Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski will be a game-time decision on Friday for Game 6 of its first-round Western Conference playoff series with the Minnesota Wild.
Pavelski has not played since April 17 after sustaining a concussion in the second period of Game 1 of the series, when the Stars fell 3-2 in double overtime. While being checked by Minnesota defenseman Matt Dumba, Wild forward Ryan Hartman‘s stick hit Pavelski in the face.
The sequence sent Pavelski to the ground, where he hit his head on the ice. Dallas forward Mason Marchment and a team trainer helped Pavelski off the ice, and he was put into concussion protocol two days later.
“I haven’t seen him today, but getting better every day,” Stars coach Peter DeBoer said Wednesday. Pavelski did not travel with the Stars to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4 of the series.
Dallas did not take the ice on Wednesday, but DeBoer expects Pavelski to practice Thursday. The Stars currently hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series, which Dallas has a chance to clinch in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Friday.
Pavelski, 38, supplied an assist in Game 1 of the series before sustaining the concussion. He recorded 77 points (28 goals, 49 assists) while playing all 82 games of the regular season.