ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Matt Boldy scored in the shootout and Filip Gustavsson turned back the tying attempt to help the Minnesota Wild to a 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Friday night.
After the Stars’ Jason Robertson and the Wild’s Frederick Gaudreau traded shootout scores, Boldy beat Jake Oettinger with a backhand shot and Gustavsson stopped Wyatt Johnson’s attempt to seal the win.
“Obviously it’s nice to get rewarded positively in a game like that against a team like that,” Wild coach Dean Evason said. “To play the way that we played defensively, but the way that we worked, was again positive.”
Gustavsson also stopped Dallas’ Joe Pavelski and Tyler Seguin in the shootout to set up Boldy’s chance to score the go-ahead tally.
Minnesota went to overtime for the third time in four games. The Wild have not won in regulation in 12 games.
Johnson had a good look at an open net with just seconds left in overtime, but missed wide, sending the game to a shootout.
Dallas was 0 for 4 on the power play Friday and has gone a combined 0 for 18 with the man advantage over the last four games.
“We battled hard against a real desperate team,” Stars coach Peter DeBoer said. “That team needs to win that game. I thought we had lots of chances and fought back, got behind, so a lot of good stuff.”
Mats Zuccarello scored for Minnesota in regulation. He snapped the scoreless struggle with his 20th goal of the season, scoring on the power play. Boldy found Zuccarello cutting to the net, and he beat Oettinger, giving the Wild the lead with 13:23 left in the third period.
Stars captain Jamie Benn scored the tying goal four minutes later. Benn took a pass from Johnson and fired at a tough angle past Gustavsson with 9:36 remaining. It was Benn’s third goal in the last four games and his 22nd of the season.
Oettinger, from Lakeville, Minnesota, made 31 stops in net before the shootout, including a big save on Boldy in overtime.
“It felt like a playoff game. They’re a great team over there,” Oettinger said. “It’s tight out there. I had the chance to end the game in the shootout and I didn’t do it.”
Gustavsson finished with 29 saves. One of his biggest stops came early in the third when he robbed Radek Faksa from close range. He also made a key save early in overtime after a Minnesota turnover led to a breakaway for Dallas.
“I love to win. It’s way more fun than losing. I’m very happy,” Gustavsson said. “Tomorrow’s a new day and you’re no better than your last game.”
NOTES: Following Friday’s game, the Wild completed a three-team trade with St. Louis and Toronto that netted Minnesota a fourth-round draft pick in 2025. The Wild originally acquired center Ryan O’Reilly from St. Louis in exchange for Josh Pillar and then traded O’Reilly to the Maple Leafs for the draft pick. … The Wild entered Friday’s game 10 points back in the Central of division-leading Dallas. The Stars won two of the first three meetings against the Wild. … Minnesota’s penalty kill continued to shine in the win. The Wild killed off all four penalties, extending a streak of 18 consecutive short-hand situations killed.
UP NEXT
Stars: Host Columbus on Saturday.
Wild: Host Nashville on Sunday.
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