Stars boost struggling Johnston: 'He needs some support out there'

Wyatt Johnston is a league-worst minus-17 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the Dallas Stars aren't worried about his game.

Johnston's plus-minus has taken a hit with empty-net and shorthanded goals against, but he is still a minus-8 at five-on-five. Teammate Matt Duchene is confident the troubling numbers aren't getting to Johnston.

"I hope that he is not reading too much into it or thinking too much about it," Duchene said, per NHL.com's Nicholas Cotsonika. "It's a weird, freaky thing that happens. It seems like stuff like that happens in playoffs, where it goes really far one way or really far the other way for guys, and he's fine. We have all the faith in the world in him."

Johnston ranked third on Dallas with 71 points this season, and signed a five-year, $42-million extension in March. The 22-year-old has eight points in the playoffs, a steep decline from the 10 goals and 16 points he registered during the Stars' run to the Western Conference Final last year.

"He's a 22-year-old with a lot on his plate, and I think he's just fine," Stars head coach Pete DeBoer said.

DeBoer described Johnston's numbers as "out of proportion."

"I think like the rest of our group, I think he needs to feel the confidence of a puck going in," DeBoer said. "... I think he needs some help with the guys that he's playing with on the ice. He needs some support there. He can't do that alone. You know, he's had some tough assignments so far in the playoffs."

Dallas has been outscored 31-23 at five-on-five in these playoffs, but can even its series with the Edmonton Oilers with a win Tuesday night.