Drops of blood and sweat dribbled down Wyatt Johnston’s face as he fielded questions following the Stars’ stunning come-from-behind 4-2 win in Game 7 over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night.
A cut — one that didn’t require stitches, but one that didn’t look all that comfortable, either — was the battle scar the young forward had from the third Game 7 of his career.
Up until late in the third period, it would’ve been all he had to show for his team’s effort.
But after a furious comeback led by Mikko Rantanen, Johnston capped off the Stars’ win with his third career Game 7 goal and second career Game 7 series clincher.
A much better souvenir.
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With 4:13 left in regulation, Colorado’s Jack Drury went to the box for a holding penalty against Tyler Seguin. Just minutes after Rantanen tied the game on one power play, Johnston received a pass across the crease from Matt Duchene and buried it to give his team the lead with 3:56 left in the game.
“So clutch,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “I don’t know if you saw the replay, but the pass jammed him, and the skill to make that shot at that time of the game at that age, he’s special. He’s a special player. He wants to be in those situations and he rises to the occasion. You can’t teach that stuff.”
Johnston was able to draw on experience in that moment. At just 21 years old, he’s played in three Game 7s and scored in all of them. He’s also 3-0 in Game 7s, and, by the end of his career, could rival Pete DeBoer’s record.
In the second round in 2023 against the Seattle Kraken, Johnston scored from a tight angle with just over seven minutes left in regulation to give Dallas a 2-0 lead. With Seattle scoring a goal in the last minute of regulation, Johnston’s became the game-winner — and he became the youngest player in NHL history to score a series-clinching goal in a Game 7, doing so the day after his 20th birthday.
In the first round in 2024 against the Vegas Golden Knights, Johnston scored the first goal of Game 7 late in the first period. After Vegas tied it in the second, Johnston’s teammate Radek Faksa found the game winner early in the third.
On Saturday night, he added to his Game 7 resume, becoming the first player in league history to score a series-clinching goal in multiple Game 7s at age 22 or younger. He also became the first player in franchise history to score multiple series-clinching goals in Game 7.
“The fact that he’s 21 is crazy,” Stars goalie Jake Oettinger said. “So mature beyond his years. Such a great human being. Gonna be a great Dallas Star for a very long time.”
Johnston became a key player for Dallas down the stretch of the series. After leading the Stars in goals last playoff run, he was quiet in the first few games against Colorado, but was awakened in Game 5, where he scored two goals, including one just nine seconds into the game.
He is now tied for second on the team in playoff points with seven (three goals and four assists). Johnston is also a key member of the Stars’ penalty kill that held Colorado to 0-for-3 Saturday night.
Saturday’s win brought just another early milestone for the young forward set for a long and fruitful career in Dallas. He signed a five-year contract extension in March worth $42 million that keeps him in Dallas through 2029-30.
As good as his goal Saturday felt, Johnston and the Stars hope it’s just one of many, both during this playoff run and for years down the line.
“This isn’t the destination for us,” Johnston said. “This is the start of what we plan to be a super long run and a Stanley Cup. It’s awesome to get that first quarter done, and we’re looking forward to the next series.”
Twitter: @lassimak
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