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.
KEY NOTES AND NUMBERS
Team: Earned a 3-2 double overtime victory in Game 1 at DAL (4/17), lost 7-3 in Game 2 at DAL (4/19), won 5-1 in Game 3 in Saint Paul (4/21) and fell 3-2 in Game 4 in Saint Paul (4/23)
• Limited the Stars to 24 shots on goal in Game 3. In the regular season, Dallas was held to 24-or-fewer SOG just seven times.
• The Wild played the longest contest in franchise history in Game 1, 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)
• Minnesota recorded 48 shots on goal in Game 1, the second-highest postseason total in franchise history (52 SOG vs. STL, 4/12/17)
• The Wild is 23-11 all-time in postseason games where they score the first goal
INJURIES
Joel Eriksson Ek: lower body
Mason Shaw: torn ACL, out for season
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
April 15 – April 24, 2023
4/24/23 Recalled G Jesper Wallstedt from Iowa
4/21/23 Reassigned F Sammy Walker to Iowa
4/19/23 Recalled F Sammy Walker from Iowa
4/17/23 Recalled G Hunter Jones from Iowa
4/15/23 Reassigned F Nic Petan to Iowa
DALLAS STARS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME: In a series gridlocked through four games, the Stars return home to host the Wild in a pivotal Game 5 tonight at American Airlines Center. (7 p.m. CT, TV: BSSW, TBS, Radio: The Ticket 96.7-FM/1310-AM). Both teams have alternated wins in the first four games of this best-of-seven, with Minnesota taking Games 1 and 3 and Dallas earning victories in Games 2 and 4. Regardless of the outcome tonight, the series will return to Saint Paul for Game 6 on Friday, April 28.
TALE OF THE TAPE VS. MINNESOTA
- 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.
- Through four games, forward Roope Hintz ranks third in the NHL in points (4-4—8) and shares fourth in goals (4).
- Hintz needs three more points to set the record for the most in a best-of-seven series in Stars team history – a mark currently held by Mike Modano (4-6—10 in 2003 CQF), Sergei Zubov (4-6—10 in 2003 CQF) and Jamie Benn (4-6—10 in 2016 R1). Dallas has never lost a series when a player registers a double-digit point total.
- In Game 4, Hintz recorded his second three-point outing (0-3—3) of the series and became the fourth player in franchise history in the past 30 years with as many three-point outings in a single series. He joined Joe Pavelski (2 GP in 2020 R1), Jamie Benn (2 GP in 2016 R1) and Mike Modano (2 GP in 2003 CQF).
- In Game 2, Hintz (3-1—4) recorded the first playoff home hat trick in Dallas Stars history (since 1993) and second in franchise history (also Dino Ciccarelli in 1981 w/ MNS). It marked the first postseason hat trick for the Stars since forward Joel Kiviranta in Game 7 of the 2020 Western Conference Second Round at Colorado on Sept. 4, 2020.
- Hintz became the 15th different player in Stanley Cup Playoffs history with an even-strength goal, power-play goal and shorthanded goal in a contest and first since Tyler Johnson in Game 2 of the 2015 Conference Finals (w/ TBL).
- Defenseman Miro Heiskanen has five points (0-5—5) in four games vs. Minnesota, including a four-assist performance in Game 2.
- Heiskanen (0-4—4) matched the franchise record for most points in a playoff game by a Stars/North Stars defenseman, a mark set by Brad Maxwell (0-4—4 in Game 4 of 1981 SCF) and equaled by Heiskanen (1-3—4 in Game 6 of 2020 R1).
- In Game 2, Hintz (3-1—4) and Heiskanen (0-4—4) combined for the second time in the past 30 years where two Stars players have recorded four-plus points in a playoff game. The other instance: Heiskanen and Denis Gurianov in Game 6 of the 2020 First Round.
- In Game 4, forward Tyler Seguin (2-0—2) matched the franchise record for power-play goals in a playoff game – a feat only three other players have accomplished in Stars team history: Alexander Radulov (2 in Game 7 of 2020 R2), Brendan Morrow (2 in Game 3 of 2008 CQF) and Pat Verbeek (2 in Game 2 of 1998 CQF).
- Seguin has three power-play goals through four games vs. Minnesota. The last time a Stars player had more in a playoff year was in 2008, when Mike Modano (5) and Brenden Morrow (4) both did so. Seguin leads the club in power-play allies (3) and shares second in goals (3).
- Forward Evgenii Dadonov shares second on the Stars in goals (3) through four games against the Wild. Two of his three goals came in Game 2, which also represented the first two goals of his postseason career (6 GP).
- In Game 2, captain Jamie Benn scored his 21st career playoff goal to pass Al MacAdam (20) and move into a tie with Brett Hull for 10th place on the franchise’s all-time list.
- Goaltender Jake Oettinger made 32 saves in Game 4 to help the Stars even the series at two apiece. His .941 career playoff save percentage is the highest on record (since 1955-56) by a goaltender age 24 or younger (min. 10 GP). The next closest is Montreal’s Rogie Vachon (.938 SV%).
- With a win in Game 2, goaltender Oettinger (Lakeville, Minn.) became the first Minnesota-born goalie to earn a playoff victory against a Minnesota-based team (the Wild and North Stars).
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 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 (9-29—38 in 51 GP) has the seventh-best points-per-game among active defensemen in the postseason (min. 10 GP). He needs one point to move 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 (21-34—55 in 70 GP) is one of 11 players in franchise history with 21 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 regularseason 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).
