“Tough goals, most of them”. “That’s their strength as a team – their power play”.
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When the Wild finally ramped up the intensity in the third period, they caught the Stars on their heels.The Wild were buoyant and up 2-0 in a little over 5 minutes. The game ended at 12:16 a.m.
It wasn’t the latest odd bounce to go in against Dubnyk, who saw his share of fluky goals scored on him this season. That much closer to being pushed to a winner-take-all game seven.
The Wild almost tied the score on a goal-mouth scramble with 34 seconds to play.
Holtby was barely tested in making 10 saves, while Neuvirth set a franchise records for saves in a playoff shutout and saves in a regulation playoff game.
“We knew they wouldn’t go away”. Holtby, who had a 19-save shutout in Game 1, barely was tested with solid shots the last two games.
Dallas isn’t exactly panicking after missing an opportunity to advance to the Western Conference semifinals for the first time since 2008. “It was a tough series, but we’re excited we’re moving on”. Nearly like, “Really? We’re still doing this?” Game 6 is Sunday in Minnesota. Niemi is slated to start in Game Five in Dallas.
Dallas managed a split on the road in games three and four but were out-possessed in both games by totals of 54-47 and 56-51.
Stars captain Jamie Benn tied it at 2 with some nifty stick work, guiding the puck around Dubnyk and into the net only a minute into the third period. Ales Hemsky took a maintenance day Saturday. “Our leadership found a way to win a game for us”. Mikael Granlund got things going by jamming home his own rebound in a very Parise-esque manner. But not this Wild team, they are resilient, even if they themselves are the only ones who truly believe that.
With Prince being remembered for his music before the game, fans were in a frenzy, hoping for a Wild win to force a Game 7 on Tuesday night. Hold on to your butts.
Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk (40) and defenseman Matt Dumba (24) defend the goal against Dallas Stars right wing Valeri Nichushkin (43) during the first period in Game 5 in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs Friday, April 22, 2016, in Dallas. Dallas fell behind by two goals early in the first period but recaptured the lead in the third period, with goals from Jamie Benn (1-0=1), Jason Spezza (1-0=1) and Alex Goligoski (1-0=1).
Koivu scored the tying goal with 3:09 left in regulation, then redirected Ryan Suter’s shot from the left point 4:55 in the overtime as Minnesota beat the Stars 5-4 on Friday night to stay alive in their first-round series.
First Period-1, Min, Granlund 1 (Jones), 3:32. Benn shares fourth in the National Hockey League with seven points (3-4=7) during the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs and is tied for fourth with three goals.
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It was Oduya’s sixth career playoff goal and his first in 29 postseason games, since May 28, 2014, against the Kings with the Blackhawks. The shots-on-goal differential was 41-24, Stars. “It’s more important in the bigger picture how you play individually and as a team”, Koivu said. Benn had two assists and finished with 10 points in the series. And while he was hardly the only guilty party in that third period meltdown, there was a shakiness to his game that made a Minnesota comeback seem inevitable.
