Sport

Jake Oettinger Reflects on 'Embarrassing' Playoff Exit After Being Pulled

2025-05-31

Author: William

In a dramatic and heart-wrenching Game 5 of the Western Conference Final, Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger faced a tough reality when he was pulled just over seven minutes into the game. The Stars, fighting to stave off elimination, found themselves in dire straits after Oettinger allowed two quick goals from the Edmonton Oilers, leading coach Pete DeBoer to make the difficult choice to replace him with backup Casey DeSmith.

As DeSmith took over, he struggled as well, giving up three goals on 20 shots, culminating in a 6-3 loss for the Stars. This defeat marked the third season in a row that Dallas was eliminated in the Western Conference Final, leaving fans and players alike devastated.

In a candid moment during the team’s season-ending media conference, Oettinger opened up about the feelings of humiliation that accompany being pulled from such a crucial game. "It sucks. It's embarrassing. Any time you get pulled—playoffs or regular season—you just want to go right off the ice, crawl into bed, and not talk to anyone," Oettinger shared.

DeBoer had previously expressed concerns about Oettinger’s workload, noting he had played more minutes than any other goalie in the NHL this season, and hinted at an upper-respiratory issue affecting his performance. Despite the controversy, both he and Oettinger dismissed any notion of a conflict between them.

"No one is a bigger fan of Jake Oettinger than me, both as a person and a goalie," DeBoer stated, admitting they had not had a chance to speak following the game.

Oettinger, maintaining a positive outlook, reflected on the experience as a learning opportunity. "It’s all about growth for me. I have to learn from this, to become a better person and a better goalie. My focus is purely on stopping pucks—when I’m on my game, I know I’m one of the best in the world."

Throughout the series, Oettinger struggled overall, finishing with a rough 3.20 goals-against average and a .853 save percentage against the Oilers. The Stars’ tendency to fall behind—trailing in 15 out of their 18 playoff games—led DeBoer to believe an early change was warranted. Interestingly, the first two goals scored against him in Game 5 weren’t entirely his fault; the second goal specifically came from a breakaway.

Heading into Game 5, many had high hopes for Oettinger after a strong performance in the prior match where he allowed only two goals on 31 shots. However, the Stars’ struggles persisted, scoring just one goal or less for three consecutive games, which ultimately placed them in a precarious 3-1 series deficit.