeating the Colorado Avalanche in the first round — kept their momentum going with a 5-4 victory over the Dallas Stars Tuesday night in Game 1. Second round playoff series.
Joe Pavelski scored four goals for the Stars after missing the last five games of the opening round while on concussion protocol. His efforts weren’t enough to save the Stars, however, as the Kraken escaped into overtime.
Pavelski’s fourth goal of the night 6 minutes before the end of the third period tied the game at 4. He volleyed into the net from mid-air.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, at 38 years, 295 days old, Pavelski became the oldest player with four goals in the history of the match. The feat had previously been held by Maurice Richard (35 years, 245 days), who accomplished it in Game 1 of the 1957 Stanley Cup Final as the Montreal Canadiens took on the Boston Bruins.
“Epic. Epic. Shame,” Dallas coach Peter DeBoer said of Pavelski’s effort. “We missed it and didn’t win.” “This is in our group… He tried to drag us to win tonight.”
A subdued Pavelski downplayed the impact of his efforts, focusing more on the outcome of the match.
“I was excited to be back, that’s for sure,” he said. “Starting the game was just as much fun. But obviously, a huge loss. You want to have it.”
The sophomore Kraken team conceded goals from five different players after scoring 15 different players in the first round against the Avalanche.
“I loved our response,” Gord said after Seattle gave up a two-goal lead before winning. “She liked our composure…we were confident the operation would get it done.”
Pavelski scored twice in the first period, his first being a 25-foot tackle just two and a half minutes into the game to put the Stars up 1-0. He scored on his first shot, assisted by Mason Marchment. Max Dumy got the secondary assist.
About 10 minutes later, after Seattle had tied the game, Pavelski scored again from roughly the same distance by redirecting a Thomas Harley shot. The Kraken then scored three goals in a 68-second period to take a 4-2 lead.
Pavelski scored a hat-trick midway through the third period when he rebounded after captain Jimmy Beane’s shot off Philip Grubauer.
The three goals extended Pavelski’s record for a US-born player to 68 goals in a playoff game.
Pavelski was on the ice for the opening bout, although he was not immediately inserted back into the top line. He was with Marchment and Domi, as he was when he went through full training on Monday.
Tyler Seguin, who scored four power-play goals in a six-game series against the Minnesota Wild, remains in the lead with Jason Robertson and NHL scoring leader Rob Hintze. Seguin moved to this line after 38-year-old Pavelski was injured.
Pavelski had just knocked out the puck midway through the second period of Game 1 of the opening series against Minnesota on April 17 when he took a hard hit from defenseman Matt Dumba. Pavelski hit his head hard on the ice as he fell.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.