The Dallas Stars defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-3 in double overtime to claim Game 3 of their first-round NHL playoff series. Wyatt Johnston tipped in the game-winning power-play deflection at 12:10 of the second overtime period. The marathon match physically concluded at exactly 12:54 a.m. CDT on Thursday. This grants Dallas a critical 2-1 series advantage.
Matt Duchene forced the extra frames. He tied the game 3-3 on a power play midway through the third period, as confirmed by Associated Press reports detailing the crucial late-game surge. The victory builds on the momentum of Dallas’s previous 4-2 victory in Game 2. Although the Wild snap Stars’ streak with 2-1 overtime victory earlier in the matchup, Dallas has completely reversed the narrative.
In the crease, Jake Oettinger anchored the Stars. He finished the night with 28 saves. Minnesota rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstedt stopped 32 shots in a valiant effort, according to the complete CBS Sports box score. This grueling contest marks only the third time in Minnesota Wild franchise history that they have played a double-overtime playoff game.
The Brutal Historical Math Facing Minnesota
Winning Game 3 after a 1-1 split is a massive statistical indicator. Historically, the winner of this specific pivot game goes on to take the best-of-seven series 66.4 percent of the time. For the Wild, this exact scenario is becoming a recurring nightmare. Minnesota has been up 2-1 after winning Game 3 in their last three playoff appearances—against Vegas last year, Dallas in 2023, and St. Louis in 2022—only to collapse, lose three straight games, and face elimination each time.
Now, they find themselves on the losing end of that historical ratio. Furthermore, the Wild have not advanced past the first round of the postseason since 2015. They have historically struggled under pressure at the Xcel Energy Center. The team has lost 17 of their last 23 postseason games on home ice.