Wyatt Johnston scores twice, Stars force Game 7

wyatt johnston scored twice in the third period and the Stars beat the Wild 3-1 in an NHL 26 simulation of Game 6. The result pushed the series to a winner-take-all Game 7 and kept Dallas alive after Minnesota had tied the game in the second period.

Jamie Benn gave Dallas a 1-0 lead 3:23 into the opening frame, and the Stars carried a 10-3 shot edge out of the first period. Minnesota had a lengthy 5-on-3 advantage later in the period but did not score, and Johnston nearly added another goal when his shot hit the post.

Johnston turns Game 6

Joel Eriksson Ek tied it 1-1 with 9:43 left in the second period, setting up the third-period swing. Johnston restored the lead 37 seconds into the final period by redirecting a Miro Heiskanen point shot past Jesper Wallstedt to make it 2-1.

Less than a minute later, Jason Robertson fired through a screen to extend Dallas' lead to 3-1. Robertson and Johnston scored early in the third period, and Jake Oettinger stopped 18 shots to close out the win.

Dallas, Minnesota and Game 7

The game was played as an NHL 26 simulation, but the outcome still changed the bracket: the Stars and Wild will go to Game 7, with the winner advancing to face the Avalanche in the first round. Dallas needed Johnston's quick response after Minnesota had levelled the score, and the third-period pair from Johnston and Robertson ended that opening.

For Minnesota, the missed power-play chance in the first period and the brief opening after Eriksson Ek's goal left little margin once Dallas struck again. Johnston's two-goal night, including the redirection in front, was the difference between closing out Game 6 and sending the series to one final game.

The teams now carry that 3-1 Game 6 scoreline into a deciding Game 7, where the winner gets the Avalanche in the first round.