NHL Notebook: Dallas Stars’ Joe Pavelski out for games three and four, Tanner Jeannot likely to rejoin Tampa Bay Lightning
By Zach Laing
1 year agoThe Dallas Stars will be without forward Joe Pavelski for games three and four, head coach Pete DeBoer confirmed Tuesday.
Pavelski has been out of the Stars’ lineup since midway through the second period of game one when he was hit hard by Minnesota Wild defenceman Matt Dumba. The Stars exacted their revenge on the score sheet in game two beating the Wild 7-3.
Here’s some of what Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Trudeau wrote about Pavelski:
The NHL’s quintessential net-front presence has found a career second wind after an underwhelming first season in Texas; Pavelski has been consistently elite since the beginning of 2020-2021, with 80 goals and 209 points in 220 regular season games. He did not miss a game injured over that span.Dumba only arrived slightly late to his check on Pavelski, but his reputation as a big hitter and the visual of Pavelski groggily leaving the ice led some to call for a Game 2 melee.The Stars probably do not have the horses for that operation against a bigger, meaner Wild outfit. They took another form of retribution by lighting their opposition up on the scoreboard.After an edgy double-overtime loss in Game 1, DeBoer’s men, perhaps galvanized by losing one of their best players, blitzed Minnesota for 7 goals.Marc-Andre Fleury, who sat for Filip Gustavsson in Game 1, wore all 7 goals in the lopsided contest. Roope Hintz, who notched his first career hat trick, and Miro Heiskanen each collected 4 points.While Dallas travels to Xcel Energy Center riding high off of their momentous 7-3 win, they still will badly want Pavelski back by the series’ end after losing home their ice advantage.Pavelski scored his 1000th point this season and was named the NHL’s best net-front player by his peers.
Jeannot likely to rejoin Bolts
While the Stars lost Pavelski, another playoff team will be getting some reinforcements as Tanner Jeannot is likely to draw back into the Tampa Bay Lightning lineup for game two tonight.
Here’s some of what Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin wrote about his return:
Bruising winger Tanner Jeannot, who has not played since April 6 due to a lower-body injury, is likely to suit up for Game 2 of the Lightning’s first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.Speaking to media Thursday, Lightning coach Jon Cooper said, “There’s lots of indication he’ll hopefully be in tonight.”Jeannot injured his leg two weeks ago in a game against the New York Islanders, and his then-ominous projected recovery timeline sounded much longer than two weeks. He’ll be back just in time to replace injured bottom-six forward Mikey Eyssimont, who was injured on a hit from Jake McCabe in Game 1.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.
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