National reaction to the Stars’ Game 7 loss to Calgary: ‘Jake Oettinger deserved better’

The Dallas Stars 2021-22 season is over.

After an epic performance by goaltender Jake Oettinger, the Calgary Flames snuck their 67th shot of the night into the Dallas goal and ended the game, series, and the Stars’ chances at another deep playoff run.

Oettinger saved 64 of those 67 shots, often in incredible, stupefying fashion, and well before the conclusive 75th minute of Game 7 he’d cemented his performance as one of the best in the history of this franchise.

And the national audience took notice. Here are some of the reactions to the Stars’ overtime, season-ending loss:

Jake Oettinger is the MVP of the first round.

— Mike Kelly (@MikeKellyNHL) May 16, 2022

Mavs smashed the Suns. Stars will have to steal this one.

— dave lane (@oldwaver) May 16, 2022

Jake Oettinger is Luka Doncicing

— Scott Bell (@ScottBellDMN) May 16, 2022

Flames fans are letting Jake Oettinger know he’s the only reason the Stars are in this game: “Oettinger … Oettinger … Oettinger.”

— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) May 16, 2022

The goaltender for the Stars is currently Jack hanging onto that door in the middle of the Atlantic

— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) May 16, 2022

Feel like 42-12 is not a shot total Stars can handle much longer, even with Jake the Great in net…

— Tim Cowlishaw (@TimCowlishaw) May 16, 2022

Jake Oettinger has stopped 40 of 42 shots, his save percentage for the series.. remains at .954

— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) May 16, 2022

81 shots attempts by the Flames.
25 by the Stars.

Flames outhitting Stars 23-9.

What else can they do?

— Eric Francis (@EricFrancis) May 16, 2022

Alright I will just say it…Outside Oettinger, the Dallas Stars’ style of play is the hockey equivalent of picking your nose and eating it.

Sure, you can call it sustenance…but we all know what it is.

— Tim Micallef (@tim_micallef) May 16, 2022

The Stars offense looks like me in the middle of the night when my blood pressure pills and the melatonin clash – making me wander blindly in the dark to the bathroom to pee at 3 am

— Boyd Crowder dressed as Uncle Baby Billy (@JoshL1220) May 16, 2022

The #Stars really are just leaving Oettinger out to dry and he’s still somehow kept them in this game #TexasHockey

— Patrick Cunningham (@pmc3_83) May 16, 2022

Give Jake Oettinger a max contract.

— Joey Hayden (@_joeyhayden) May 16, 2022

Through 6 games and 2 periods the Flames have outshot the Stars 263 to 179.

They’ve outshot Dallas in this game 43 to 12.

But it’s 2-2 heading to the 3rd. Crazy. @FOX4

— Jeff Kolb (@JeffKolbFOX4) May 16, 2022

Top to bottom, the goaltending in all of these Game 7’s has been excellent. But damn, Jake Oettinger is next level special.

— Liam McHugh (@liam_mchugh) May 16, 2022

Well the shot count still looks bad but it’s actually 9-5 Dallas in the 3rd

— DefendingBigD (@DefendingBigD) May 16, 2022

Jake Oettinger is 12 third period saves away from setting #StanleyCup record for most saves in single series without an OT game.

Ken Dryden 1971 vs. #NHLBruins 260 saves. Dryden let in 4, 5 and 7 goals that series.

Like Oettinger, that was Dryden’s first playoff series.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) May 16, 2022

if you claim to love chaos and you aren’t rooting for the stars in this game 7, what are you doing

— x – Claire⁷ ✨💜🌙💜✨ (@ClaireElaineH) May 16, 2022

This is Marty Turco versus the Vancouver Canucks all over again.

— Brandon Worley (@brandonworley) May 16, 2022

The Stars saw the lack of drama in the Mavs’ Game 7 and said “oh it’s on us to turn up the drama.”

Really would’ve appreciated a less dramatic Stars Game 7 but that’s just not their way

— Brice Paterik (@BricePaterik) May 16, 2022

seems unfair for dallas to have a brick wall in their goal, but who am I to judge

— Late Craig Phharumph (@cdgoldstein) May 16, 2022

You can be a few minutes late to work tomorrow morning if you’re watching the @DallasStars. Consider this your permission slip from the @DallasMayor.

— Mayor Eric Johnson (@Johnson4Dallas) May 16, 2022

We have Game 7 OT for the third tine in four years.

Fun?

— Mike Heika (@MikeHeika) May 16, 2022

Win or lose, this is the greatest single series goaltending performance in Stars franchise history.

— Bruce LeVine (@BruceLeVinePuck) May 16, 2022

Greatest playoff goaltending performance I’ve ever seen in my life by Jake Oettinger.

— Paul Bissonnette (@BizNasty2point0) May 16, 2022

Jake Oettinger deserved better but he will have his day. Good grief what a one-sided game without him tonight…

— Tim Cowlishaw (@TimCowlishaw) May 16, 2022

Jake Oettinger will someday win a Stanley Cup for the Stars.
Can’t anything more from that young man.

— Bruce LeVine (@BruceLeVinePuck) May 16, 2022

1/23Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, right, talks with Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom following overtime NHL playoff hockey action in Calgary, Alberta, Sunday, May 15, 2022. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)(Jeff McIntosh / ASSOCIATED PRESS)