The Dallas Stars cruised to a dominant 3-0 victory over the Minnesota Wild, powered by a stellar performance from goaltender Jake Oettinger, who made 32 saves to secure his second shutout of the NHL season. The win extends the Stars’ point streak to five games and moves them within six points of the first-place Winnipeg Jets in the Central Division.
Offensively, Wyatt Johnston, Matt Duchene, and Mason Marchment each found the back of the net, while Roope Hintz contributed two assists. Despite the victory, Stars forward Mikko Rantanen emphasized the need for improvements on both ends of the ice.
Jake Oettinger was the standout performer of the night, exuding confidence that impressed head coach Pete DeBoer. “You can tell when [Oettinger]’s feeling it and dialed in like that. He’s got that swagger,“ DeBoer said according to NHL.com. “You can just tell. They looked like they could shoot all night and he wasn’t going to let anything in. When he’s got that feel, that’s obviously a really good feeling on our bench.”
Rantanen’s message
While the Stars secured a convincing win, Rantanen pointed out areas that need refinement. “They’re a good team, so they’re going to create chances every now and then. I thought most of the time we did well. Obviously, a couple of things we can clean up defensively as well,” Rantanen noted. “Offensively, we can try to work a little bit tighter and create a little bit more.”
The game wasn’t without tense moments. Rantanen took a deflected puck to the face in the second period but returned to the ice wearing a protective face shield. Meanwhile, Minnesota defenseman Declan Chisholm suffered an injury while blocking a shot and did not return for the second half of the game.
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Stars aim to strengthen their Central Division standing
With this victory over the Wild, the Stars continue to solidify their position in the Central Division while closing the gap on the Jets. Oettinger’s outstanding goaltending and key offensive contributions from Johnston, Duchene, and Marchment were instrumental in the win.
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However, Rantanen’s postgame comments highlight the team’s relentless pursuit of improvement. As the postseason approaches, the Stars are focused on refining their game on both ends of the ice to ensure they remain strong contenders.
