Tanev's status uncertain for Stars in Game 5 because of injury
DALLAS -- Chris Tanev’s status is uncertain for the Dallas Stars heading into Game 5 of the Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers here Friday (8:30 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS).
The defenseman left Game 4 on Wednesday after blocking a shot by Oilers forward Evander Kane off his right foot midway through the second period of Dallas’ 5-2 loss in Edmonton.
“Flew back today, he’ll see the doctor, we’ll take some pictures today and cross some fingers,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said after the team arrived back in Dallas on Thursday.
The best-of-7 series is tied 2-2.
Tanev has one assist in 17 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He’s also averaging 22:33 of ice time, fourth among the Stars behind fellow defensemen Miro Heiskanen (28:06), Esa Lindell (24:54) and Thomas Harley (23:58). He is second in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 68 blocked shots, behind New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (71).
“He’s a great player. I hope he plays,” Harley said Thursday. “If he doesn’t, I guess we’ll solve that problem when we come to it.”
Tanev is a key piece for the Stars, who have depth at forward but not as much on defense. Alexander Petrovic has played five games in these playoffs, averaging 13:33 of ice time per game. Nils Lundkvist has played 12 games this postseason but is averaging 4:28 of ice time. Other defensemen currently on the roster are Derrick Pouliot and Lian Bichsel. Pouliot has played two playoff games, both in 2015-16 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Bichsel has yet to play an NHL game.
DeBoer wasn’t going to get into hypothetical situations Thursday.
“All those guys are an option. We have to discuss all those guys,” DeBoer said. “You don’t have to make a decision until you have to, and we don’t have all the information yet, so we’re not going to go there.”
DeBoer said defenseman Jani Hakanpää, who’s been out since March 16 with a lower-body injury, will not play in Game 5 “but you never know for the rest of the series.”
The Stars acquired Tanev from the Calgary Flames on Feb. 28 in a three-team trade also involving the New Jersey Devils. He had 14 points (one goal, 13 assists) in 56 games with the Flames this season and five points (one goal, four assists) in 19 games with the Stars following the trade.
Regardless of whether or not Tanev is in the lineup, the Stars feel they’ll need everyone on board Friday.
“Even if [Tanev] is in, we (the forwards) have to do our part and help out as much as we can,” forward Mason Marchment said. “They have some good payers over there, so we have to be a five-man unit to shut them down.”
