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Eight days after falling in their third straight Western Conference finals, the Dallas Stars announced Friday they fired head coach Peter DeBoer.

DeBoer, who had a year remaining on his contract, had his future with the franchise come under question after the Stars lost to the Edmonton Oilers in five games.

“After careful consideration, we believe that a new voice is needed in our locker room to push us closer to our goal of winning the Stanley Cup,” Stars general manager Jim Nill said in a statement. “We’d like to thank Pete for everything that he has helped our organization achieve over the past three seasons and wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”

The Stars opened Game 5 by watching franchise goaltender Jake Oettinger give up two goals on his first two shots to fall into a 2-0 deficit. DeBoer pulled Oettinger in favor of Casey DeSmith hoping it would wake the team up. The Stars pulled within a goal twice but lost 6-3.

“Any time you pull a goalie the reasoning is to always try and spark your group,” DeBoer said after Game 5. “So that’s for your first reason. We had talked endlessly in this series about trying to play with the lead, and obviously, we’re in a 2-0 hole right away. I didn’t take that lightly, and I didn’t blame it all on Jake. But the reality is, if you go back to last year’s playoffs, he’s lost six of seven games to Edmonton.”

The statement led to even more questions about his relationship with Oettinger, who is one of the biggest reasons why the Stars have emerged as a perennial Stanley Cup favorite over the past three seasons.

Especially with Oettinger set to enter the first year of an eight-year contract extension that will see him go from earning $4 million to $8.25 million annually.

DeBoer doubled down on his decision to pull Oettinger two days later during the team’s season-ending media availability. He said that there isn’t “a bigger fan” of Oettinger than himself, later adding that he hadn’t spoken to the 26-year-old netminder.

Oettinger, who didn’t speak after Game 5, also spoke in the same availability.

“The reality is if I make one or two or two of those saves, then I’m still playing in the game,” Oettinger said. “The way I’m looking at it is, how can I get better from that? How can I make those saves that I made all playoffs?”

Oettinger was also asked if he had any concerns about his relationship with DeBoer.

“My job is to stop the puck. And I feel like I’m one of the best in the world, when I’m playing well, doing that. So that’s all I’m in a focus on,” Oettinger said. “All the extra stuff is just extra stuff to me. … If I go out there next year and I’m the best goalie in the world, it doesn’t matter. One of you guys could be coaching, it doesn’t matter. Just try to be the best I can be, learn from the experience.”

The Stars had no comment about DeBoer’s handling of Oettinger, but the results are what they are. Dallas joined the 1975-77 Islanders as the only teams in the expansion era to lose in the round before the Stanley Cup Final for three straight seasons.

The Stars’ need for a new coach will now reignite a coaching carousel that appeared to have come to a full stop Thursday with the Boston Bruins hiring former forward Marco Sturm.

The Stars now become the ninth team this offseason to seek a head coach in a cycle that saw Mike Sullivan leave the Pittsburgh Penguins to join the New York Rangers, Joel Quenneville sign with the Anaheim Ducks and Rick Tocchet depart the Vancouver Canucks for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Hiring a new coach also comes in an offseason in which PuckPedia projects the Stars will have $4.955 million in cap space to address a roster that has seven pending unrestricted free agents. It’s a list that includes captain Jamie Benn and center Matt Duchene.

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White Sox put Meidroth on IL with bruised thumb

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White Sox put Meidroth on IL with bruised thumb

SEATTLE — The Chicago White Sox placed rookie shortstop Chase Meidroth on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a right thumb contusion ahead of their 4-3, 11-inning loss in their series finale against the Seattle Mariners.

Meidroth, who is hitting .252 with three home runs, 15 RBIs and 11 stolen bases, said he will be shut down from swinging for “a few days.” He hasn’t registered an at-bat since July 30 against the Philadelphia Phillies, when he was hit by a Taijuan Walker sinker in the fifth inning.

Also Thursday, Chicago selected the contract of shortstop Jacob Amaya from Triple-A Charlotte and designated right-handed pitcher Gus Varland for assignment.

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Ticket to reprise: Mets honor Beatles’ Shea 60th

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Ticket to reprise: Mets honor Beatles' Shea 60th

NEW YORK — The Mets will honor the 60th anniversary of the Fab Four’s performance at Shea Stadium, where they will host the Mariners on Aug. 15 for The Beatles Night at Citi Field.

The 1965 performance was a milestone because The Beatles became the first rock band to perform a major stadium concert. A 50-minute documentary titled “The Beatles at Shea Stadium” captured the show. At the time, the multipurpose stadium was home to the Mets and New York Jets.

The celebration will begin with a performance by 1964 the Tribute in front of Shea Bridge at 6:15 p.m. ET. The first 15,000 fans to enter Citi Field will receive an exclusive Shea Stadium replica.

The first pitch will be thrown by members of the game-day staff who worked the famous concert. A themed fireworks show will be held after the game.

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M’s Naylor exits with sore shoulder after swing

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M's Naylor exits with sore shoulder after swing

SEATTLE — Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor left Thursday’s 4-3 victory against the Chicago White Sox in the third inning because of shoulder soreness, manager Dan Wilson said.

In his first at-bat against White Sox starter Shane Smith, Naylor grimaced after swinging at a high, inside fastball. He walked down the first base line and back before finishing his at-bat, which ended with a strikeout.

Naylor stayed in the game, but later exited after grounding out to second base to end the third inning.

Wilson told reporters after the game that Naylor is day-to-day.

Naylor, one of Seattle’s notable trade deadline acquisitions from the Arizona Diamondbacks, is hitting .289, with 14 home runs, 65 RBI and 21 stolen bases this season. Since joining the Mariners, the left-hander is batting .261 with three home runs and 10 stolen bases.

While with the Diamondbacks, the left-handed hitter was pulled from a June 23 game — also against the White Sox — in the fourth inning due to right shoulder discomfort. Naylor avoided a stint on the injured list and returned to the lineup two days later.

Donovan Solano, who hadn’t played in two weeks, took over at first base for Seattle when Naylor exited.

The Mariners, who swept a series for the first time since July 11-13, moved within 1 1/2 games of first-place Houston in the American League West.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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