DALLAS — History was made in Dallas' Game 7 win over the Seattle Kraken on Monday.
Not only will the NHL's final four be played among teams south of Pennsylvania for the first time ever, but a youngster pushed his team to the conference finals in spectacular fashion.
In fact, Wyatt Johnston (20 years, 1 day) became the youngest player to score a series clinching goal in a Game 7.
Johnston beat Jaromir Jagr by 75 days. The Pittsburgh Penguins legend scores the series-clinching goal in the 1992 Division Semifinals at 20 years, 76 days.
And what a beautiful goal it was for Johnston.
Johnston now has four goals and two assists in 13 playoff games this year while centering a line with Jamie Benn and Evgenii Dadonov.
"I don't think anyone was expecting to see this level of excellence from a kid who just turned 20 on Sunday," said Dane Lewis of Locked on Stars. "This kis is still in a lot of ways finding his footing in the NHL, but it seems like he's very comfortable performing at the highest professional level and even higher than that - in the playoffs of the most prestigious hockey league on the planet."
As for the goal itself, now even Johnston's coach couldn't put it into words.
"What a goal," Stars head coach Pete DeBoer said, per NHL.com. "It's not just a goal . . . it's hard to explain. I don't know how many players would think of doing that, never mind pull it off and score like that on that play. It's an elite, world class play by one of the youngest players in the league.
"I can't say enough about him. It seems the deeper we get, the more we rely on him and the more responsibility he wants."
Interestingly, Johnston was not named a finalist for the Calder Trophy, which is awarded annually to the best rookie in the NHL. Matty Beniers in Seattle was, and deservedly so. He had a great regular season and recorded two goals and four assists in the seven games series against the Stars.
But, Johnston scored three goals in the series, with his final strike serving as the series decider.
And he's just getting started.