Dallas Stars
Miro Heiskanen missed his third straight game because of a lower-body injury when the Stars defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 in a shootout on Wednesday, but could return for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. “Yeah, you know, we hope there, too, that we could have him for Game 1,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “And like I said, he’s getting better, but it’s kind of day to day right now to see where he’s at, so very hopeful, though, on that front. Obviously he’s a big player for us.” Heiskanen has 63 points (nine goals, 54 assists) in 77 games and is fourth in the NHL in ice time per game (25:28). … Forward Sam Steel returned against the Sabres after missing nine games with an undisclosed injury and played 15:43, but Roope Hintz did not play and will not be available in the first two playoff games of their Western Conference First Round series against the Minnesota Wild. Hintz has not played since March 6, when he sustained a lower-body injury during a battle along the boards with Nathan MacKinnon in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Hintz did not put any weight on his left leg as he was helped off the ice by a teammate and a team trainer. Hintz, who has not resumed skating yet, had 44 points (15 goals, 29 assists) in 53 games this season.