Game Preview: Wild at Stars

DALLAS, Tex. -- The Minnesota Wild enters the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs today, facing off against the Dallas Stars for the first game in what promises to be an exciting series. The Wild takes on the Stars in the First Round after the two teams each won two of the four games in the regular season series, in a match-up so even that each team had 13 goals for, and 13 goals against. 

The Stars enter the series with multiple key injuries; Wild fans hoping that this means a healthy Minnesota can overpower the Stars. Dallas center Roope Hintz will miss at least Games One and Two, while Miro Heiskanen's return is uncertain after the defender sustained a lower-body injury in a collision with Ryan Hartman on April 9.

Info for Today's Game:

• When: Tuesday, April 14th at 4:30 p.m. CT
• Where: American Airlines Center (Dallas, Texas)
• Stream: FanDuel Sports North/ESPN
• Listen: KFAN
• Gamecenter: R1G1: Wild at Stars

Wild Record: 46-24-12

Stars Record: 50-20-12

2025-26 Series Record: 2-2-0

All-Time Wild Record: 41-44-13 (14-28-8 at Dallas)

All-Time Playoff Record: 4-8 (2-4 at Dallas)

This Season on Wild vs. Stars

Minnesota went 2-2-0 in the season series. Dallas won the series-opening game, 5-2, at American Airlines Center (10/14), and the fourth meeting, 5-4, in Dallas (4/9), while Minnesota won the second game, 5-2, at Grand Casino Arena (12/11) and the third contest, 2-1, in overtime in St. Paul (3/21).

LW Matt Boldy (2-4=6) led the Wild with six points. LW Kirill Kaprizov had five points (3-2=5). RW Vladimir Tarasenko (1-3=4) and D Quinn Hughes (1-3=4) each had four points. G Filip Gustavsson went 2-2-0 with a 2.76 GAA and an .879 SV% in starting all four games.

C Wyatt Johnston (2-3=5) and D Esa Lindell (1-4=5) led the Stars with five points each in the sesaon. D Miro Heiskanen (1-3=4) and LW Jason Robertson (3-1=4) each had four points. G Jake Oettinger went 2-1-1 with a 2.73 GAA and a .915 SV% in starting all four games.

Wild Leaders Against Stars

• Tarasenko leads the Wild with 34 points (21-13=34) in 40 career games against Dallas
• RW Mats Zuccarello has 27 points (5-22=27) in 31 games
• D Jared Spurgeon owns 25 points (6-19=25) in 51 contests
• F Nick Foligno has 21 points (3-18=21) in 39 games

Stars Leaders Against Wild

• LW Jamie Benn has 50 points (20-30=50) in 62 career games vs. Minnesota
• RW Mikko Rantanen owns 44 points (17-27=44) in 42 games
• C Matt Duchene has 42 points (14-28=42) in 63 career games
• C Roope Hintz owns 24 points (10-14=24) in 25 games

View all transactions

On the Mend

Zach Bogosian: lower-body injury (six games missed)

Full Injury Report

Connections

• Minnesota General Manager Bill Guerin recorded 159 points (72-87=159) and 337 PIM in 216 games with Dallas
• Wild Hockey Operations Advisor Mike Modano posted 1,359 points (557-802=1,359) in 20 seasons with the North Stars/Stars organization. Modano won the 1999 Stanley Cup with Dallas and previously served as Executive Advisor and Alternate Governor of the Stars for two seasons (2013-15)
• Zuccarello tallied three points (1-2=3) in two regular season games and added 11 points (4-7=11) in 13 playoff games with Dallas (2018-19)
• Oettinger is from Lakeville
• C Sam Steel tallied 28 points (10-18=28), 18 PIM and a plus-11 rating in 65 games in one season with Minnesota (2022-23)

Fast Facts

• The Wild has won four out of the last seven meetings overall (since 12/27/24), including three overtime victories
• The Wild and Stars are meeting in the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third time, with the Stars earning 4-2 series win in each of the prior two meetings (2023, 2016)

For more information on today's matchup, check out the game notes below.