San Jose rarely got pucks to the Dallas net Monday night. Jake Oettinger said nights like that are becoming the job.
"Anytime you get a shutout in the NHL it's fun," the Dallas Stars goaltender said after Monday's 5-0 win over the San Jose Sharks, according to NHL.com. "Now guys are so skilled and so smart, turning down good looks to try to make a great look, so that's what you're going to have to get used to as a goalie now in this league.
I feel like the volume isn't going to be as high, it's going to be more quality over quantity."
Oettinger turned away everything at American Airlines Center for the 17th shutout of his career and the Stars' first victory of the season. The league's official game summary and NHL.com credit him with 13 saves; the Associated Press counted 14.
Coach Glen Gulutzan said the low total did not mean the work was easy, telling reporters that "the shots that he got were dangerous," according to The Sporting Page.
Stars Thoughts described two of San Jose's better looks in the second period. Tyler Toffoli had a gaping net and could only jam the puck into the near post. Later, with Dallas killing a high-sticking minor to Oskar Bäck, Oettinger gloved an Ivar Stenberg backhand. San Jose finished 0-for-2 on the power play.
A bounce-back for the starter
Oettinger opened the season in net Friday, when St. Louis won 4-0 in Dallas; he stopped 20 of 22 shots in that game, with the Blues adding two more goals into an empty net. Casey DeSmith started the next night in Nashville in a 2-1 loss.
This time the offense arrived early. Miro Heiskanen banked a backhand in off a Sharks defenseman and Yaroslav Askarov with 1:09 remaining in the opening period. Joel Kiviranta, Jamie Benn and Jason Robertson scored in the second to build a 4-0 lead, and Mikko Rantanen finished it with a wrister from the left faceoff circle at 15:22 of the third.
Shots ended 26-13 for Dallas, and Askarov made 21 saves.
