MINNESOTA WILD NOTES:
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES NOTES
DALLAS STARS
All-Time Wild Record: 37-37-13 (24-13-5 at Xcel Energy Center, 13-24-8 at Dallas)
2023-23: The Wild went 2-2-0 in the season series with the Stars…Minnesota won the series opening game at American Airlines Center, 6-5, in a shootout (12/4), lost 4-1 at Xcel Energy Center in the second game (12/29), lost 4-1 at Dallas in the third game (2/8) and won, 2-1, in shootout in the final meeting at St. Paul (2/17)… LW Kirill Kaprizov (2-1=3) and RW Mats Zuccarello (1-2=3) led Minnesota with three points each…C Joel Eriksson Ek (2-0=2), D Jared Spurgeon (0-2=2), RW Ryan Reaves (0-2=2) each recorded two points…G Marc-Andre Fleury went 1-1-0 with a 3.87 GAA and a .896 SV% after starting the first two meetings for the Wild…G Filip Gustavsson started the final two games and went 1-1-0 with a 1.97 GAA and a .939 SV%…C Roope Hintz paced Dallas with seven points (4-3=7)…LW Jason Robertson had five points (1-4=5)…C Wyatt Johnston tallied four points (1-3=4)…G Jake Oettinger went 2-0-1 with a 1.87 GAA and a .947 SV% in four starts for Dallas…G Scott Wedgewood entered during the first game (12/4) and stopped 14 of 15 shots faced, earning the loss.
WILD LEADERS: Zuccarello (3-16=19 in 22 games) leads Minnesota with 20 points (4-16=20) in 23 games against Dallas…Spurgeon owns 19 points (6-13=1) in 42 contests…C Ryan Hartman has 14 points (7-7=14) in 27 matches…Kaprizov has 12 points (6-6=12) in eight contests…D Matt Dumba owns 12 points (6-6=12) in 30 games.
WILD GOALIES: Fleury is 13-6-1 with a 2.18 GAA, a .927 SV% and one shutout in 20 games played (20 starts) vs. the Stars…Gustavsson is 3-1-0 with a 1.73 GAA and a .950 SV% in four starts.
STARS LEADERS: C Tyler Seguin (18-27=45 in 41 matches) and LW Jamie Benn (20-25=45 in 52 games) lead the Stars with 45 points each against Minnesota…C Joe Pavelski owns 44 points (21-23=44) in 53 games against the Wild…Hintz has 15 points (7-8=15) in 16 contests.
STARS GOALIES: Oettinger is 4-0-1 with a 2.40 GAA and a .917 SV% in seven career games (six starts)…Wedgewood is 0-1-2 with a 3.25 GAA and a .887 SV% in four games (two starts).
FAST FACTS: Minnesota is 20-14-5 in the last 10 seasons (2013-23) against Dallas…The Wild is 6-4-0 in the last 10 games against the Stars at Xcel Energy Center…Minnesota has points in 11 of the last 19 games (9-8-2) played at American Airlines Center…Minnesota was defeated by Dallas in six games in the 2016 First Round.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
Team: Earned a 3-2 double overtime victory in Game 1 at DAL (4/17)
• Played the longest contest in franchise history, earning the win 32:20 into extra time. The previous mark was 28:06 on 5/10/03, a 1-0 double overtime loss vs. ANA (CF-Game 1)
• Recorded 48 shots on goal, the second-highest postseason total in franchise history (52 SOG vs. STL, 4/12/17)
• Is now 22-11 all-time in postseason games where they score the first goal
• Is appearing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, 13th time in franchise history and the 10th time in the last 11 seasons Jonas Brodin: Appeared in his 62nd career Stanley Cup Playoff game in Game 1 at DAL (4/17), further extending his tie for the franchise record Brock Faber: Made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in Game 1 at DAL (4/17), skating 17:55 and blocking three shots
Filip Gustavsson: Made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in Game 1 at DAL (4/17)
• Earned the win and set a Wild postseason record with 51 saves, besting the previous mark set by Niklas Backstrom (44 saves), 4/14/08 at COL (R1-Game 3)
• Per NHL Stats, became the fifth NHL goaltender to record 51-plus saves in his playoff debut (since 1955-56 when shots on goal were officially tracked). He joined Roberto Luongo (72 in Game 1 of 2007 CQF), Jean-Sebastien Giguere (63 in Game 1 of 2003 CQF), Jose Theodore (56 in Game 4 of 1997 CQF) and Jiri Crha (55 in Game 1 of 1980 PRLM). Ryan Hartman: Scored the first overtime goal of his Stanley Cup Playoff career in Game 1 at DAL (4/17)
