National Hockey League
Dallas 2, Minnesota 1
When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, April 16, 2016
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Referees: Brad Meier, Kevin Pollock
Linesmen: Ryan Galloway, Brad Kovachik
Attendance: 18988

DALLAS -- Jamie Benn scored the game-winning goal midway through the third period and goalie Kari Lehtonen stopped 25 of 26 shots for the Dallas Stars in a 2-1 win against the Minnesota Wild in Game 2 of the Western Conference first-round series on Saturday night at American Airlines Center.

Benn scored his second goal of the playoffs with 9:37 remaining in regulation, beating Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk with a backhand through his five-hole on a breakaway.

Benn gained possession inside the neutral zone after Cody Eakin flipped the puck off the boards from inside the Dallas zone. Benn rushed up the left side of the ice and then finished with a backhand for the eventual game-winner.

Minnesota cut it to 2-1 with 7:18 remaining in regulation when Marco Scandella beat Lehtonen far post on a slap shot from the right point.

Dallas leads the best-of-7 series 2-0. Game 3 is at Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota on Monday.

Antoine Roussel scored his first career playoff goal off a deflection. Scandella was trying to clear the puck from behind the visiting goal, but the puck first hit the skate of Ales Hemsky and deflected a second time off Roussel's skate.

The puck flipped over the top of the goal, hitting Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk in the back of his mask before crossing the line. However, play was blown dead and the initial call on the ice was no goal since Dubnyk had caused the goal to wobble on its moorings.

Following a lengthy video review, the original call was overturned and Roussel was credited with the goal since the puck crossed the line and Dubnyk had only wobbled the net instead of dislodging it.

Lehtonen made one of his better saves of the night 1:02 into the game when he denied a wrist shot by Nino Niederreiter with a pad save on a breakaway. Lehtonen also turned away a wrist shot by Mikael Granlund at close range with 8:36 remaining before the first intermission.

The game was scoreless after one period with Dallas outshooting Minnesota 14-7.

Stars center Tyler Seguin skated on both the first and fourth lines for Dallas in his first game back from an Achilles injury sustained on March 17. Seguin finished with 15:40 of ice time.

Dubnyk stopped 26 of 28 shots in a losing effort before leaving the ice with 41 seconds remaining.

Lehtonen denied Wild captain Mikko Koivu as he attempted to redirect a shot at close range with 27.1 seconds remaining as Minnesota had the extra attacker.

Minnesota got one final power play with 4.4 seconds remaining after a crosschecking call on Patrick Eaves, but Dallas won the ensuing faceoff and was able to clear the puck as the final horn sounded.

NOTES: The Wild scratched C Zac Dalpe, D Christian Folin, LW Zach Parise (upper body), C Jordan Schroeder and LW Thomas Vanek (upper body). ... The Stars scratched D Jordie Benn, C Mattias Janmark, LW Travis Moen, D Patrik Nemeth, D Jamie Oleksiak and RW Brett Ritchie (lower body). ... Wild C Erik Haula returned to the ice after missing Game 1 with an upper-body injury. ... Stars C Tyler Seguin returned the ice for the first time since March 17 against the Lightning. Seguin missed the previous 11 games with a cut Achilles that required surgery. ... Wild G Devan Dubnyk was starting his 12th career playoff game, setting a new franchise record. ... Stars G Kari Lehtonen was appearing in his 10th career postseason game. ... Wild interim coach John Torchetti said the health of Parise, who remains back in Minnesota, is a day-to-day situation.
Top Game Performances
 
Minnesota   Dallas
Marco Scandella 1 Points Jamie Benn 1
Marco Scandella 1 Goals Jamie Benn 1
Mathew Dumba 1 Assists Cody Eakin 1
Marco Scandella 1 Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Devan Dubnyk .929 Save Percentage Kari Lehtonen .962
Devan Dubnyk 26 Saves Kari Lehtonen 25
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Minnesota 26 1 1-5 5-5 20 28
Dallas 28 2 0-5 4-5 10 40
Upcoming Games
  • Dallas will play their next game on the road against Minnesota. The Stars have a W/L % of .571 after a win and .667 after a loss.
  • Minnesota will play their next game at home against Dallas. The Wild have a W/L % of .590 after a win and .349 after a loss.