Just after Dallas forward Mason Marchment beat the clock by scoring on a breakaway with a half-second left in the second period for a three-goal Stars lead Friday night, boos rained down from the Wild crowd as the teams adjourned to their locker rooms at Xcel Energy Center. On a frustrating night for the Minnesota faithful, reality was setting in.
The Wild would be ushered out of the NHL playoffs in the first round for the seventh consecutive time, falling 4-1 to the Stars in Game 6. Like a year ago against St. Louis, Minnesota led the series 2-1 after three games, and optimism was palpable along West 7th Street. But just like last year, the Wild's season ended with three consecutive losses.
Here are five takeaways from Friday's game:
1. Can't score if you can't or won't shoot
Legend has it that Wayne Gretzky once said, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.'' Friday night, the Wild found that out the hard way, going long stretches with barely making Stars goalie Jake Oettinger sweat on the way to the Lakeville native posting his third consecutive victory to close the series.
Minnesota, as expected for a desperate team, started strong by putting four shots on goal in the game's first 4:36. Then came the first dry spell. The Wild got only four more shots on goal in the opening period, and three came on their two power plays. Dallas, strong on the puck all night, took advantage with Roope Hintz's goal for a 1-0 lead.
The goal came 31 seconds after Wild center Ryan Hartman's shot into an open net from the crease bounced off the post.
"Loved our start, loved our energy,'' Wild coach Dean Evason said. "We couldn't score and had an unbelievable chance. They come down and the first shot goes in the net. Our group does this [indicating a sag].''