Miro Heiskanen had an immediate impact for the Dallas Stars in these NHL playoffs, even after missing 42 games because of a knee injury.

The Dallas Stars are set to face the Winnipeg Jets in the second round of the NHL Playoffs starting May 7.The Stars advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs after beating the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 in Game 7 on May 3.

Stars head coach Pete DeBoer announced Tuesday that Heiskanen would return to action for Game 4 against the Jets. The Stars activated the defenseman from long-term injured reserve a few hours later, prior to the 7:00 p.m. puck drop.

Stars coach Pete DeBoer says this is the best response team he has had in Dallas. They keep responding and now go into Game 4 at home with a chance for a 3-1 series lead against the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.

And while two overtime victories and a game seven hat trick from Mikko Rantanen in the team’s opening round win over the Colorado Avalanche certainly served as a path to getting back on track, a daunting task awaited in the second round in the form of the western conference’s top team from the 2024-25 season, the Winnipeg Jets.

The Dallas Stars entered this season as a Stanley Cup contender, but some injuries put their championship hopes in question.

A pivotal Game 4 is on tap with the Dallas Stars leading the series 2-1 when they face the Winnipeg Jets on Dallas' home ice at American Airlines Arena.

The Dallas Stars face the Winnipeg Jets in Game 4 of the second-round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck lays by the net as Dallas Stars' Sam Steel (18) and the rest of the line celebrate a goal scored by Alexander Petrovic, in pile against the boards, in the third period of Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) AP