Tarasenko scores in OT, Wild defeat Stars to gain in Central race

Vladimir Tarasenko scored at 3:06 of overtime, and the Minnesota Wild gained ground in the Central Division race with a 2-1 victory against the Dallas Stars at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Saturday.

Bobby Brink drew multiple defenders to him along the board and then passed to the unmarked Tarasenko in the slot for a wrister that beat goalie Jake Oettinger.

“Bobby made a great pass, draw three of the guys on the ice. … I tried to shoot as fast as I can, so I don’t start aiming,” Tarasenko said. “Good thing it worked.”

Minnesota (40-19-12) closed within five points of the Stars (43-15-11), who have two games in hand, for second place in the Central Division. The idle Colorado Avalanche (45-13-10) are in first place, three points ahead of Dallas.

Tarasenko reached 20 goals for the ninth time in his 14 NHL seasons. It was his 12th overtime goal, and first since 2023.

“There is a pride to (score 20),” said Tarasenko, who had 11 last season in 80 games with the Detroit Red Wings. “Especially after last year. I try to work hard and earn my spot.”

Filip Gustavsson made 28 saves for the Wild, who had lost five of seven (2-3-2).

The Wild recorded their League-leading 11th overtime win of 2025-26 and tied their franchise record for most in a single season, set in 2021-22. Minnesota has played a League-leading 27 extra-time games this season and has won 15.

“We knew we had to play our best,” Gustavsson said. “Dallas is such a good team. We showed up and played a (heck) of a game.”

Jason Robertson scored, and Oettinger made 26 saves for the Stars, who are 16-1-2 in their past 19 games.

Dallas defeated Colorado 2-1 in a shootout on Wednesday.

“It’s hard to move,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said, referencing the Central. “Of course you want all four points. You are playing a 100-point team and a 90-point team, and you are a 96-point team, you know this is probably the way it ends up.

“We got three of four points. It’s tight. Everyone talks about the Central and this is what it is.”

Brink tied the game at 1-1 at 10:45 of the second period. The speedy forward took a headman pass from defenseman Quinn Hughes at the attacking blue line for a partial breakaway and went forehand-backhand and flipped it past Oettinger before defenseman Tyler Myers could close the gap.

“I mean, I definitely didn’t know I was going to get a breakaway; luckily he found me,” Brink said. “He had his head up like usual. Luckily, I was able to finish.”

It’s the second goal for Brink in five games since he was acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers on March 6.

Dallas had an excellent chance to go ahead late in the third after Brink’s double minor for high-sticking at 12:16, but the Wild penalty killers came up huge against a Stars power play that is second in the League in efficiency (29.0) and scored their opening goal, from Robertson, on the power play.

“Their goalie played well,” Robertson said. “I thought we had some good slot shots. Unfortunately they didn’t go in. That’s hockey.”

After the Robertson goal, Minnesota killed off the remaining three power plays in the game.

“Kill was a big factor in the game tonight, they did a great job, Gus was sharp,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said.

Robertson gave Dallas a 1-0 lead at 14:21 of the first period with his 38th goal of the season, No. 13 on the power play.

Matt Duchene won the face-off right after Mats Zuccarello took an extra minor in a shoving match with Lian Bichsel and drew it back to defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who dished to Robertson. The forward’s shot bounced off the skate of Wild defenseman Jake Middleton and past Gustavsson.

NOTES: Minnesota defenseman Jared Spurgeon was honored by the team for playing in his 1,000 NHL game, which came March 14 against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. … Oettinger stretched his streak of starts in which he did not lose in regulation to 14 games, tied with Jon Casey for the fifth-longest point streak by an American goaltender. Frank Brimsek (23), Mike Richter (16), Jimmy Howard (15) and Tom Barrasso (15) are the only goalies with longer streaks. … Hughes had an assist on each goal for his 12th multipoint game with Minnesota this season, tied with Brock Faber (2025-26) and Ryan Suter (2018-19) for the most in a season by a Wild defenseman. …  Robertson tied his career high for power-play goals. The Stars have scored 61 power-play goals, tied with the Oilers for the most in the NHL.