The Minnesota Wild started their 2023 Postseason journey by taking on the Dallas Stars with Game 1 on the road in Dallas, TX on April 17. The Wild came out exactly as they needed to, with speed and energy that clearly caught the Stars off guard. They even got on the board first for the first time in three games and held the lead throughout the first period.
The second period is where all the intensity poured out as tempers rose and the Wild took some unnecessary penalties that allowed the Stars to climb back in with back-to-back power-play goals to make it 2-1. The Stars held the lead until late in the period when Sam Steel tied things up at two in his first-ever playoff game.
Despite a lot of chances both ways and some very heavy hits, the game remained tied throughout the third and overtime was needed. Since it’s the postseason there’s no short three-on-three overtime and then a shootout, it’s strictly a full-length five-on-five period and they continue until someone scores. The first one wasn’t enough to get it done so a second was needed, and despite not having one of their best players in Joel Eriksson Ek, the Wild did the unbelievable and took down the Stars in double overtime 3-2.
Wild’s ‘Grit First’ Effort
The Wild have a new hashtag on Twitter; “Grit First” and the entire Wild roster embraced it from the beginning of the game and showed they weren’t willing to leave the ice without a win. Their main hero, Kirill Kaprizov got things started with the first goal of the game on the power play and while he took a beating the whole game, he didn’t give up. His teammates followed suit and Steel also played an incredible game after struggling during the regular season. He secured a breakaway and scored the Wild’s second goal to tie things up at two and eventually send them to overtime.
Ryan Hartman had a rollercoaster game, that included taking a penalty that cost his team a goal and then working hard to redeem himself all game which resulted in him securing the game-winner in overtime. There were so many players who stepped up and did what needed to be done to win this game. They focused on playing gritty and taking shots, plus they backed off on trying to make pretty plays.
Brandon Duhaime, Frédérick Gaudreau, and Marcus Johansson all had impressive games offensively with good sticks that forced turnovers and they were aggressive in the offensive zone. Matt Boldy can’t be overlooked either as he continued to play the same strong game he has for the past month. If they can continue to get this level of production from their forwards, the Wild have a strong chance to win again in Game 2.
Wild’s Faber Shined on Defense
If Brock Faber wasn’t known to many outside the state of Minnesota before, he is now. At just 20 years old, and after only playing two NHL games, the defenseman found himself in the lineup for Game 1 of the postseason, something most rookies only dream about. Not only did he land on the roster but he played 17:58 and some of that was on the penalty kill. He was trusted in high-pressure situations and he stepped up big, even saving the game several times.
Faber wasn’t the only player who played at an incredibly high level. Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, and Matt Dumba all proved why they’re considered the top defensemen on the Wild. Brodin is often underrated and this game was a prime example of how much he does that goes unnoticed as he saved the game several times with quick stick work.
Dumba was able to show what a powerful slapshot he has and used it several times; he didn’t score but he came close and forced rebounds. However, he has to be careful with his hits as he did hit Joe Pavelski hard but it was deemed clean. That hit caused a lot of animosity between the two teams that will likely remain throughout the entire series. Pavelski left the game and didn’t return as it appeared he hit his head on the ice quite hard. Hopefully, he’s okay as no one wants to see someone injured.
Almost the entire defense had a great game as they were aggressive and forced their sticks in between a lot of plays. Even Steel got in on the poke checks as he was a pest to Jason Robertson all night and forced him to lose the puck. The Wild out-blocked the Stars 30-23 and they’ll have to continue to do that if they want to keep winning games.
Wild’s “Gus Bus” Proves Himself Again
The Wild put their trust in Filip Gustavsson for Game 1 and he did everything he could to win the game and prove he was the right choice. Nothing against Marc-André Fleury who’s had a great season, but Gustavsson has been the better goalie as of late and he was one of the main reasons they won this game.
Related: 3 Wild Players That Need to Step Up in 2023 Playoffs
Gustavsson shined in his first-ever playoff game and didn’t show one bit of nerves. He trusted the team in front of him and rewarded them with big saves. He saved 51 shots out of 53 for a save percentage of .962 and gained a lot of confidence despite all the pressure of playing on the road in front of a loud crowd. Gustavsson is clearly their go-to goaltender for this series and hopefully, he can continue his outstanding play.
Wild’s Game 2
While the Wild gained a lot of momentum with this big win, they still have to be careful heading into Game 2. They’ll be carrying a lot of energy but also a lot of banged-up guys and there’s going to be tension left over from Game 1. They have to keep their heads on straight and not let up, and continue to play gritty but clean.
If the Wild can avoid the penalty box, that could be a big advantage for them. They have to come out quickly like in Game 1 and try to get an early lead once again. That caught the Stars off guard and if they can force the pressure they’ll force them on their heels. With that first win under their belt, it takes some pressure off but also adds a different expectation now that they know they can win. Hopefully, they can play this same style with fewer penalties and come out on top in Game 2.