Wild vs. Stars: 5 takeaways from Game 1
The Minnesota Wild captured the first game of their best-of-seven series against the Dallas Stars when Ryan Hartman's double-overtime goal gave Minnesota a 3-2 victory on Monday night
Monday night's game was a reminder of how exciting (and exhausting) playoff hockey can be. But if you couldn't stay up – or are just too tired to remember – here are five takeaways from the opening game of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
1. Filip Gustavsson is ready to duel with Jake Oettinger
Goaltending will be a key storyline in the series as the Wild will look to the tandem of Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury to battle Jake Oettinger. While it wasn't clear who would get the start in Game 1, Gustavsson excelled in his first career playoff start and made his case to start in Game 2.
Oettinger was outstanding for the Stars, stopping 45 of 48 shots and made several highlight-reel saves to keep the Wild off the board in overtime. But Gustavsson was even better, stopping 52 of 54 shots to help Minnesota pull off the upset.
Although the Wild are likely to use Fleury at some point, Gustavsson has at least earned another start and a chance to duel with Oettinger again.
2. Ryan Suter is public enemy No. 1
There was already some bad blood between the Wild and Ryan Suter after Bill Guerin bought out his contract in the summer of 2021 but after Game 1, Suter has become the top enemy in the State of Hockey after cross-checking Kirill Kaprizov into oblivion.
Suter delivered several cross-checks to the Wild superstar in the third period and none of them was called for a penalty. While he may have just been upset there is no Spicy Chicken Penne in Dallas, he also may have cemented his role as the Wild's antagonist in this series.
While Matt Dumba's hit on Joe Pavelski drew the ire of Stars fans, Wild fans are likely to forget the hits on Kaprizov as well as the history that led to a bitter divorce. If the cross-checks continue, a date with Ryan Reeves could be in Suter's future along with a hostile welcome in St. Paul later in the series.
3. Brock Faber was worth the wait
Wild fans have been waiting almost a year to get Brock Faber into the lineup and the 20-year-old delivered with a fantastic performance in Game 1.
Faber filled in for veteran John Klingberg and looked composed despite playing in his first career playoff game. Even as the game dragged on to double-overtime, Faber made an impact, making a diving block on Mason Marchment to keep the game alive.
Gopher fans aren't surprised as Faber was a two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year during his time at Minnesota. With defense likely to be the determining factor in this series, Faber's play will be under the spotlight and it appears the Maple Grove native is up for the challenge.
4. The Wild need Joel Eriksson Ek back on the ice
When Joel Eriksson Ek left the Wild's loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Apr. 6, it was a crucial blow to their hopes to win the Central Division. Although the Wild made the playoffs anyway, Game 1 made it clear that they need their star center back on the ice.
Dallas runs four-deep at the center spot with Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston, Tyler Seguin and Radek Faksa. The Stars used that depth to win 56.5 percent of their faceoffs on Monday night including two that produced a pair of power-play goals from Hintz and Jason Robertson.
The Wild's centers did their best to counter with Sam Steel scoring the game-tying goal late in the second period and Hartman's game-winner in double-overtime. After skating on his own prior to Monday's game, Eriksson Ek is on track to return at some point during the series, but the sooner that happens, the better it will be for Minnesota's upset bid.
5. The Wild won a game they had to win
Any team without home-ice advantage aims to split the first two games of a series. By winning one game, the series shifts back to their home ice, giving them a greater chance of pulling off the upset.
On Monday night, the Wild could have dropped the opening game and tried again in Game 2. But the later the game went on, it became a must-win game for the Wild.
Had the Wild lost, it would have been a gut punch heading into Game 2. Not only would they have been exhausted from a double-overtime effort that came up empty-handed, but they would also have been dealing with a brutal history where Minnesota has a 3-12 record all-time in the second game of a playoff series.
Instead, the Wild have a game in their pocket with a chance to take a 2-0 lead back to St. Paul. The Stars showed that the Wild will be in for a battle, but they at least have some breathing room heading into Game 2.
