In Dallas, the Minnesota Wild took a 5-1 lead in the third period over the Stars. That didn’t last long.
Dallas rallied with four goals to force extra time on Sunday, but the Wild ended the affair with a skills goal from Frederick Gaudreau for a 6-5 win.
“For us it’s a hard game. They really came at us,” Minnesota forward Joel Eriksson Ek said. “For us, it was just trying to survive and push back their momentum. We gave up too many chances for them to not score.”
Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves in the Minnesota win.
“We made some mistakes, and I know we didn’t protect the middle of the ice as well as we would have liked, not only in our zone, but off of the rush they came through us pretty easily through the neutral zone,” Minnesota coach Dean Evason said. “We did like that once we got one. It wasn’t like, ‘OK, let’s just sit back,’ we just kept going and pushing forward. Fortunate to get as big of a lead as we did because we needed it.”
The Wild improved to 13-9-2.
Kirill Kaprizov scored in the opening frame to give the Wild a 1-0 lead.
Eriksson Ek hit for a goal with 29 seconds gone in the third period for the 5-1 lead to the Wild.
Roope Hintz made 5-2, and Jason Robertson scored to cut it to 5-3.
Hintz scored the Stars’ first goal, he had a hat trick in the match, his goal tied the game, 1-1, in the second period.
After the tie, the Wild hit for three strikes in the frame.
Connor Dewar hit on a shorthanded goal, and Jake Middleton pushed the lead to 3-1.
“It was a roller coaster,” Minnesota forward Ryan Reaves said. “I think they carried a decent amount of the first period, and obviously we had a good push in the second. Start off well in the third. Good teams, they find ways to battle back. Hats off to them, they’re a good team and they’re going to find ways to push and claw back in that game. We found a way to come up with a win.”
Jordan Greenway scored 15 seconds after Middleton for a 4-1 lead headed to the third.n Marchment scored for the Stars to get them within one, 5-4.
“Get a little 2-on-1, see the guy sliding, on the backhand, really the only option is to try to get it to [Hintz] on that one,” Dallas’ Joe Pavelski said. “I think the [Marchment goal] was a good forecheck by [forward Radek Faksa]. He turns that one over, kicks it weak side, and you’ve got them spread out. It’s a smart play and just try to connect on them.”
Hintz finished his hat trick to force the extra session.
“I think once you get that second one you start feeling, ‘OK, get another one, you never know,'” Stars defenseman Ryan Suter said. “To tie it up there and force it to overtime says a lot about our group. Everyone believes in each other and knows that that next line can go get us something, either some momentum or a goal.”
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Jake Oettinger got the start for Dallas and surrendered four goals and made 12 saves before getting the hook in the second intermission.
“It’s 5-1 with 12 minutes left. We could be walking out of here with nothing,” Dallas coach Peter DeBoer said. “That’s a really critical point, and you can’t underestimate the fight in this group.”
Scott Wedgewood made 14 saves in the third to help the Stars get the loser’s s point.
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