The Minnesota Wild are one win away from changing the shape of the Western Conference playoffs.
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After a convincing 4-2 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 5 on Tuesday night, Minnesota now holds a 3-2 series lead and heads home with a chance to eliminate one of the conference’s most established contenders. If the Wild finish the job Thursday in St. Paul, they’ll advance to the second round for the first time since 2015 — and set up a showdown with the Colorado Avalanche.
If Dallas answers, the series will head back to Texas for a winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday.
Minnesota Looks DifferentFor years, the Wild were known as a team that competed hard, defended well, and made life uncomfortable for opponents. But when the playoffs tightened, something was usually missing.
This group feels different.
Minnesota has played with confidence throughout the series, but Game 5 may have been its most complete performance yet. The Wild clogged the neutral zone, pressured Dallas all over the ice, and rarely gave the Stars clean looks in dangerous areas.
Even when Dallas controlled possession at times, Minnesota never looked rattled. It stayed patient, stayed connected, and trusted the style that got it here.
The Wild also got contributions throughout the lineup. Mats Zuccarello opened the scoring early. Matt Boldy buried a late first-period power-play goal. Michael McCarron added a huge insurance tally in the third. Kirill Kaprizov finished it off with an empty-netter after winning a battle for a loose puck.
Defensively, Minnesota sacrificed repeatedly in front of the net, recording 26 blocked shots, while rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstedt turned aside 20 shots with another calm, steady performance.
That combination — structure, scoring depth, and reliable goaltending — is what makes Minnesota dangerous right now.
Avalanche Are Rested and ReadyWhile the Wild and Stars continue to grind through a physical first-round battle, Colorado has had the luxury of rest.
The Avalanche swept the Los Angeles Kings and wrapped up their series on Sunday, giving themselves several extra days to recover and prepare. They returned to practice Wednesday still not knowing who their opponent will be, but they know they’ll have home-ice advantage in the second round no matter what happens.
If Minnesota closes out Dallas on Thursday, Round 2 could begin early next week.
That would mean a rested Avalanche team against a Wild club carrying momentum and confidence.
A Series With Real HistoryA Minnesota-Colorado matchup would also bring back some playoff history.
The two teams haven’t met in the postseason since 2014, when the Wild erased Colorado series leads of 2-0 and 3-2 before winning Game 7 in overtime. They also met in memorable playoff battles in 2008 and 2003.
This time, the stakes would feel different.
Colorado enters as one of the favorites in the West, powered by elite talent and fresh legs after a first-round sweep. Minnesota, meanwhile, is trying to prove it is more than a feel-good story or a tough out.
But before any of that can happen, the Wild still have one more job to finish.
They’ve pushed Dallas to the edge. Now comes the hardest part — delivering the final blow.