Ottawa generated the shots, Minnesota generated the goals β and Wallstedt made sure the difference between the two never closed.
Minnesota carried a three-goal lead into the third period at Canadian Tire Centre and never let Ottawa breathe, completing a dominant road win that exposed the Senators' inability to generate quality under pressure. This was a structural mismatch: Minnesota's defensive structure absorbed Ottawa's volume while their goaltender and a clinical two-goal scorer did the rest.
β‘TURNING POINT
Middleton's 4-0 goal at 12:46 of the third eliminated any mathematical hope of an Ottawa comeback, converting a two-goal deficit into an insurmountable four-goal hole with under eight minutes remaining. At that margin, Ottawa's already-struggling offense had no viable path back, and the game became a formality.
πWHY MIN WON
β’
Wallstedt conceded 2.40 goals fewer than league average on 34 shots β in a four-goal game, that margin was the foundation everything else was built on.
β’
Hartman scored twice on three shots in 14:28 of ice time, converting Minnesota's efficiency advantage into a two-goal first-period cushion that forced Ottawa to chase the entire game.
β’
Minnesota's physical and structural commitment β 30 hits, 13 blocked shots β compressed Ottawa's attack into low-danger volume rather than clean scoring chances.
πWHY OTT LOST
β’
Ullmark conceded 1.70 goals above average on 23 shots β in a one-goal game that number is manageable, but against a team that finished 4-for-4 on quality chances, it was decisive.
β’
Ottawa's faceoff dominance at 56.7% produced no territorial dividend: 34 shots with a single even-strength goal reflects a chronic failure to convert possession into finishing.
β’
Zero power play conversion on four opportunities meant Ottawa never solved Minnesota's structure when it had the clearest path to do so.
Three Stars
Jesper Wallstedt1st
MIN, G
SV% 0.97133 saves on 34 shots
Conceding 2.40 goals below average gave Minnesota's lead a margin of error that Ottawa could never overcome.
Ryan Hartman2nd
MIN, R
2G2 points+23 shots on goal in 14:28 TOI
Both goals came at first-period moments that established the lead before Ottawa could find its structure.
Mats Zuccarello3rd
MIN, R
2A2 points+23 shots on goal in 15:15 TOI
Primary assists on both Hartman goals means he was the direct architect of Minnesota's game-breaking first period.