• Became the 10th player in franchise history to score an OTG in the Stanley Cup Playoffs Kirill Kaprizov: Scored his 10th career postseason goal in Game 1 at DAL (4/17)
• Has recorded nine points (6-3=9) in his last six postseason games
• Currently ranks fourth in franchise history in postseason goals
• With 10 goals through 14 career postseason games, his 0.71 goals-pergame average in the Stanley Cup Playoffs ranks first among all active NHL skaters (per NHL Stats) Gustav Nyquist: Made his eighth career trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and skated in his first postseason game in a Wild sweater Game 1 at DAL (4/17) • Registered an assist in Game 1. Has recorded a point in all four games played for Minnesota this season (regular and postseason) Jared Spurgeon: Appeared in his 62nd career Stanley Cup Playoff game in Game 1 at DAL (4/17), further extending his tie for the franchise record
• Recorded an assist to reach 28 career postseason points (8-20=28), tied with Mikko Koivu (11-17=28) for second-most in franchise history
• Needs one assist to tie Zach Parise for most in Wild postseason history Sam Steel: Made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in Game 1 at DAL (4/17)
• According to NHL Stats, became the seventh player in team history to score a goal in his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut, following Matt Dumba
(2015 R1), Erik Haula (2014 R1), Cal Clutterbuck (2013 CQF), Petteri Nummelin (2007 CQF), Marian Gaborik (2003 CQF) and Filip Kuba (2003 CQF)
INJURIES
Joel Eriksson Ek: lower body
John Klingberg: lower body
Mason Shaw: torn ACL, out for season
Oskar Sundqvist: lower body
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
4/17/23 Recalled G Hunter Jones from Iowa
4/15/23 Reassigned F Nic Petan to Iowa
4/14/23 Reassigned F Damien Giroux, F Marco Rossi, F Nick
Swaney and F Sammy Walker to Iowa
4/13/23 Recalled F Damien Giroux from Iowa
4/12/23 Recalled F Nick Swaney and F Sammy Walker from Iowa
4/9/23 Signed D Brock Faber to a three-year, entry-level contract
4/9/23 Recalled F Nic Petan and F Marco Rossi from Iowa
POSTSEASON NOTES
• The Minnesota Wild clinched a postseason berth for the fourth straight season and 13th time in franchise history, including 10 of the last 11 seasons.
• Per NHL Stats, the Wild (2000-01) can become the first expansion franchise from the NHL, NBA, NFL or MLB to play its inaugural season in the 2000s or later and win a title. Only two clubs that have entered the NHL since the start of the 1990s have won a Stanley Cup: Tampa Bay (3) and Anaheim (1).
• Of the 26 players beginning the postseason on the Wild’s roster, eight had not appeared in a Stanley Cup Playoff Game with Minnesota: Brock Faber, Filip Gustavsson, John Klingberg, Gustav Nyquist, Ryan Reaves, Mason Shaw, Sam Steel and Oskar Sundqvist. Four players had not appeared in a Stanley Cup Playoff game: Faber, Gustavsson, Shaw and Steel. Faber, Gustavsson, Nyquist, Reaves and Steel all skated for the Wild in Game 1 at DAL (4/17).
• Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is set to play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 17th consecutive season, which would extend his NHL record among goaltenders. Fleury would also tie Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy for the most total playoff years among goaltenders.
• Fleury won a Stanley Cup alongside D Alex Goligoski and Wild general manager Bill Guerin with the 2009 Penguins. Fleury and Goligoski can become the third set of teammates in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup together with different franchises 14+ years apart – they would join Red Kelly and Marcel Pronovost (1950 DET & 1967 TOR) as well as Kelly, Pronovost and Terry Sawchuk (1952 DET & 1967 TOR)
• LW Kirill Kaprizov has 12 points (10-2=12) in 14 career playoff games, including a franchise-record seven (7-0=7) against St. Louis in the 2022 First Round. Per NHL Stats, Kaprizov became become the 10th player since 1943-44 to score 10 playoff goals in 14 career playoff games or fewer, joining Vladimir Tarasenko as the only players to do so in the past 32 years.
