Dumba, Dubnyk lead Wild to Game 1 win over Blues in 1st playoff starts
Matt Dumba scored in his Stanley Cup playoff debut as the Minnesota Wild followed the blueprint for the perfect road start, frustrating the St. Louis Blues en route to a 4-2 victory in Game 1.
Star Performer: By no means was he brilliant (to be honest, no one really was), but it turns out Devan Dubnyk can win games in the postseason, too. He made 19 saves in his first postseason start and takes this category by default.
Turning Point: Jason Zucker - out there to prove Patrick Kane isn't the only one who can come back from a fractured clavicle - zapped much of the life from the Scottrade Center three minutes in, scoring with the wraparound on a great individual effort.
Goalie Comparison: With the Wild having scored twice into an empty net, Blues starter Jake Allen - also making his first start - finished with better numbers than Dubnyk.
| Goalie | Shots | GA | Saves | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubnyk | 21 | 2 | 19 | 0.905 |
| Allen | 27 | 2 | 25 | 0.926 |
Top Highlight: It was a lethal shot, but Dumba's strange celebration put this highlight over the top.
Stat of the Night: How about another feather in Dubnyk's cap? He was the first goaltender in Wild history to win his first playoff start.
Series at a Glance
Game 1: Wild 4, Blues 2
Game 2: Saturday, April 18, 3:00 p.m. ET
Game 3: Monday, April 20, 8:00 p.m. ET
Game 4: Wednesday April 22, 9:30 p.m. ET
Game 5*: Friday, April 24, TBA
Game 6*: Sunday, April 26, TBA
Game 7*: Tuesday, April 28, TBA
*If necessary