Justin Dowling wasn't expected to be here. He was the career minor-leaguer, the one with more than 20 times as many AHL games as NHL ones, and the player named captain of the Texas Stars this season.
He'd never played an NHL playoff game before this postseason. He's never scored a goal in the NHL. But Dowling has turned into a steady lineup option for Stars coach Jim Montgomery this postseason. Including Monday night's Game 3 against the Blues, Dowling has played all nine of Dallas' playoff games this season.
"He has elite hockey sense, he has as good as hockey sense as any top-six player we have in our lineup," Montgomery said.