04/21/26 12:05:00
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04/21 00:03 CDT Johnston and Stars beat Wild 4-2 in Game 2 to even their
first-round playoff series
Johnston and Stars beat Wild 4-2 in Game 2 to even their first-round playoff
series
By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer
DALLAS (AP) --- Wyatt Johnston had two unusual goals, Matt Duchene scored a
tiebreaking power-play goal and had an assist, and the Dallas Stars beat the
Minnesota Wild 4-2 in Game 2 on Monday night to even their first-round Western
Conference series.
The Stars went ahead to stay with a power play winding down about four minutes
into the penalty-filled second period when Duchene made a quick pass to Mikko
Rantanen and then got the puck back just in front of the crease. That made it
2-1.
Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 28 shots, including a point-blank attempt
by Kirill Kaprzov with 2 1/2 minutes to play when the Wild were on a power play
after Dallas was penalized for too many men on the ice.
Brock Faber scored his first two career playoff goals for Minnesota, which won
the opener 6-1 on Saturday but missed a chance in its 15th playoff appearance
to take its first-ever 2-0 series lead.
Jason Robertson, who like Johnston scored 45 goals in the regular season, also
scored for Dallas. Nils Liundvist had two assists.
Game 3 is Wednesday night at Minnesota.
Johnston, the 22-year-old center already in his fourth postseason and 58th
playoff game, put Dallas up 1-0 midway through the first on his shot that
ricocheted off the boards behind the net and then went off the left skate of
Wallstedt and just inside the post. Lundkvist had the primary assist when he
pushed the puck with his skate back to Johnston.
The Stars were on another power play in the final minute when Johnston --- from
a crowd in front of Oettinger --- knocked the puck to the other end, with it
rolling and swerving into the empty net.
Wild rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt, who has started both games ahead of
playoff-experienced Filip Gustavsson, also had 28 saves.
___
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and
https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
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