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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Ottawa generated the shots, Minnesota generated the goals β and Wallstedt made sure the difference between the two never closed.
