FRISCO, Texas (AP) \u2014 The Dallas Stars began these NHL playoffs without standout defenseman Miro Heiskanen and top goal scorer Jason Robertson , and still made it to their third consecutive Western Conference final.<\/p>\n
FRISCO, Texas (AP) \u2014 The Dallas Stars began these NHL playoffs<\/a> without standout defenseman Miro Heiskanen and top goal scorer Jason Robertson<\/a>, and still made it to their third consecutive Western Conference final.<\/p>\n Both returned in the second round, with Heiskanen coming back in the middle<\/a> of the six-game series against Winnipeg after missing 3 1\/2 months with a left knee injury. Now, coach Pete DeBoer gets to prepare for a West final rematch against Edmonton with something he hasn’t really had in a long time. <\/p>\n “Well, first time since January we\u2019ve had any kind of version of our full lineup,\u201d DeBoer said Monday. \u201cYou never want to go into a fight with one arm tied behind your back. Really, the first two rounds, that\u2019s what we had, and to our group\u2019s credit, they found a way to grind through those series. But it\u2019s nice not to have to be in that type of situation.\u201d<\/p>\n Dallas hosts the West opener<\/a> Wednesday night, a week after the Oilers wrapped up their second-round series<\/a> in Game 5 with a 1-0 overtime win at Vegas. <\/p>\n Stars players got their second consecutive day off Monday, when they would have been playing Game 7 at Winnipeg if they hadn’t finished off the Jets with a 2-1 overtime win<\/a> Saturday night. <\/p>\n “We just went through two of the best teams in the league, so we’re comfortable and we\u2019re getting, I feel, healthier and more up to speed with the guys that we put back in,\u201d DeBoer said. <\/p>\n Robertson, who like Heiskanen was drafted by the Stars in 2017 and is 25, suffered a lower-body injury<\/a> in the regular-season finale and missed the first-round series against Colorado. After 80 points (35 goals) while playing all 82 games for the third regular season in a row, he had only one assist, along with eight shots on goal and 19 total shot attempts, in six games against the Jets. <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s not a young, immature player anymore. He\u2019s not looking for excuses or making excuses,\u201d DeBoer said. \u201cHe\u2019s looking in the mirror, looking for solutions. Been very coachable. So I see a world of maturity in him.\u201d<\/p>\n Heiskanen needed surgery after getting injured on a big hit from Vegas captain Mark Stone on Jan. 28. The Stars defender missed the last 32 regular-season games and the first 10 in the playoffs before Game 4 against Winnipeg<\/a>, when he had an assist in the 3-1 win. <\/p>\n \u201cListen, he took the proper amount of time. He wasn\u2019t rushed back, he didn\u2019t rush back,\u201d DeBeor said. \u201cIt took him a few games to get his timing, but I\u2019m not surprised he\u2019s back where he\u2019s at right now.\u201d<\/p>\n After playing nearly 15 minutes over 19 shifts in his first game back, Heiskanen increased to 18 1\/2 minutes and 22 shifts in Game 5, then more than 23 1\/2 minutes and 29 shifts in the series finale.<\/p>\n Heiskanen said he felt \u201cpretty normal\u201d after the series against the Jets, and was getting more comfortable with every period and every game. <\/p>\n Dallas has gone with 11 forwards and seven defensemen since Heiskanen returned, but could soon go back to dressing 12 forwards.<\/p>\n Either way, DeBoer said Heiskanen returning to the defensive mix has been \u201cgame-changing\u201d for the Stars. <\/p>\n “All of a sudden you\u2019re slotting guys, you\u2019re playing them less minutes, they\u2019re more effective, they\u2019re playing in better matchup situations,\u201d DeBoer said. \u201cAdding a guy like that back into your lineup slots everybody back properly.\u201d<\/p>\n That includes Thomas Harley, who had the series-clinching OT goal<\/a> against the Jets. He got extended ice time while Heiskanen was out, going from 22 1\/2 minutes to nearly 25 minutes a game while playing about the same number of shifts. <\/p>\n \u201cWe loaded this guy up, so I think he understands,” DeBeor said. “He\u2019s a better, more effective player with a little bit less and he also understands of course the importance of Miro back there for us to win.\u201d<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n AP NHL playoffs: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/stanley-cup<\/a> and https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/nhl<\/a><\/p>\n Stephen Hawkins, The Associated Press<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n