Key Takeaways
- Wyatt Johnston scored the series‑clinching overtime winner with a deflection off Danila Yurov’s delay‑of‑game penalty.
- Dallas Stars rallied from a 2‑0 deficit, with Matt Duchene tying the game on a power‑play late in the third period.
- Minnesota Wild’s Jesper Wallstedt made 32 saves but was beaten twice on deflections, highlighting the thin margins that decided the contest.
- Special teams were decisive: the Stars converted 2 of their 7 power‑play chances, while the Wild went 1‑for‑7 and failed to capitalize on two overtime advantages.
- The victory gives Dallas a 2‑1 series lead; historically, the team that wins Game 3 after a split of the first two games advances about two‑thirds of the time.
The Dallas Stars edged the Minnesota Wild 4‑3 in double‑overtime to take a 2‑1 lead in their best‑of‑first‑round playoff series. The game, which stretched past midnight and ended at 12:54 a.m. ET on Thursday, April 23, 2026, was a back‑and‑forth affair marked by momentum swings, penalty kill heroics, and a handful of defensive lapses that ultimately tipped the balance in Dallas’ favor.
First period – Stars strike early
Dallas burst out of the gate, taking a 2‑0 lead within the opening minutes. Jason Robertson opened the scoring after receiving a slick stretch pass from Matt Duchene, firing past Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt. Less than five minutes later, Marcus Johansson answered on a power play, slipping the puck between the legs of a screened Wallstedt to cut the deficit to 2‑1. The Wild responded quickly, with Joel Eriksson Ek tying the game at 2‑2 after a dazzling rush by Matt Boldy, who weaved through four Stars defenders before feeding Eriksson Ek in the slot for a one‑timer.
Second period – penalties and chances
The middle frame was dominated by special‑teams play. Minnesota killed four penalties, including a lengthy 5‑on‑3 after Boldy’s delay‑of‑game infraction late in the period. Despite the man‑advantage opportunities, the Wild failed to generate sustained pressure; their best chance came when Radek Faksa poked a loose puck behind Wallstedt, but the rebound skidded across the crease without finding the net. Dallas’ power play was equally ineffective early on, with Wallstedt snapping his glove around Mikko Rantanen’s shot and smothering Esa Lindell’s bad‑angle attempt.
Third period – Duchene’s heroics
With the game tied 2‑2 heading into the final frame, Minnesota struck first. After Boldy’s delay‑of‑game penalty expired, Jared Spurgeon seized the puck and sparked a rush that Michael McCarron finished for his first NHL playoff goal, giving the Wild a 3‑2 lead. The Stars answered swiftly: Duchene, who had just broken up a potential short‑handed goal by backchecking Boldy, received the puck on the power play and fired a low snap shot that slipped between defenseman Jared Spurgeon and the near post to tie the game at 3‑3 with just over a minute left in regulation. Duchene later described the moment as a blur, saying he was “just trying to get through this” while playing with limited vision after a hard hit.
Overtime – a game of inches
Both teams exchanged chances in the first overtime. Wallstedt continued his stellar performance, turning aside numerous Stars opportunities, including a blocker save by Jake Oettinger on Brock Faber’s slap shot. The Wild had a golden chance when Hughes drew a tripping penalty on Sam Steel, but even with Faksa killing most of the penalty without a stick, Minnesota could not muster enough pressure to beat Oettinger, who finished with 28 saves.
The second overtime began with Minnesota pressing, but a delay‑of‑game call on Danila Yurov gave Dallas a fresh power‑play opportunity. Yurov’s shot from the point was redirected by Wyatt Johnston, who deflected the puck past Wallstedt for his third goal of the series and his sixth career postseason game‑winner. Johnston, who logged a career‑high 45 goals during the regular season, modestly described the play as “just trying to get to the net and just trying to get my stick on the puck.” Wallstedt lamented the thin margins that decided the outcome, noting the puck “double tips and hits twice and goes over my shoulder.”
Historical context and looking ahead
The win puts Dallas in a favorable position: in NHL history, the team that wins Game 3 after a split of the first two games advances the series roughly two‑thirds of the time (245 of 369 occasions). Minnesota, meanwhile, continues to struggle in postseason home games, having lost 17 of their last 23 playoff contests at home and still seeking their first series advance since 2015. Wild captain Nico Hischier (referred to as Hughes in the article) cautioned that the series is far from over, emphasizing that both sides had their chances and the battle will continue.
As the series shifts back to Dallas for Game 4, the Stars will look to build on their special‑teams execution and timely defensive plays, while the Wild must improve their power‑play conversion and limit the opposition’s deflection opportunities if they hope to force a decisive Game 5.