DALLAS (AP) – The Minnesota Wild secured a 4-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night, taking a 3-2 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.
Matt Boldy scored a crucial power-play goal in the final minute of the second period, having had a goal disallowed earlier in the game.
Kirill Kaprizov contributed an empty-net goal and two assists, while Mats Zuccarello made a notable return from injury by scoring a goal. The Wild’s next matchup is Game 6 on Thursday, where they will have the opportunity to advance to the second round for the first time since 2015.
Game Highlights
Boldy, who previously scored two goals in Game 1 and the overtime winner in Game 4, netted the tiebreaking goal with 32 seconds remaining in the second period. His shot from the left side of the circle gave the Wild a 2-1 lead. Rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt made 20 saves, including 11 in the third period, to help secure the win.
Coaching Insights
Coach John Hynes praised his team’s performance, stating, “When we play as a tight connected five-man unit, I think we’re usually at our best. I thought we were responsible, had strong attention to detail, got some key saves when we needed them.”
Stars’ Struggles
Jason Robertson scored for the Stars late in the game, marking his fifth goal of the series. Despite this, the Stars struggled to capitalize on their chances, missing all 16 of their shots during five-on-five play. Coach Glen Gulutzan remarked, “You just have to stick with it. We did create some opportunities for ourselves, now we’ve got to take the next step and convert on some of them.”
Upcoming Challenges
The Wild’s victory puts them in a favorable position, with a chance to clinch the series at home. Forward Marcus Foligno emphasized the need to manage emotions in the upcoming game, stating, “We’ve got to just look to control our emotions in Game 6 and in front of our home crowd, a place where we had a good feeling leaving last time.”
Series Context
The Wild aim to break a nine-series playoff losing streak, which includes defeats to the Stars in both 2016 and 2023. If necessary, Game 7 will take place in Dallas on Saturday.