(Zak Krill/NHLI via Getty Images)
Wyatt Johnston was 19 years old when he burst onto the NHL scene last season. His 24 goals were tied for the most among rookies. In Game 7 of the second round of the 2023 Playoffs against the Kraken, he scored the game-winning goal to advance the Dallas Stars to the Western Conference Final.
So how does the now 20-year-old improve in his sophomore season? Johnston led the Stars with 32 goals in the regular season. His 65 points were tied for third on the Stars in points alongside Roope Hintz and Matt Duchene.
The start of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs have been rough for the top seed in the Western Conference. Dallas lost the first two games of its opening round matchup against the Golden Knights who defeated them in last year’s Western Conference Final.
Dallas needed its leading goal scorer from the regular season more than ever with the team heading to Vegas trailing 2-0 in the series. Johnston scored the opening goal of Game 3 at 11:11 into the game for his first Playoff goal in 2024.
Miro Heiskanen scored to make it 2-0 at 5:25 in the second period. Trailing 2-0, Brayden McNabb and Jack Eichel scored two goals in 3:10 to tie the game at two. With no goals scored in the third period, overtime was needed.
In the 2023 Playoffs, the Stars’ record in overtime was 1-4. Two of those four overtime losses came in Vegas.
With 5:32 remaining in overtime, Logan Thompson denied Johnston to win the game. Just 1:55 later, Johnston met Thompson again and called game. Johnston’s second goal of the game was the overtime winner.
Johnston’s first Playoff overtime goal cut Vegas’ lead in the series to 2-1 heading into Game 4 tomorrow night at at 8:30 p.m. CT. and will guarantee a Game 5 in Dallas on Wednesday. Johnston’s two goals is tied for most Playoff goals on the Stars roster with Jason Robertson.
Leave a Reply