Shipley: Can young Jesper Wallstedt be that guy for the Wild?

After another brilliant playoff performance, Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt was asked late Saturday whether he was happy with the way his team has played in each of its four first-round series playoff games against the Dallas Stars.

The big rookie from Sweden had just stopped 43 of 45 shots he faced in a 3-2 overtime victory at Grand Casino, outdueling playoff veteran — and gold-medal winner in February — Jake Oettinger.

Wallstedt answered calmly in his matter-of-fact English.

“Yeah, obviously there’s always going to be one or two goals here and there that you want to save,” he said. “But I really like my mindset of just keep going …”

No, no, no, Jesper. The team as a whole.

“I thought you meant myself,” Wallstedt said.

My man, you can’t play much better.

With Saturday’s win, the Wild sent the series back to Dallas tied 2-2, and Wallstedt has been perhaps the biggest reason. And right now, he’s maybe the biggest reason to believe the Wild might get past a team that finished ahead of them in regular-season standings and has been to the Western Conference Finals for three consecutive seasons.

Of all playoff goalies who had started three games through Saturday, Wallstedt ranked third in goals-against (2.06) and save percentage (.929) — and even that is a little deceiving. No goalie has faced as many shots as Wallstedt, 140, this postseason, and of the 10 goals he has allowed, eight have come with Dallas on a man advantage.

Yes, in four playoff games against a team that finished the regular season with 112 points and averaged 3.33 goals a game, Wallstedt has allowed two even-strength goals.

“When you see a kid have that swagger, you just, like, he’s got it,” veteran teammate Marcus Foligno said. “And there’s nothing better being in that position as a goalie.”

Foligno sent the game to overtime with a remarkable goal with 5:20 left in regulation, but not before stopping a slap shot by Miro Heiskanen from between the circles with 6 seconds left.

Wallstedt got a break in overtime when Wyatt Johnston came up with a puck on the right post and a golden chance to end it. The guy who won Wednesday’s game with a deflection in double overtime poked the puck behind Wallstedt, but it glided down the goal line without going over before it hit the other post and carommed out of the paint.