Ryan Hartman’s goal at 1:01 a.m. Central Time gave the Minnesota Wild a 3-2 double overtime victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of their best-of-seven playoff series.
Hartman gobbled up a loose puck in front of net and beat Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger for the winner 12 minutes, 20 seconds into the second overtime. Oettinger, a Lakeville, Minnesota native, was otherwise spectacular in what developed into a thrilling game.
HARTMAN WINS IT IN DOUBLE OT pic.twitter.com/MPyZ6afoqa
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) April 18, 2023
Filip Gustavsson, making his first career start in the playoffs, finished with 52 saves. The only goals he allowed were on Dallas power plays in the second period. Oettinger made 45 saves, including multiple game-savers in overtime.
It goes down as the longest playoff game in Wild history. The opening puck dropped at 8:50 p.m. CT Monday and ended at 1:01 a.m. CT Tuesday.
Minnesota drew first blood when Jared Spurgeon’s shot was tipped by Kirill Kaprizov into the back of the net over Lakeville native Jake Oettinger’s right shoulder.
Spurgeon snipe 🤝 Kaprizov tip: 🚨#mnwild pic.twitter.com/WWNsQDoYrj
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) April 18, 2023
Dallas responded quickly in the second period, tying the game 1-1 on Roope Hintz’s power play goal just three seconds into a power play after a boarding call on Minnesota’s Ryan Hartman.
Just over two minutes later Jason Robertson fired a low shot past Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson for a 2-1 Dallas lead. That goal came just six seconds into a power play after Wild forward Marcus Foligno was called for slashing.
The Wild tied the game 2-2 with 5:35 left in the second when Sam Steel blocked a shot and exploded down the center of the ice before beating Oettinger up high.
First Playoff appearance? âś…
First Playoff goal? ✅🚨✅#mnwild x #GritFirst pic.twitter.com/UPUt4BEsra— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) April 18, 2023
While the entire game was physical, there was one hit that has the Stars on edge because it sent Joe Pavelski to the locker room and out of the game. The 38-year-old was motionless on the ice for a moment before he was eventually helped off the ice.
Matt Dumba lays a late hit on Joe Pavelski and receives a 2-minute minor penalty for roughing. pic.twitter.com/a6XTWf4Hup
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 18, 2023
Dumba was hit with a two-minute minor penalty for roughing but the Stars didn’t get a power play because Max Domi attacked Dumba immediately after the hit and was also penalized.
Gustavsson, making his first career start in the playoffs, finished with __ saves. He earned the No. 1 goalie job over Marc-Andre Fleury after a stellar regular season in which he posted a 22-9-7 record with a 2.10 goals-against average and .931 save percentage, both ranking second in the NHL.
Up next: Game 2 is Wednesday in Dallas with puck drop at 8:30 p.m. CT.
