Wyatt Johnston's double-OT deflection gives Stars 4-3 win over Wild in Game 3

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Wyatt Johnston scored on a power-play deflection at 12:10 of the second overtime to give the Dallas Stars a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild early Thursday for a 2-1 lead in the first-round series.

Matt Duchene tied it for Dallas on a power play midway through the third period, seconds after his backcheck on Matt Boldy averted a short-handed goal that would’ve put Minnesota up by two.

After the Wild failed to convert two overtime power plays, finishing 1 for 7 with the man advantage, the Stars took advantage of their opportunity after Danila Yurov’s delay-of-game penalty. Miro Heiskanen's shot was knocked in by Johnston for his third goal in three games — and his sixth winning goal in four career postseasons.

“It’s kind of a little blurry, but just trying to get to the net and just trying to get my stick on the puck,” said Johnston, who had a career-high 45 goals during the regular season.

The game ended at 12:54 a.m.

Radek Faksa had a close-range chance in the second overtime he poked behind Wild goalie Jesper Wallstedt, but the puck skidded straight across the crease.

Wallstedt polished off the first Stars' power play by snapping his glove around Mikko Rantanen’s shot and smothering Esa Lindell’s bad-angle attempt. Johnston then spoiled a brilliant 32-save performance by Wallstedt with his deflection.

“We definitely played well enough to win," Wallstedt said. "It’s small margins. It’s a ‘D’ shot that double tips and hits twice and goes over my shoulder. Yeah, it’s bounces, but that’s what it is.”

Seconds after the audible thump from Stars goalie Jake Oettinger’s blocker save on Brock Faber’s slap shot, the Wild had another prime opportunity to win it in the first overtime when Hughes drew a tripping penalty on Sam Steel. But even with Faksa playing most of that penalty kill without a stick, the Wild failed to generate much pressure. Jamie Benn’s holding penalty on Nick Foligno gave them another try to crack Oettinger, who finished with 28 saves.

“I had my head down, looking out of one eye, just like, ’Good Lord, get through this,'” Duchene said.

The Wild killed four penalties between Rantanen’s power play tip-in just 1:25 into the game and Duchene’s crowd-quieting snap shot that slipped between defenseman Jared Spurgeon and the near post. That included 40 seconds of a 5-on-3 after Boldy’s delay-of-game penalty late in the second period.

As soon as he left the box, Spurgeon saw an opening to start a rush that Michael McCarron finished with his first goal in the NHL playoffs to give the Wild a 3-2 lead.

Jason Robertson scored after a slick stretch pass by Duchene to put the Stars up 2-0 in the first period.

Marcus Johansson scored on a power play to start the rally less than five minutes later, and Joel Eriksson Ek had the tying goal in the second after a brilliant setup by Boldy. The U.S. Olympian, who had a career-high 42 goals during the regular season, weaved through four Stars skaters and drew a crowd behind the net before zipping the puck back into the slot for Eriksson Ek to knock in.

Entering these playoffs, the winner of Game 3 after a split of the first two games in a best-of-seven went on to win the series nearly two-thirds of the time (245 of 369) in NHL history.

The Wild, who have not advanced in the postseason since 2015, fell on the flip side of that ratio in each of their last three appearances. They won Game 3 to go up 2-1 on Vegas last year, on Dallas in 2023 and on St. Louis in 2022, before being eliminated with three straight losses every time.

This was the third time in Wild history they reached double overtime, including a 3-2 win at Dallas in Game 1 of their first-round series with the Stars in 2023.

The Wild, who have a 4-14 series record in their underwhelming playoff history, have lost 17 of their last 23 postseason home games.

“Whether we won tonight or lost tonight, this series isn’t over,” Hughes said. “It’s a really good hockey game. We had our looks. They had their looks. Just leave it at that.”

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

Minnesota Wild center Michael McCarron (47), back, left, celebrates after scoring a goal during the second period of Game 3 in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs against the Dallas Stars Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque (22) shoots as Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber (7) defends during overtime of Game 3 in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs early morning Thursday, April 23, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) celebrates after the double overtime win against the Minnesota Wild of Game 3 in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs early morning Thursday, April 23, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Dallas Stars players celebrate after the double overtime win against the Minnesota Wild of Game 3 in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs early morning Thursday, April 23, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Dallas Stars players celebrate after the double overtime win against the Minnesota Wild of Game 3 in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs early morning Thursday, April 23, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) waits for play to resume after a goal scored by Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson (90) during the first period of Game 3 in the first-round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson (90), left, celebrates with defenseman Brock Faber (7) after scoring a goal during the first period of Game 3 in the first-round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs against the Dallas Stars Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Wild right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) skates with the puck as Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel (6) defends during the first period of Game 3 in the first-round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (14) and Dallas Stars center Sam Steel (18) battle for the puck during the second period of Game 3 in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (53) and Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) battle for the puck during the second period of Game 3 in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoffs Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia's imprisoned former Prime Minister Najib Razak was transferred from prison to his home Tuesday to serve the remainder of his graft sentence under house arrest, following a court ruling that cleared the way for his release from prison.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court cleared the final legal hurdles for the transfer earlier Tuesday.

Najib, Malaysia's first former leader to be imprisoned for a major corruption scandal, was seen in a vehicle that entered his house in Kuala Lumpur. He had been imprisoned since August 2022 following a graft conviction linked to a multibillion-dollar looting of the state investment fund 1MDB. In September, Najib was granted royal clemency, allowing him to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest once he paid a court-imposed fine.

Last Friday, he left prison after his political party paid the 50 million ringgit ($12.3 million) fine, but he was brought back hours later after the attorney general blocked the transfer, seeking legal clarifications.

The attorney general's request sparked a public rebuke from the palace, which said that King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar’s prerogative of pardon for Najib that allowed the house arrest was clear and must be respected. It said any attempts to challenge it would amount to defying the royal order.

Najib's lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told reporters after a court hearing Tuesday that all was settled for the former prime minister's transfer to house arrest at his Kuala Lumpur home, where he is to remain until Aug. 23, 2028.

“It’s a final relief, you know, great sigh to him because he has been waiting for this,” the lawyer said.

The house arrest covers only Najib's reduced, six-year sentence in his first trial for graft and not a separate, 15-year sentence handed down last December for corruption and money laundering. That sentence followed a second major trial tied to the 1MDB scandal.

Najib is also appealing that sentence, which he is to serve after the end of his first sentence. If his appeal fails, he could return to prison after his house arrest ends.

Najib, who served as prime minister from 2009 to 2018, has denied any wrongdoing in the 1MDB scandal. It marked one of the world’s largest financial scandals, rippling across global markets and triggering investigations in the United States and other countries.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, escorted by prison officers, arrives at the Kuala Lumpur High Court complex in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, escorted by prison officers, arrives at the Kuala Lumpur High Court complex in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, escorted by prison officers, arrives at the Kuala Lumpur High Court complex in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)