Stars Secure 3-2 Series Lead with Johnston’s Record Goal

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    DALLAS — In a spectacular display of skill and precision, Wyatt Johnston set a new milestone by scoring the fastest goal ever at the start of a playoff game for the Dallas Stars during their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche. Johnston found the back of the net just 9 seconds into Game 5, bolstering the team’s 6-2 victory on Monday night and helping them to secure a 3-2 series lead.

    Reflecting on the match, Johnston commented, “We did probably our best job generating chances tonight and it showed… Just a huge win.” Head coach Pete DeBoer expressed pride in his team’s rebound from a previous poor performance in Game 4, which they lost 4-0 on the road. “The last game, we played a poor game. It happens. In a seven-game series, you’re going to have a night where you’re off. And we were off and we owned it and we fixed it, and we responded,” DeBoer noted.

    Making a significant impact, Mikko Rantanen, now with the Stars after seven playoff seasons with the Avalanche, scored his inaugural postseason goal for the team, accompanied by two assists, which helped to advance the Stars’ lead in the series to 3-2. “We knew as the top guys we needed to step up a little bit and play a little bit better defensively and try to get on the scoresheet a little bit more,” Rantanen remarked, pointing out the team’s proactive approach.

    Game 6 is set for Thursday night in Colorado, where the Stars put the lid on their second-round series triumph last season. The Avalanche briefly closed the gap to 3-2 after goals from Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan MacKinnon during the second period. However, Johnston responded firmly with another goal on a power play, with assistance from Rantanen. Mason Marchment, benefiting from Alexander Petrovic’s slap shot, later deflected the puck past the Avalanche’s goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, restoring the Stars’ three-goal lead before the end of the second period.

    Defensively, Jake Oettinger was a fortress for Dallas, making 27 impressive saves. Meanwhile, Blackwood, who had only conceded seven goals in the first four games, was pulled after allowing five goals on 18 shots, giving way to Scott Wedgewood in the third period. Johnston’s astonishing goal, born from a quick maneuver off the opening faceoff, marked not only his first postseason goal this year but also his third multi-goal playoff game. Johnston’s timely shot struck Blackwood, cementing him as only the eighth player in NHL history to score within the first 9 seconds of a playoff game, a feat still led by Don Kozak’s 6-second goal for the Los Angeles Kings in 1977.

    Before this game, Dallas had enjoyed only 62 seconds in a lead position over the first four games, despite suffering two substantial losses and engaging in consecutive overtime wins. “I think we answered really well. It’s also big to start the way we did,” Rantanen reflected, emphasizing the importance of maintaining an early lead as a key advantage.

    Johnston further contributed by assisting in Thomas Harley’s memorable goal during the first period, where the puck grazed Blackwood’s right arm, popped into the air, and unpredictably landed in the net. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar acknowledged the initial defensive lapses in his team but praised their offensive resilience, saying, “We definitely needed to get sharper on the defensive side early in the game, but we pushed back and created some good chances at the other end.”

    A breakaway goal by Rantanen early in the second period, set up by a skillful pass from fellow Finn Roope Hintz, concluded with Rantanen’s quick snapshot landing him his 35th career playoff goal. Hintz would later add an empty-net goal, sealing the game with an assist from Rantanen. After being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in January, Rantanen’s subsequent movement back to the Stars saw him sign a substantial $96 million, eight-year contract extension, marking a significant chapter in his career.