Stars to play AHL MVP Bourque in must-win G6

American Hockey League MVP Mavrik Bourque will be in the lineup for the Dallas Stars on Sunday when they visit the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the Western Conference final.

Coach Pete DeBoer told reporters Sunday morning that Bourque will make his NHL playoff debut in place of fellow forward Ty Dellandrea.

The Stars are bidding to stave off elimination, as the Oilers hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. If a Game 7 is necessary, it will be played Tuesday in Dallas.

“He’s taken all the right steps,” DeBoer said of Bourque. “We got him in late in the season, and I think offense has been hard to come by in this series. When you look at our grouping of guys, he’s the one guy who probably has the most offensive potential of the options that we’re looking at.”

Bourque, 22, made his NHL debut on April 6, recording two shots on goal without a point in 10:56 of ice time in the Stars’ 3-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. He had 77 points (26 goals, 51 assists) in 71 games this season for the Texas Stars.

“I feel excited. I’ve been waiting for that for a while,” Bourque said. “My game’s ready. I’m ready to go. I just want to do my best to help win this game. … Just play my game, move my feet. It’s just practice, but the last few practices, I’ve been moving good. That’s pretty much what they’ve been asking me.”

Dellandrea, 23, has one goal for his lone point in six playoff games. He had nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 42 games during the regular season.

The Stars selected Bourque 30th overall in the 2020 NHL draft.