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Dallas Stars: Kari Lehtonen’s Five Best Moments As A Star

By Josh Clark

DALLAS, TX - MARCH 23: Dallas Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen (32) skates back to the bench during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Boston Bruins on March 23, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Boston defeats the Stars 3-2. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 23: Dallas Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen (32) skates back to the bench during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Boston Bruins on March 23, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Boston defeats the Stars 3-2. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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DALLAS, TX – NOVEMBER 01: Kari Lehtonen #32 of the Dallas Stars looks on against the Colorado Avalanche on November 1, 2013 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX – NOVEMBER 01: Kari Lehtonen #32 of the Dallas Stars looks on against the Colorado Avalanche on November 1, 2013 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) /

5. Lehtonen’s Heroics With The Left Pad

This one is an automatic top save for Kari Lehtonen’s highlight reel. And it’s not just Stars fans that know it; YouTube knows it, too.

If you go on the popular video sharing site and type in Kari Lehtonen save, this is the first video that comes up. That’s just how popular and well-known it is.

The day was Nov. 1, 2013, and the Dallas Stars were only a handful of games into their 2013-14 campaign. It was their first season in a competitive and talent-heavy Central Division. With a new coach, new look, new captain, and new faces, the Stars were in for a tough battle. After all, it’s always difficult to adapt to significant change.

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    • But the Stars were holding their own through the first three weeks of the season. They were 5-6-1 through the month of October and were hanging tough in their new division.

    On the first day of the month, they welcomed the Colorado Avalanche to town. It was just their second meeting of the season, with the Avs taking a 3-2 win in the first game.

    The game on Nov. 1 didn’t start out in the best way for Dallas, either. Colorado scored the first two goals of the game in the first two periods behind tallies from Paul Stastny (doesn’t that make this feel like forever ago?) and Gabriel Landeskog. Meanwhile, Semyon Varlamov was shutting the door in the Avalanche crease.

    Kari Lehtonen was putting up as solid of a fight as he could, turning aside 16/18 in the first two frames.

    Alex Goligoski helped cut the lead in half early in the third period, but Colorado continued their push. And with 15:26 left in the third, it happened.

    After being turned around in his own crease and tangled up, Lehtonen came up with one of the best saves of his career. Take a look.

    He found a way to bring his leg back around and kick the puck out of the danger zone before covering it up. He also got his glove up in case the shot went high. That’s called extra precaution.

    It’s hard to say that this isn’t a show stopping save, especially considering the Stars eventually tied the game up and sent it to overtime before falling to an OT goal against.

    But every point mattered greatly in that season for the Dallas Stars (considering they made the postseason by two points). Lehtonen was a big reason why they got one in that game by keeping it close with an incredible save.

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