Chip Scoggins: Wild deliver a powerful opening statement with Game 1 rout

Chip Scoggins, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Apr 19, 2026

Published in Hockey

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Wild discovered the perfect plan to make their rookie goalie feel comfortable in his playoff debut. Score a bunch of goals and use relentless effort to overwhelm and stun the home team.

Coach John Hynes could not have envisioned a better start to the postseason than what his team put on the ice at Dallas on Saturday.

Wild 6, Stars 1.

And it was every bit as one-sided as the score indicated.

“Every game lives its own life,” winger Mats Zuccarello said. “It’s always nice to get a win, start off positive, but just don’t get too low and just stay even-keel and try to focus on the next one.”

A series isn’t decided by the outcome of one game — either way — but Game 1 sure felt like a statement by the Wild. It was the best-case scenario on multiple fronts.

Rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt showed he’s ready for the moment, and the Wild’s stars thoroughly outplayed and overshadowed Dallas’ top players.

Both Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek scored two goals. Kirill Kaprizov threaded a shot through the tiniest of openings for a goal and added two assists. Brock Faber made impact plays all over the ice. Quinn Hughes played his typical maestro role despite missing practices this past week because of an illness.

The Wild scored twice on the power play. They outhit the Stars 49-39 and blocked twice as many shots (17-8).

The performance was surgical, and it gave the impression that this Wild team is serious about being a credible threat in the postseason.

“It’s easy to play when you feel good,” Kaprizov said of feeling healthy and rested.

The tone was set a day earlier when Hynes announced that Wallstedt was starting in goal over veteran Filip Gustavsson. Hynes sided with logic over a theory with a decision that really shouldn’t have been all that difficult.

Organizations tend to stick with veterans in these situations, citing experience and pedigree, even if their performance leading into the playoffs suggests a different path is better.

Gustavsson has 11 postseason starts on his resume. Wallstedt had never played in a playoff game before Saturday. Hynes didn’t let inexperience override results and the eye test.

Playoff experience is important, but performance matters when making the choice. Wallstedt was the better goalie by a mile at the end of the regular season. He deserved the start.

The rookie rewarded Hynes’ faith by giving a calm, steady outing. If he was nervous, his body language hid it well.

Wallstedt stopped 27 of 28 shots and delivered his best moments after allowing a power-play goal late in the second period.

Jason Robertson’s backhander that cut the deficit to 4-1 gave the Stars some juice. The crowd awoke from its slumber. A three-goal lead is still comfortable, but momentum was starting to slide toward Dallas’ side.

Soon after, Kaprizov lost the puck in front of the goal. The Stars’ Jamie Benn grabbed the turnover and tried to beat Wallstedt five-hole, but he slammed the door to thwart that scoring chance.

Minutes later, Wallstedt deflected a shot with his glove on a two-on-one rush to ruin that chance too. The score remained 4-1 entering the third period. The rookie aced his first playoff test.

“He’s an elite goalie, obviously, right?” Hughes said. “We got the oldest team in the league statistically. We got a lot of good pieces around here that keep everyone calm, and I think Wally’s done a great job and so has Gus.”

His teammates supported him by playing the entire game with their foot on the gas. The Wild kept pressuring even after taking a commanding lead. Instead of sitting back in a shell, they stayed aggressive in creating chances and blocking shots and delivering hits. The whole thing was a mature performance.

The Stars undoubtedly will look to bring a forceful response in Game 2 on Monday night. That’s how playoff hockey goes. Teams take turns being desperate.

The Wild can send a statement that is equally forceful by following a similar script as Game 1.

____