• D Jared Spurgeon (8-19—27 in 62 GP) is the franchise’s all-time leader for playoff goals, assists and points among defensemen, while D Jonas Brodin (2-14—16 in 62 GP) and D Matt Dumba (5-8—13 in 44 GP) also rank among the top five on each of those lists (outright or tied). Spurgeon needs three postseason assists to pass Zach Parise (16-21=37) for most in franchise history
DALLAS STARS NOTES:
LAST DALLAS STARS GAME
Game 1: April 17, 2023 – STARS 2 vs. WILD 3 (2OT)
The Stars opened their 2023 Western Conference First Round series against the Minnesota Wild with a 3-2 loss in double overtime. Forwards Roope Hintz (1-0—1) and Jason Robertson (1-0—1) tallied goals for the Stars, with both goals coming on the power play. Captain Jamie Benn (0-1—1), forward Joe Pavelski (0-1—1) and defenseman Miro Heiskanen (0-1—1) recorded assists for Dallas, while goaltender Jake Oettinger made 45 saves on 48 shots. Heiskanen recorded a game-high 41:42 TOI, while defenseman Jani Hakanpää paced the Stars with eight hits.
PP: 2-5 | PK: 3-4 | SF: 53 | SA: 248 | DAL TOI: M. Heiskanen (41:42 – game high) | Attendance: 18,532 (sellout)
Three Stars: 1. MIN – R. Hartman 2. MIN – F. Gustavsson 3. DAL – J. Oettinger
FIRST ROUND SERIES SCHEDULE
Date Time (CT) DAL [C2] vs. MIN [C3] Location TV/Radio/Result
Game 1 Mon, April 17 8:30 p.m. Minnesota at Dallas American Airlines Center Wild 3, Stars 2 (2OT)
Game 2 Wed, April 19 8:30 p.m. Minnesota at Dallas American Airlines Center BSSW, ESPN2/KTCK
Game 3 Fri, April 21 8:30 p.m. Dallas at Minnesota Xcel Energy Center BSSW, TBS/KTCK
Game 4 Sun, April 23 5:30 p.m. Dallas at Minnesota Xcel Energy Center BSSW, TBS/KTCK
Game 5 * Tue, April 25 TBD Minnesota at Dallas American Airlines Center BSSW (National: TBD)/KTCK
Game 6 * Fri, April 28 TBD Dallas at Minnesota Xcel Energy Center BSSW (National: TBD)/KTCK
Game 7 * Sun, April 30 TBD Minnesota at Dallas American Airlines Center BSSW (National: TBD)/KTCK
- if necessary
INJURIES
Man-games lost, 2023 playoffs: 0
Dallas Stars: Media Notes
DALLAS STARS NOTES
TONIGHT’S GAME: Dallas’ First Round series continues tonight with Game 2 against the Minnesota Wild at American Airlines Center. (8:30 p.m. CT, TV: BSSW, ESPN2, Radio: The Ticket 96.7-FM/1310-AM). Game 1 went into the depths of the night with Minnesota scoring the game-winning goal at the 12:20 mark of double overtime. Following tonight’s matchup, the series will shift to St. Paul for Games 3 and 4 beginning Friday, April 21.
THINGS ARE GETTING WILD OVER HERE
- This marks the second time the Stars and Wild have met in the playoffs, with the Stars winning the 2016 First Round series in six games.
- Roope Hintz (1-0—1) and Jason Robertson (1-0—1) lit the lamp for Dallas in Game 1, while Jamie Benn (0-1—1), Joe Pavelski (0-1—1) and Miro Heiskanen (0-1—1) recorded assists.
- Goaltender Jake Oettinger made 45 saves on 48 shots in 92:05 TOI – the longest game of his postseason career (10 GP).
- Benn enters tonight’s game with four goals and 11 points (4-7—11) in seven playoff games vs. the Wild.
