Stars Top Defender Ruled Out for Game 5

Without Heiskanen in the lineup, the Stars are relying heavily on two defensive pairings. The top pair, playing the most minutes, has been Esa Lindell and Cody Ceci. Lindell's play has been excellent, reminding the league of his underrated value. The second pair is Thomas Harley and Ilya Lyubushkin. These four are averaging the highest ice time on the team, with each playing at least 21 minutes per contest.

Harley is leading the team by a considerable margin, with 29:18 average minutes of ice time. He's been sensational in his role, recording one goal and two assists in the first four games. His three points lead the team, and his two assists are tied for the team lead. His postseason performance is a continuation of a career-high offensive season, in which he scored 16 goals and 34 assists for his first 50-point campaign.

The Stars will continue to rely heavily on these four defenders until Heiskanen comes back. The series returns to Dallas for Game 5 and will have to go back to Colorado for a Game 6. If needed, the Stars will host a Game 7. The way these teams are battling back-and-forth, it's likely all three remaining games are needed to decide the first-round winner. The Stars hope that if it comes down to it, they will finally have their top defenseman available to play.