miro heiskanen has turned a recent lower-body injury scare into a major playoff lift for the Dallas Stars, who lead the Minnesota Wild 2-1 entering Game 4 of their Western Conference First Round series on Saturday at 5: 30 p. m. ET in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Stars defenseman has played in all three games and has been one of the most heavily used skaters in the playoffs. What looked uncertain one week earlier now has become a central part of Dallas’ push.
Heavy minutes, major trust
Heiskanen logged 93: 06 of ice time through three games, trailing only Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot and Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes in total minutes among playoff players. His workload included 43: 05 in Dallas’ 4-3 double-overtime win in Game 3 on Wednesday, a game in which he also assisted on Wyatt Johnston’s power-play goal that ended the contest.
That effort came after Heiskanen sustained a lower-body injury in the Stars’ 5-4 win against the Wild on April 9. Dallas sat him out for its final three regular-season games, and he returned to practice on the eve of Game 1 before taking the ice in the series opener. He opened the series with a team-high 23: 55 in Game 1, then played 26: 06 in Game 2 and took an even larger role in Game 3.
What teammates are seeing
Stars goalie Jake Oettinger described the workload in plain terms, saying, “I mean, that’s ridiculous for people that don’t know him. Obviously, he’s worked his tail off, but his heart rate was probably never over a hundred. He’s just so smooth, so smart. A goalie’s dream to have in front of you. ” Oettinger added that when Heiskanen was questionable, “all the guys knew if he can play, he’ll play. ”
Forward Matt Duchene said the group had some concern when the injury happened, but that reassurance came quickly. “We knew the extent of the injury, and we knew he’d be back pretty quick, even if he missed Game 1 and Game 2, ” Duchene said. He also noted the value of a defenseman of that caliber, saying losing him would be like losing two top-six forwards.
How miro heiskanen got back
Heiskanen said the first moments after the injury carried uncertainty, especially after he missed the entire first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche last season while recovering from knee surgery. He said the injury “didn’t feel too bad, ” and once he learned it should not keep him out long, the news became easier to absorb.
The timing worked in his favor because he got rest by missing Dallas’ final three regular-season games. The team then brought him back carefully, and the early signs have been strong as the series has continued. In the middle of a tight matchup, miro heiskanen has already become one of the clearest reasons Dallas entered Game 4 with momentum.
What happens next
The next step is simple and immediate: Game 4 on Saturday in Grand Casino Arena, where Dallas will try to extend its series lead and Minnesota will look to level the matchup. If miro heiskanen continues at the same pace, the Stars will keep leaning on him as a core reason they have been able to absorb the postseason pressure so far.
