It was a big game for the Dallas Stars, but it was also a big game for Roope Hintz.
Rewind back to April 17, 2019 for a moment. The Stars welcomed the Nashville Predators to the American Airlines Center for Game 4 of their first round series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and there was a fair dosage of urgency attached to the contest.
After winning Game 1 in Nashville, the Stars had dropped the previous two games and were in danger of falling into a 3-1 hole in the series. Another loss would pin them behind by two games and force them to head back to Nashville in a “win or go home” situation.