ENTERING THE POSTSEASON
- The Stars are in the postseason for a second straight year, 18th time since relocating to Dallas in 1993-94 and 35th time in franchise history. Dallas became the 10th team to clinch a berth in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
- The Stars are looking for their 20th series win since relocation (19-16; .543 series W%) and to advance past the opening round for the first time since their run to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. They have required at least six games in 13 of their last 14 Stanley Cup Playoffs series dating to the 2007 Conference Quarterfinals.
- Goaltender Jake Oettinger enters the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs after a 64-save performance for the Stars in Game 7 of the 2022 First Round when he became the second goaltender on record to post 60+ saves in a Game 7. Oettinger, 24, can become the second goaltender in franchise history to win a series-clinching game before his 25th birthday (Don Beaupre: age 19: Game 5 of 1981 QF; age 22: Game 5 of 1984 DSF & Game 7 of 1984 DF).
- Forward Jason Robertson (Arcadia, Calif.) can become the third different California-born Stanley Cup winner in NHL history, joining Brooks Orpik (2009 PIT & 2018 WSH) and Scott Parker (2001 COL). Robertson recorded four points (1-3—4) in seven games during the 2022 First Round vs. Calgary.
- Defenseman Miro Heiskanen (9-25—34 in 48 GP) has a share of the fifth-best points-per-game among active defensemen in the postseason (min. 10 GP). He needs six points to climb three spots into sole possession of fourth place in franchise history for playoff points by defensemen; he can also ascend lists for goals and assists.
- Captain Jamie Benn (20-32—52 in 67 GP) is one of 12 players in franchise history with 20 career playoff goals and one of eight with at least 50 points, highlighted by a 19-point performance (8-11—19) in 2020 when he finished fourth in team scoring. With another double-digit performance in 2023, Benn (3x) can join Mike Modano (7x) and Bobby Smith (4x) as the third player in franchise history with at least four postseasons with 10 or more points.
- Forward Joe Pavelski (64-62—126) has the fourth-most postseason points among U.S.-born players, behind Mike Modano (58-88—146 in 176 GP), Chris Chelios (31-113—144 in 266 GP), and Patrick Kane (52-80—132 in 136 GP). Pavelski’s 64 goals are the most among U.S.-born players and the fourth most among active skaters. He also ranks third among players drafted in the seventh round or later for career playoff points, behind Doug Gilmour (60-128—188 in 182 GP) and Luc Robitaille (58-69—127 in 159 GP).
- Pavelski (169 GP) is one of five players in NHL history to appear in 165+ playoff games without yet hoisting the Cup (or who retired without one); the others are Patrick Marleau (195), Joe Thornton (187), Dale Hunter (186) and Steve Thomas (174). To date, the three highest playoff game counts before winning a championship are 214 (Ray Bourque, 2001 COL), 169 (Glen Wesley, 2006 CAR) and 162 (Dave Andreychuk, 2004 TBL). Pavelski ranks third in terms of regular-season games played for active players who have yet to win.
- Forward Tyler Seguin is the only Dallas player with a Stanley Cup, winning as a 20-year-old with Boston in 2011 (3-4—7 in 13 GP). He can become the fourth player in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to win a Cup at age 20 or younger and at age 30 or older – only Greg Gilbert (1982 NYI & 1994 NYR), Claude Lemieux (1986 MTL, 1996 COL & 2000 NJD) and Patrick Roy (1986 MTL, 1996 COL & 2001 COL) have done so in that timeframe.
- Head coach Peter DeBoer, in his first season with Dallas, has advanced past the opening round in his first postseason behind the bench with three franchises (2012 w/ NJD, 2016 w/ SJS & 2020 w/ VGK). Two head coaches in NHL history have won a series in their first postseason with four clubs: Alain Vigneault (1998 w/ MTL, 2007 w/ VAN, 2014 w/ NYR & 2020 w/ PHI) and Roger Neilson (1978 w/ TOR, 1981 w/ BUF, 1982 w/ VAN, 1990 w/ NYR).
- The Stars/North Stars franchise has advanced to the Stanley Cup Final five times, twice while based in Minnesota and three times in Dallas. They stand as one of two non-Original Six franchises with a Final berth in four different decades (1980s, 1990s, 2000s & 2020s), alongside Philadelphia (1970s, 1980s, 1990s & 2010s).
