Stars inch closer to Western Conference finals with Game 5 win over Kraken

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Roope Hintz had two goals and an assist, Joe Pavelski scored his seventh goal of the second-round series and the Dallas Stars beat the Seattle Kraken 5-2 in Game 5 on Thursday night to move within a victory of advancing to the Western Conference finals.

Pavelski also had an assist on Hintz's second goal, which ricocheted hard out of the net with 8:37 left for a two-goal lead, though play continued for nearly a half-minute before a replay review that confirmed the score. Radek Faksa added an empty-netter with 3:17 to go.

Dallas will take a 3-2 lead into Game 6 on Saturday in Seattle, where the teams split a pair of lopsided games. The Kraken won 7-2 in Game 3, then the Stars rebounded with a 6-3 win in Game 4.

Stars goalie Jake Oettinger had 29 saves.

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Dallas Stars' Roope Hintz celebrates after scoring against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 11, 2023, in Dallas.  (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Pavelski's score on a backhander in the opening minute of the second period, knocking in his own rebound, put the Stars up 3-0. His 71st career postseason goal extended his record for U.S.-born players.

Pavelski matched Sidney Crosby for the second-most career playoff goals by an active player – only one behind Alex Ovechkin. Pavelski and Crosby are tied with Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier for 17th on the overall list.

Hintz has eight goals and 10 assists in the Stars' 11 games this postseason. Pavelski missed the last five games in the team's first-round series against Minnesota while in concussion protocol