yardbarker
As the Dallas Stars prepare to visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, Mikko Rantanen is eager to build on his impressive start to the season. The forward has been a key contributor, amassing six points in his last three outings, including a four-point performance in a 4-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Penguins are set to play their second game in as many nights, hoping to end a three-game losing streak (0-2-1) after falling 3-2 in a shootout to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. Evgeni Malkin's early third-period goal tied the game at 2-2, forcing overtime, but Pittsburgh ultimately came up short.
Backup goaltender Sergei Murashov was a standout in the loss, turning aside 43 shots. "He was awesome. Just really steady and made some big saves for us," Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. "There were some extended shifts there where they controlled a lot of the play. I thought that he allowed ourselves to get organized a bit." Malkin netted his third goal of the season, while Crosby has managed just two assists in five games. Bryan Rust, back from injury, has provided a spark with goals in consecutive games. The Penguins opened the season with 13 goals in two games but have scored only seven in their past three.
"I mean, the guys battled back to get that point," Penguins coach Dan Muse said, "but at the same time, I feel like we just left too much of that game on the table. You're going to walk away, good to get the point, but you're disappointed in the overall game and what I know we're capable of."
For Dallas, Rantanen led the way on Thursday with a goal and three assists, marking his 26th career game with at least four points. Jason Robertson, Sam Steel, and Roope Hintz also found the net, while Wyatt Johnston contributed three assists. "I just like the game all of our guys are giving us right now," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. "Our 'D' has been moving the puck great the last couple games, and our forwards are working to spots for them, so we're a little connected. We've just got to keep stacking here. We've got to stack plays and games up on each other."
If Jake Oettinger gets the start in goal on Saturday, he'll be seeking his third consecutive shutout. He made 26 saves against the Sabres after a 13-save effort in a 5-0 win over the San Jose Sharks on Monday. "I thought (Thursday) we were even better than the last game," Gulutzan said. "I thought we were good against a really good hockey team." It's the second time in Oettinger's career that he has recorded back-to-back shutouts. His current shutout streak stands at 146:55, the second longest of his career behind a 154:20 stretch from March 28 to April 7, 2024. In his career against Pittsburgh, Oettinger is 7-1-0 with a 1.87 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage.
Pittsburgh's probable starter, Arturs Silovs, has never faced the Stars. Last season, Dallas swept the two-game series, with Rantanen scoring the shootout winner in a 3-2 home victory in December, and the Stars winning 6-3 in Pittsburgh in March.
Key Analysis
Rantanen's offensive surge has been a driving force for the Stars, who are riding a two-game win streak. The Penguins, on the other hand, are struggling to find consistency and will need a strong performance from their backup goaltender if they hope to snap their skid. With Oettinger potentially in net for Dallas, Pittsburgh's offense faces a tough challenge.
Originally reported by yardbarker.