Glen Gulutzan did not dress up the Dallas Stars' Halloween win over Columbus. His team, he said, was not at its best, and it needed someone to bail it out.
That was Jake Oettinger. The Stars goaltender allowed one goal in Saturday's 3-1 victory in Dallas, holding off a Blue Jackets team that outshot Dallas 25-16 by ESPN's count. Columbus defenseman Damon Severson said afterward that his team felt it had played two strong periods after the first intermission.
"The difference in the game was (Oettinger)," Gulutzan said, according to NHL.com. "We're not playing our best hockey right now, and you need something to bail you out. And a little bit the power play, but mostly (Oettinger)."
A bounce-back night
NHL.com and ESPN's box score credit Oettinger with 24 saves on 25 shots; The Associated Press counted 25 of 26. The only puck to beat him came 6:21 into the third, when Severson took a feed from Zach Werenski and muscled in front of the net to cut the Dallas lead to 2-1.
The night was a correction after a rough week. Oettinger had been charged with seven goals across his previous two starts, the AP noted, though his 1.69 goals-against average still ranked fifth in the league coming in.
Columbus thought it had scored once earlier in the third. Valeri Nichushkin put a shot past Oettinger 2:23 into the period, but Dallas challenged and video review ruled the Blue Jackets offside on the zone entry.
"Every team tries to push," defenseman Esa Lindell said, per NHL.com. "But we stood strong, and then Jake made some saves."
