Stars give Wild's rookie goalie a rude welcome to NHL

Field Level Media|published: Wed 10th January, 22:26 2024

Jan 10, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Minnesota Wild right wing Brandon Duhaime (21) is hit by a Wild slap shot as he attempts a shot on Dallas Stars goaltender Scott Wedgewood (41) during the first period at the American Airlines Center. credits: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Nils Lundkvist had a goal and an assist, and the Dallas Stars spoiled the NHL debut of Minnesota Wild goalie Jesper Wallstedt with a 7-2 victory on Wednesday night.

Joe Pavelski, Matt Duchene, Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, Tyler Seguin and Sam Steel also scored, Esa Lindell had three assists and Scott Wedgewood made 21 saves for the Stars, who outscored the Wild 19-5 in their three-game season sweep.

Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist and Ryan Hartman also scored for Minnesota, which lost for the sixth time in the past seven games (1-6-0).

Wallstedt, the 20th overall pick by Minnesota in the 2021 NHL Draft, made 27 saves.

After the Stars had a goal by Robertson overturned by an offsides challenge, Pavelski scored on a wrist shot from the right circle less than three minutes later to give the Stars a 1-0 lead at 16:45 of the first period.

Wallstedt is the 150th goalie Pavelski has scored against in his 18-year NHL career. He made 27 saves.

Dallas made it 2-0 at 4:28 of the second period after a dump-in by Ryan Suter caromed off the end boards, glanced off the side of the net and slid into the slot. Duchene got to the puck first and shot it into the net.

The Stars stretched the lead to 3-0 during 4-on-4 play at 14:59 of the second period. Mason Marchment paused above the right circle and fed Hintz trailing on the play. Hintz carried the puck into the slot before scoring his team-leading 17th goal of the season.

Minnesota ended a streak of 10 straight goals-against by Dallas when Brock Faber's slap shot glanced off Boldy's back and into the net to make it 3-1 at 4:22 of the third.

Robertson made it 4-1 at 8:05 with a wrist shot from the left circle after bringing the puck into the Wild zone uncontested.

Lundkvist scored off the rush to extend the lead to 5-1 at 9:26.

Hartman scored on a one-timer during a 5-on-3 power play to cut it to 5-2 at 11:03.

Seguin stretched the lead to 6-2 at 16:10, and Steel became the seventh goal scorer for the Stars when he made it 7-2 with 1:43 left.

—Field Level Media

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