Stars Aim to Rebound After Wild's Blowout Game 1 Win

Dallas looks to even best-of-seven playoff series against Minnesota in Game 2 on Monday night.

Apr. 20, 2026 at 12:59am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting breaking down a hockey game between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild into sharp, overlapping geometric planes of vibrant green, blue, and red colors.The Stars and Wild's intense first-round playoff matchup is captured in a cubist, geometric deconstruction of the action on the ice.Dallas Today

After a blowout 6-1 loss to open the playoffs, the Dallas Stars are staying calm and focused on bouncing back in Game 2 against the visiting Minnesota Wild. Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said the team's breakdowns in Game 1 were more about execution than effort, and he expressed full confidence in starting goaltender Jake Oettinger despite the lopsided result. Meanwhile, the Wild are looking to seize a 2-0 series lead on the road, led by a stellar playoff debut from goaltender Jesper Wallstedt and offensive contributions from stars like Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Kirill Kaprizov.

Why it matters

This first-round playoff matchup between the Stars and Wild features two talented teams looking to advance in the Western Conference. The Stars' ability to rebound from a lopsided Game 1 loss will be crucial, as falling into an 0-2 hole on their home ice would put them in serious jeopardy. The Wild, meanwhile, have a chance to take firm control of the series with a second straight win.

The details

In Game 1, the Wild jumped out to a 3-0 lead by the end of the first period and cruised to a 6-1 victory. Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said the team's breakdowns were more about execution than effort, citing issues with breakouts, neutral zone play, and failing to string together good plays. Gulutzan expressed full confidence in starting goaltender Jake Oettinger and said there was no need to make a change in net for Game 2. On the other side, the Wild got a stellar playoff debut from goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, who made 27 saves, and offensive contributions from stars like Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Kirill Kaprizov.

  • The Stars and Wild will face off in Game 2 of their best-of-seven playoff series on Monday night.
  • The Wild grabbed a 1-0 series lead after winning Game 1 by a score of 6-1 on Saturday.

The players

Glen Gulutzan

The head coach of the Dallas Stars.

Jake Oettinger

The starting goaltender for the Dallas Stars.

Jesper Wallstedt

The starting goaltender for the Minnesota Wild in Game 1, making his playoff debut.

Matt Boldy

A forward for the Minnesota Wild who scored two goals in Game 1.

Joel Eriksson Ek

A forward for the Minnesota Wild who also scored two goals in Game 1.

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What they’re saying

“We have looked a little bit offensively at how we can create a little bit more, but we just didn't execute in a lot of areas, starting right from breakouts to through the neutral zone. And when we did get out clean, we didn't make the next play. ... We weren't connected. We didn't stack any good plays upon good plays on each other at all. That was the thing. We had some opportunity at times to do that, and we never executed. Every part of our game needs to be a little bit better on Monday.”

— Glen Gulutzan, Head Coach, Dallas Stars

“This is the same game I've played since I was 6. There's nothing different to it.”

— Jesper Wallstedt, Goaltender, Minnesota Wild

“Every game lives its own life. It's always nice to get a win, start off positive, but just stay even-keel and try to focus on the next one.”

— Mats Zuccarello, Forward, Minnesota Wild

What’s next

The Stars and Wild will face off in Game 2 of their best-of-seven playoff series on Monday night, with the Wild looking to take a 2-0 lead on the road.

The takeaway

This first-round playoff matchup between the Stars and Wild features two talented teams looking to advance in the Western Conference. The Stars' ability to rebound from a lopsided Game 1 loss will be crucial, as falling into an 0-2 hole on their home ice would put them in serious jeopardy. The Wild, meanwhile, have a chance to take firm control of the series with a second straight win.