Jake Oettinger shines as Dallas Stars even playoff series with win over Minnesota Wild

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The Dallas Stars bounced back from a lopsided loss in Game 3 to defeat the Minnesota Wild 3-2 in Game 4, tying their first-round NHL playoff series. Tyler Seguin scored two power-play goals, while Evgenii Dadonov added another for the Stars early in the third period. Goaltender Jake Oettinger produced another excellent playoff performance, making 33 saves, including a critical glove save on Marcus Johansson's close-range slap shot in the final seconds of the game.

The Wild played without their top center, Joel Eriksson Ek, who has been limited to just one shift in the series due to a lower-body injury. The absence of Eriksson Ek hurt the Wild's offensive production, as they struggled to score against the Stars. Frederick Gaudreau scored a power-play goal for the Wild with just 1:20 remaining, but Oettinger held firm to ensure the victory for the Stars.

Both teams struggled with penalties throughout the game, with the Stars making the most of their opportunities, going 2 for 4 on the power play. In contrast, the Wild were only able to convert on one of their six power-play chances. The Wild's lack of success on special teams has been a significant problem for them throughout the series.

Despite the loss, Wild coach Dean Evason was encouraged by his team's performance and felt they played well enough to win. However, the Wild will need to find a way to win on the road in Dallas to advance to the next round of the playoffs.

For the Stars, the victory was critical, and they will look to carry the momentum into Game 5 on Tuesday night. Oettinger's outstanding performance in his home state was particularly impressive, and he was praised by Stars coach Peter DeBoer as the team's best player. The Stars will need another strong performance from Oettinger and their power play if they hope to take the lead in the series.