Jesper Wallstedt performed well in his first career playoff start for the Wild in a 6-1 victory over the Stars in Dallas, marking the Wild's largest margin of victory for a playoff game and their highest-scoring Game 1 ever. Wallstedtt, who was previously beaten 7-2 in his NHL debut, was nearly perfect in a 27-save performance that helped the Wild secure home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven series against the Stars. The victory was a significant boost for Wallstedstt, who believes his performance shows a lot of growth from his hard work and dedication to the game. Joel Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello scored two goals each in the game, and Quinn Hughes returned for Game 2. Wallsteadt's performance was praised by his teammates and the Wild, who believe the team's preparation has paid off.