Joe Pavelski made a quick impact in his return for the Dallas Stars, scoring two goals in the first period of their second-round playoff series against Seattle on Tuesday night after missing the final five games of the opening round while in concussion protocol.
Pavelski scored on a 25-foot wrister only 2 1/2 minutes into the game to put the Stars ahead 1-0 in Game 1. He scored on his first shot, on a pass from Mason Marchment. Max Domi got the secondary assist
After Seattle got even, Pavelski scored again, about 10 minutes after his first goal. The second one was from about the same distance with a redirect of Thomas Harley’s shot.
The two goals extended Pavelski’s record for U.S.-born players to 66 career playoff goals.
Pavelski was on the ice for the game’s opening shift, though he wasn’t immediately inserted back on the top line. He was with Marchment and Domi, like he was when he went through a full practice Monday.
Tyler Seguin, who scored four power-play goals in the six-game series against Minnesota, stayed on the top line with Jason Robertson and NHL playoff scoring leader Roope Hintz. Seguin had moved up to that line after the 38-year-old Pavelski got hurt.
Pavelski had just cleared the puck midway through the second period of Game 1 in the opening series against Minnesota on April 17 when he took a big hit from defenseman Matt Dumba. Pavelski banged his head hard on the ice when he fell.
