DALLAS — The Wild alternated between goaltenders Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury throughout the season, and that's also how they started the playoffs.
After Gustavsson backstopped the team to Monday's 3-2 double-overtime victory over the Stars in Game 1 that included a franchise-record 51 saves, Fleury took over the Wild's net for Game 2 on Wednesday night at American Airlines Center.
This was Fleury's first appearance in more than a week, his last previous start a 3-1 loss to Winnipeg on April 11.
But Fleury's night was a struggle. He gave up seven goals on 31 shots in a 7-3 defeat, for a .773 save percentage. The Wild managed to keep it close for half the game, trailing only 4-3 midway through the second period, but goals by Evgenii Dadonov and Roope Hintz 46 seconds part again widened the margin.
Fleury closed out the regular season on an 8-3-1 run, the veteran posting a 2.49 goals-against average, .924 save percentage and one shutout during that stretch. Overall, he went 24-16-4 with a 2.85 goals-against average and .908 save percentage in his second season with the Wild.
A future Hall of Famer and three-time Stanley Cup champion with Pittsburgh, Fleury, 38, has now played in the playoffs for 17 consecutive seasons, extending his NHL record among goalies; that also ties Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur for the most total playoff seasons for a goalie.
Gustavsson backed up Fleury on Wednesday night after the first-year Wild netminder was in the crease for the team's longest game on record, Gustavsson's 51 saves through 92 minutes, 20 seconds the most ever in a Wild playoff game.
Before the playoffs began, coach Dean Evason mentioned how the team thought a two-goalie platoon could work in the postseason.
"We're going to do exactly what we do all season long is evaluate game by game and make our choice," Evason said earlier this month. "Hopefully make the right one."
Injury update
Oskar Sundqvist made his Wild playoffs debut in Game 2, his first appearance since suffering a lower-body injury on April 6 at Pittsburgh.
Ryan Hartman (lower-body injury) did not play. Sam Steel took Hartman's spot alongside Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello. Matt Boldy centered Marcus Johansson and Marcus Foligno. Frederick Gaudreau joined Gus Nyquist and Sundqvist, while the fourth line of Brandon Duhaime, Connor Dewar and Ryan Reaves stayed intact.
The Wild recalled Sammy Walker from Iowa in the American Hockey League to give them an extra forward. He did not play in Game 2.
John Klingberg and Joel Eriksson Ek (lower-body injuries) remained out after also missing Game 1.
As for the Stars, Joe Pavelski is in concussion protocol after hitting his head on the ice in Game 1 following a shoulder-to-shoulder check from Matt Dumba during the second period.
Dallas recalled former Blaine and Minnesota Duluth standout Riley Tufte, but he did not suit up for Game 2.
Suter vs. Kaprizov
Ryan Suter wasn't penalized in Game 1, but the former Wild player and current Stars defenseman leveled two cross-checks against Kaprizov — including one right in front of the net.
"It's playoffs," Reaves said. "I don't think Suter's throwing Kirill off his game. You can't really do that to a player like that and think you're going to get him off his game. I think it's going to fire him up.
"So, if it gets out of control, it'll be addressed. But we're not going to run around and take penalties and put ourselves down for a small cross-check. But if it gets out of control, yeah, it'll be addressed."
Nerves of Steel
His Game 1 performance didn't show it, but Steel never skated in the Stanley Cup playoffs before Monday night.
Steel had a game-high two points, scoring the tying goal in the second period before factoring into Hartman's double-OT clincher.
"There were for sure nerves," said Steel, who logged 262 regular-season games, mostly with Anaheim, before advancing to the playoffs with the Wild. "But I tried to use it to my advantage. It's something that I waited for a long time for. Definitely didn't disappoint. It was a great game."
Ready on the road
Six of the eight road teams won Game 1, including all four in the Western Conference (Wild, Jets, Kings and Kraken).
"Our division, our conference, the NHL period, it's so good," Evason said. "Every team is so good. Sure, there's little opportunities to gain advantages, but I think it can go both ways home and road."
