Dallas Stars keep responding in NHL playoffs, now top-seeded Jets have to win Game 4 to get even

DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Stars keep responding in these NHL playoffs, like they have all season.

Now they go into Game 4 at home with a chance for a 3-1 series lead against the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.

“It's the best response team that I’ve coached in my time here, coming off, not necessarily a poor effort, but a loss or maybe we’re not as good as we could be, (and) rectifying that quickly,” third-year Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “There’s an honesty to the group and the leadership in the group. They’re willing to accept hard coaching. You don’t have to sugarcoat it with them, which is nice."

Dallas has had to change the way it plays defensively since Miro Heiskanen injured his left knee Jan. 28, and the standout defenseman still hasn't played since. The Stars also were without top goal scorer Jason Robertson in the first round against Colorado, when they lost another Game 1 before back-to-back overtime playoff wins despite leading only a total of 62 seconds in regulation. They have two 4-0 losses this postseason, and rebounded from both with big wins, the latest 5-2 in Game 3 against Winnipeg on Sunday after being shut out by Connor Hellebuyck two nights earlier.

In the only NHL game Tuesday night, Winnipeg now must respond to even the series and regain home-ice advantage.

“For sure. It’s important. We need to get one on the road here," Jets forward Kyle Connor said. “That next one is the best chance we’ve got.”

When/Where to Watch: Game 4, Tuesday, 8 p.m. EDT (ESPN)

Series: Stars lead 2-1.

DeBoer said Monday that he still believes Heiskanen will play at some point in the series against the Jets. The defenseman had a scheduled day off during what was an optional practice.

The Stars got goals from defensemen Alexander Petrovic and Thomas Harley in Game 3 against the Jets. Petrovic, who has played twice as many postseason games as he did regular-season games, was credited with the go-ahead tally in the third period. A puck shot by Mikko Rantanen deflected off Hellebuyck and then the defenseman’s skate back toward the net and went in for a 3-2 lead.

Right after that disputed goal, Rantanen almost immediately scored yet another goal for the Stars.

“We had, whatever it was, a two-, three-minute situation where they scored a couple of goals, but at the end of the day, hopefully some of the stuff we did, the offense we created, the chances that we had, help us feel good about what we can do in Game 4,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said. “And that’s what we’re going to have to do. ... We have to find ways to score more goals than them. We had looks.”

Rantanen is having no problems scoring, with an NHL-high 18 points (nine goals and nine assists) and setting all kinds of records. He is the first player with 18 points in the first 10 games of the playoffs since a pair of Hall of Famers did that in 1989 — Wayne Gretzky for the Los Angeles Kings and Mario Lemieux for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

After the primary assist on the go-ahead goal Sunday, Rantanen has factored into each of the last five game-winning goals for the Stars since overtime in Game 3 of the first round against Colorado, his former team. The previous franchise record was four in a row by Joe Nieuwendyk during their 1999 run to their only Stanley Cup title.

Rantanen had a goal and two assists to become the first player in NHL history with five three-point games through his first 10 games of a postseason. All of his have come in the last six games — twice against the Jets.

“He’s a tough guy. Like a lot of their skill players, it takes a lot to sort of shut those guys down,” Arniel said. "That’s all part of this. If we’re going to have success, not just him but we have to take away all their offense. ... We just have to make sure we continue to do a job on him and the rest of their top players.”

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Winnipeg Jets' Nikolaj Ehlers dives to clear the puck in the second period of Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer, center, watches play against the Winnipeg Jets in the second period of Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel, center, talks Cole Perfetti (91) as they and assistant coach Davis Payne, right, leave the ice after the team's loss to the Dallas Stars in Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Winnipeg Jets center Morgan Barron (36) falls to the ice competing against Dallas Stars' Mikko Rantanen (96) in the first period of Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Dallas Stars' Mikko Rantanen (96) celebrates his goal in the third period of Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets in Dallas, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

BOSTON (AP) — Brayan Bello struck out eight over seven innings, Rafael Devers homered and Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 2-0 on Sunday for a three-game sweep that extended their winning streak to five.

Trevor Story added an RBI single for the Red Sox, who have won five straight over the Yankees since losing their first meeting this year. Boston's win streak matched its season high.

The Red Sox made a blockbuster trade later in the day, sending Devers to the San Francisco Giants.

AL East-leading New York went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position and was swept in a series for the first time this year, getting shut out for the third time. The Yankees' four runs matched their fewest in a three-game series at Fenway Park, from June 20-22, 1916, and from Sept. 28-30, 1922.

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge went 1 for 12 in the series with a solo homer and nine strikeouts, dropping his major league-leading average to .378. He has struck out three or more times in three straight games for the third time in his big league career.

Bello (3-1) gave up three hits, walked three and tossed a career-high 114 pitches. Garrett Whitlock escaped an eighth-inning jam and got the five outs for his first save.

Devers homered just over the top edge of the Green Monster, making it 2-0 in the fifth against Max Fried (9-2). Devers has 31 homers against the Yankees since 2017, the most of any batter in that span.

Story’s single came after Romy Gonzalez tripled and did a face-plant on his head-first slide into third.

Fried, who entered 7-0 with an 0.83 ERA in eight starts after a Yankees’ loss, struck out nine over seven innings, allowing two runs and six hits.

With runners on first and second and one out in the eighth, Judge bounced into a 5-4-3 DP against Whitlock.

Boston’s starters have gone at least six innings in six straight starts.

Yankees: RHP Clarke Schmidt (3-3, 3.60 ERA) is slated to start Monday's opener of a four-game series at home against the Los Angeles Angels and RHP José Soriano (4-5, 3.86).

Red Sox: Open a nine-game West Coast trip Monday in Seattle when RHP Lucas Giolito (2-1, 5.45) starts against RHP Logan Gilbert (1-1, 2.37), who will be activated from the 15-day IL.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge reacts after striking out in the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)

Boston Red Sox's Romy Gonzalez crosses home plate to score during in the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)

Boston Red Sox's Jarren Duran catches a fly ball hit by New York Yankees' Ben Rice in the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)

Boston Red Sox's Brayan Bello reacts after striking out New York Yankees' J.C. Escarra to end the seventh inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)

Boston Red Sox's Roman Anthony, right, celebrates with designated hitter Rafael Devers (11) after defeating the New York Yankees in a baseball game, Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)