The NHL playoffs have shown a new side of Kraken's Philipp Grubauer, who has been playing a significant role in the team's recent success. Grubauer has been the only goaltender for Seattle with a strong .918 save percentage, making crucial saves during the postseason games. Coach Dave Hakstol was impressed with Grubauer's quick reaction during Game 3 against the Dallas Stars, swatting a potential goal out of the air with his goalie stick. The game ended with a massive 5-2 victory for the Kraken, giving them a 2-1 series lead.

On the other hand, Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, who had a sparkling .933 save percentage and two shutouts in 18 career playoff appearances, has been unexpectedly struggling in the second round. Despite his outstanding regular-season performance, he has given up three-plus goals in a matter of minutes in both Games 1 and 3 against Seattle. During Game 3, he was taken out before the third period after allowing five goals on eight shots. With Grubauer's strong performances, he is currently outdueling Oettinger, whose playoff statistics of 2.37 goals-against average and .919 save percentage were very commendable during the regular season.