The Dallas Stars headed into the Xcel Energy Center on Sunday with lots to play for. The hope of stealing the one seed in the West was still alive, as the Winnipeg Jets lost to the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday. The Stars’ goal was to get back on track from their loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
Dallas’s uncharacteristic start saw them score early and control the pace of play. Mikko Rantanen set up Jason Robertson with a beautiful drop pass to put the Stars up 1-0 5:51 seconds into the game. From there, things got quiet for Dallas, whose pressure waned as the period progressed.
They’ve struggled to outshoot their opponents lately, and that trend continued, as they only had seven shots to the Minnesota Wild’s 13 at the end of the first.
The second period was surprisingly quiet from both sides. It played out similarly to a soccer match, with neither side giving up many offensive opportunities. Jake Oettinger was playing lights out, stopping all 23 shots through the first two periods.
This included almost three full penalty kills that the Stars and Oettinger had to endure. Filip Gustavsson was also having himself a game, as he kept 20/21 shots out of his net through 40 minutes of play and a penalty kill.
Even though the shots were close, the game was almost entirely dictated by the Wild heading into the third. A penalty by the Stars also gave the Wild the man advantage to start the period.
This allowed Minnesota to build momentum, which would soon be converted into a goal by Matt Boldy. It was a golf swing in the slot that got the Wild on the board, and now the game was tied. It wasn’t long until the Wild struck again, this time it was Marcus Foligno, scoring just 1:52 after Boldy. The Wild’s hard work finally rewarded them with a 2-1 lead.
The Stars lacked any hustle or will to win, as they let Minnesota control the puck in all three zones. After what looked like a lost game, Thomas Harley put the Stars back in it, as his point shot bounced off Travis Demott to tie the game. From there, things remained quiet, and the teams were off to overtime.
Overtime got off to a controversial start. Jason Robertson was crossing back into the neutral zone when his foot slid out and tripped Matt Boldy. Some thought that Boldy fell over Robertson, but alas, the penalty was handed out.
This gave the Wild a 4-3 man advantage, and they didn’t take long to convert. Just 52 seconds into the extra frame, Marco Rossi potted the game-winner off a pass from Matt Zuccarello.
Jake Oettinger, who made 38/41 saves, was visibly frustrated after the game, and rightfully so. The Stars have been outshot in their last ten games, and this playstyle isn’t sustainable.
Giving up 40 shots to a crippled Minnesota team who hasn’t reached that mark since November is inexcusable. Dallas has a big game on Thursday versus the Jets, and they need to come more prepared if they’re to stand a chance.
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