Boldy has 2 goals and an assist as Wild overwhelm Stars 6-1 to open series

DALLAS (AP) — Matt Boldy had two goals with an assist, Joel Ericksson Ek scored two power-play goals and rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt stopped 27 shots in his postseason debut to help the Minnesota Wild beat the Dallas Stars 6-1 on Saturday in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff series.

Kirill Kaprizov added a goal and two assists and Mats Zuccarello had three helpers for the Wild, who have lost nine consecutive playoff series since 2015. This was an impressive start in a long-expected matchup of Central Division rivals who finished behind Presidents' Trophy winner Colorado.

“A great stepping stone for us,” said defenseman Quinn Hughes, back after missing the end of the regular season with an illness.

“I think throughout the lineup tonight we came in and the guys were focused,” coach John Hynes said. “The thing I like is when we came in, I thought that we executed well. When it was time to check, we checked well. But I just thought we had the right mindset in how we need to play. And that was throughout the lines.”

Game 2 is Monday night in Dallas.

Dallas allowed the first goal in 15 of its 18 playoff games last year, and gave up three power-play goals in a 5-4 win over the Wild just nine days earlier.

The Stars trailed for good only 5 1/2 minutes into the series when Ericksson Ek scored on a pass from Boldy to make it 1-0. Ericksson Ek added another power-play goal past Jake Oettinger in the third.

Even though the Stars have made the West final each of the past three seasons, they are 1-7 in Game 1s at home during that span.

“I don’t even know what the record was coming into it,” said Glen Gultzan, who returned last summer for his second stint as the Stars coach. “The first period was tight, they executed on the power play. But we couldn’t get our game going at all in the second. I thought that they certainly, to a man, were better than us.”

Kaprizov and Boldy, the first Wild teammates with 40 goals in the same season, scored during a three-goal surge in the first 6 1/2 minutes of the second period for a 4-0 lead. Ryan Hartman scored in between, after having the primary assist on Kaprizov's goal.

Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston both had 45 goals as the first Dallas teammates with 40 goals in the same season. They combined on the Stars' power-play goal with 4:50 left in the second, Robertson scoring on a back-hander after gathering a pass from Johnston.

Minnesota went with the 23-year-old Wallstedt in net over playoff-experienced Filip Gustavsson, who in his playoff debut three years ago had 51 saves in a 3-2 double-overtime win at Dallas.

“He’s done a lot so far,” Hughes said. “I think we’ve got a lot of belief in both of those guys, and to be honest I didn’t think about it for a second. ... We’ve got a lot of good pieces around here that keep everyone calm.”

Wallstedt's first NHL game was a 7-2 loss at Dallas in January 2024, but that was only one of five games he played for the Wild until this regular season, when he went 4-1 with a 1.82 goals-against average and .936 save percentage his last five starts. He also had four shutouts in a six-game span early this season.

The Wild still led only 1-0 with Dallas on the power play midway through the first period when Wallstedt, shielded and looking to the right of traffic, reached back to his left to make a glove save on a shot by Robertson.

Oettinger, who grew up about 30 miles from Minnesota's home arena, stopped 23 shots to open his 11th postseason series as the Stars starting goalie.

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (14) skates by his bench after scoring a power play goal against the Dallas Stars during the first period in Game 1 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoffs hockey series, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Dallas, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (30) reacts with left wing Matt Boldy (12) after defeating the Dallas Stars 6-1 in Game 1 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoffs hockey series, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Dallas, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Minnesota Wild players, right, celebrate a goal by Ryan Hartman as Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger, left, stands in his crease during the second period in Game 1 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoffs hockey series, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Dallas, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Dallas Stars right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) is dropped to the ice while scuffling with Minnesota Wild players during the second period in Game 1 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoffs hockey series, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Dallas, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy, left, congratulates Joel Eriksson Ek, center, after his power play goal against the Dallas Stars during the first period in Game 1 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoffs hockey series, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Dallas, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

A shot by Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (14) enters the net of Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger, center, for a goal during the first period in Game 1 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoffs hockey series, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Dallas, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 28 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 of his 25 in the second half and the New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks 113-102 on Saturday night in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference playoff series.

OG Anunoby added 18 points and Josh Hart had 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks in their first postseason game under Mike Brown after making four trips in five years under Tom Thibodeau, capped by their first trip to the Eastern Conference finals since 2000 last year.

The No. 3 seed in the East again this season hosts Game 2 on Monday night.

CJ McCollum had 26 points and Jalen Johnson added 23 for the Hawks, who went 20-6 after the All-Star break to earn the No. 6 seed.

Brunson, who already owns the Knicks' record with eight 40-point games in the postseason, was almost halfway to another in the first quarter. He made his first six shots and had 19 points as the Knicks led 30-24. McCollum had 12 points in the second as Atlanta cut it to 57-55.

Brunson didn't do as much in the second half, but Towns took over after he was just 1 for 6 for six points at the break.

The teams got off to sizzling starts, with the Knicks opening 8 for 9 and Atlanta starting 6 for 7, before play eventually slowed to a crawl in the third quarter. McCollum was reviewed for a hostile act and called for a technical foul after kicking his leg up on a jumper into Brunson's groin area, and the Hawks twice intentionally fouled backup center Mitchell Robinson, and the poor foul shooter went 1 for 4.

By the time the Hawks got going again, it was too late.

With the Knicks up by eight, Towns hit a 3-pointer, and after Gabe Vincent's basket, Jordan Clarkson had two buckets and Towns had a three-point play and a 3-pointer for a 10-0 burst that made it 106-87 with about 4 1/2 minutes remaining.

Atlanta ran off 11 straight to cut it to 106-98, but Towns scored to restore the double-digit lead.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

New York Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns (32) drives past Atlanta Hawks' Jonathan Kuminga (0) during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)