DALLAS — Both Stars veteran Jake Oettinger and Wild rookie Jesper Wallstedt have been excellent in goal through the first four games of the Western Conference playoffs. So, it makes some sense that both teams would want to hang around the crease as a way to find success.
After Minnesota’s overtime win in Game 4, in which the winning play came off a tipped puck by Matt Boldy in front of Oettinger, Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said the series is being determined from the top of the crease in.
“It’s almost the blue paint wars,” he said. “If you can get in there and find some pucks and get some sticks on things and win some battles when it’s that contested, it’s really hand-to-hand combat in the blue paint on both sides.”
At their optional team skate inside American Airlines Center on Tuesday morning, Wild players acknowledged the tight quarters around both goalies, and said that is to be expected by late April.
“I think that’s where a lot of games are going to be won and lost,” Wild forward Marcus Johansson said. “There’s two good goalie out there and it’s not easy to score in these series. We saw Bolds’ winning goal last game. That’s what it comes down to.”
Both coaches said work on tipped pucks, and on defending tipped pucks, is a regular part of their game prep, knowing that as the series progresses, a last-second change of direction is often what will get the puck past the goalie.
“I agree with Glen (Gulutzan) on that. Both teams are going to the net hard and pucks are getting there,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “Both goalies are fighting through traffic and things like that, and yes, you have to be detailed in that area offensively and defensively.”
After scoring the tying goal in the third period of Game 4, Wild forward Marcus Foligno ended up on top of Oettinger in the melee of bodies, but the goal counted, sending the game to overtime.
As teams and fan bases get to know each other, and dislike, each other over the course of four to seven games, knowing that one team’s season will be done when the final horn blows, it’s common for one player to develop into the villain of the series in the eyes of the opposing fan base.
Veteran Dallas forward Jamie Benn headed into Game 5 without a point in the series, but having drawn the ire of the Wild fans via a vicious hit to the back of Boldy’s head in Game 3, and pantomime hit to his own head in Game 4 that drew a high-sticking penalty on Brock Faber.
One meme making the rounds on social media showed a doctored clip of the Academy Awards, with Benn winning the Oscar for best actor.
“Is that me? Really?” Benn said, incredulously, when asked if he embraces being the villain in the eyes of Wild fans. “I didn’t know I was the bad guy. I think it’s just competitive hockey. Everyone wants to win, everyone wants to raise their level so you can help the team win.”
Benn was whistled for three penalties in the first four games of the series.
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