Game Six Preview: Wild vs. Stars

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Minnesota is home tonight, hoping to secure the series win in front of the State of Hockey after crushing the Stars 4-2 back in Dallas on Tuesday night. The series is now 3-2 and Minnesota has a very real chance to see its first Second Round series since the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Wild sits at nearly-full health, and is expected to do so again tonight. Jonas Brodin is expected to play after the defenseman exited Tuesday's game early after blocking a shot. Dallas, on the other hand, is not at full health, with Roope Hintz and Nils Lundqvist both ruled out for tonight's match. Can the Wild capitalize on Dallas' losses and deliver the Stars one final loss to take the series? We'll find out tonight.

Info for Today's Game:

• When: Thursday, April 30th at 6:30 p.m. CT
• Where: Grand Casino Arena (Saint Paul, Minnesota)
• Tickets: Buy Now
• Stream: FanDuel Sports North/TNT/truTV/MAX
• Listen: KFAN
• Gamecenter: R1G6: Wild vs. Stars

Series Record: 3-2

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 (27-16-5 at Grand Casino Arena)

All-Time Playoff Record: 7-10 (3-5 at Grand Casino Arena)

The Series So Far

The Wild won Game 1, 6-1, at American Airlines Center (4/18), Game 4, 3-2, in overtime (4/25), and Game 5, 4-2 in Dallas (4/28). 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 nine points (2-7=9) in the series. LW Matt Boldy has seven points (4-3=7). C Joel Eriksson Ek (3-2=5), D Brock Faber (3-2=5) and D Quinn Hughes (0-5=5) each own five points. G Jesper Wallstedt is 3-2 with a 2.05 GAA and a .926 SV% in starting all five games for the Wild.

C Matt Duchene (2-6=8) and LW Jason Robertson (5-3=8) lead the Stars with eight points in the series. D Miro Heiskanen (2-4=6) and RW Mikko Rantanen (1- 5=6) have six points each. G Jake Oettinger is 2-3 with a 2.78 and a .899 SV% in starting all five 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): VGK leads 3-2

Edmonton (D2) vs. Anaheim (D3): ANA leads 3-2

Buffalo (D1) vs. Boston (WC1): BUF leads 3-2

Tampa Bay (D2) vs. Montreal (D3): MTL leads 3-2

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

Pittsburgh (D2) vs. Philadelphia (D3): PHI wins 4-2, PIT eliminated

On the Mend

No current injuries

Full Injury Report

View all transactions

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.