Game Five Preview: Wild at Stars

DALLAS, Tex. -- The Minnesota Wild is back on the road today, heading back to Dallas for Game 5 after defeating the Stars in overtime on Saturday night. This Round 1 series now sits at two wins for each team, with Minnesota needing to continue digging deep to overcome what has been a very tight battle thus far. 

The two teams are remarkably well-matched and it is showing in these Playoffs. Saturday's game saw some particularly impressive goaltending, with Minnesota-born Jake Oettinger posting 39 saves for a .929 SV% for Dallas. The Wild's own Jesper Wallstedt made an astounding 42 saves (.956 SV%), a performance that tied the rookie goalie's previous record for most saves made in a game (42 saves vs. CAR on 11/19/25). 

The Stars will miss Roope Hintz and Nils Lundkvist tomorrow, per Stars reporter Bruce LeVine. Yesterday, the Wild saw forwards Mats Zuccarello and Yakov Trenin return to practice after both players missed Saturday's game due to injury. Wild fans can only hope that the return of two key Wild figures can compound with the effect of Dallas' missing two players to help lead the Wild to victory once again and regain the lead in the series.

Info for Today's Game:

• When: Tuesday, April 28th at 7:00 p.m. CT
• Where: American Airlines Center (Dallas, Texas)
• Stream: FanDuel Sports North/ESPN2
• Listen: KFAN
• Gamecenter: R1G5: Wild at Stars

Series Record: 2-2

Wild Regular Season Record: 46-24-12

Stars Regular Season 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: 6-10 (3-5 at Dallas)

The Series So Far

The Wild won Game 1, 6-1, at American Airlines Center (4/18), and Game 4, 3-2, in overtime (4/25). The Stars won Game 2, 4-2, in Dallas (4/20) and Game 3, 4-3, in double overtime (4/22).

LW Kirill Kaprizov leads Minnesota with six points (1-5=6) in the series. LW Matt Boldy (3-2=5), C Joel Eriksson Ek (3-2=5) and D Brock Faber (3-2=5) each own five points. D Quinn Hughes has four assists. G Jesper Wallstedt is 2-2 with a 2.06 GAA and a .929 SV% in starting all four games for the Wild.

C Matt Duchene leads the Stars with seven points (2-5=7) in the series. LW Jason Robertson owns six points (4-2=6). C Wyatt Johnston (3-2=5) and RW Mikko Rantanen (1-4=5) have five points each. G Jake Oettinger is 2-2 with a 2.69 and a .902 SV% in starting all four games for Dallas.

Wild Regular Season Leaders

• 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 Regular Season Leaders

• 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

Around the League

Colorado (D1) vs. Los Angeles (WC2): COL wins 4-0, LAK eliminated

Vegas (D1) vs. Utah (WC1): series tied 2-2

Edmonton (D2) vs. Anaheim (D3): ANA leads 3-1

Buffalo (D1) vs. Boston (WC1): BUF leads 3-1

Tampa Bay (D2) vs. Montreal (D3): series tied 2-2

Carolina (D1) vs. Ottawa (WC2): CAR wins 4-0, OTT eliminated

Pittsburgh (D2) vs. Philadelphia (D3): PHI leads 3-1

View all transactions

On the Mend

Yakov Trenin: upper body (two postseason games missed)

Mats Zuccarello: upper body (three postseason 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 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.