Game Recap: Wild 5, Stars 2

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Quinn Hughes had two goals and an assist, and the Minnesota Wild eliminated the Dallas Stars with a 5-2 win in Game 6 of the Western Conference First Round at Grand Casino Arena on Thursday.

Minnesota will advance to the Western Conference Second Round for the first time since 2015. The Wild's last series triumph came against the St. Louis Blues in the 2015 Western Conference First Round, when they clinched the series in six games.

"Obviously, we had a great opportunity to close them out in Game 6," Hughes said. "If it went the other way, you'd still have a chance in Game 7, but I just think their backs are against the wall and you want to close it out. I think all of our guys had that mindset and that's all I was thinking."

Matt Boldy scored two empty-net goals and Jesper Wallstedt made 21 saves for the Wild, the No. 3 seed in the Central Division.

"I'm really proud of the group," Minnesota coach John Hynes said. "I mean, they're such a pleasure to coach. The way they went through the series, I think just learning lessons, and trying to get better and stronger. Tonight was another example of that.

"We came out on our toes, ready to play, had great commitment the last two games with the shot blocking ... and we had contributions throughout the lineup. It was fun to coach."

Hughes gave the Wild a 3-2 lead when his wrist shot from the left face-off circle deflected off the skate of Dallas defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin in the slot and past goalie Jake Oettinger at 10:38 of the third period. Boldy then scored a pair of empty-net goals at 18:29 and 19:45 for the 5-2 final.

Wyatt Johnston and Mavrik Bourque each scored, and Oettinger made 16 saves for the Stars, the No. 2 seed in the Central Division. Dallas had advanced to the Western Conference Final in each of the past three seasons.

"We played hard, but it felt like every time we made a mistake, it ended up in our net, and I think it wasn't for a lack of trying to score, it's just that we didn't get the bounces that we needed," Dallas forward Matt Duchene said. "That's a heck of a team and they played really well. I thought tonight was a pretty even game. I mean, they had the first period, we had the second, the third was a toss-up and they just got the last bounce off a skate ... it kind of summed up the series."

Hughes first goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 6:23 of the first period. He collected a return pass from Marcus Foligno, drifted through the slot and fired a wrist shot top shelf over the glove of Oettinger.

"'Hughesy' was at the top of his game," Hynes said. "He was a difference maker in many different ways. Obviously, the way that he drove offense and was able to score, but I thought in general, his competitive nature tonight -- puck battles, defending, the way he skated and competed throughout the game on both sides of the puck -- was high level."

Johnston made it 1-1 with a power-play goal at 7:01 of the second period. Mikko Rantanen's pass from below the goal line found Johnston in the slot, who put a snap shot past the right pad of Wallstedt.

Bourque gave the Stars a 2-1 lead at 16:08. Taking advantage of a crazy carom off the end boards, Bourque got the puck at the right post and moved it into the slot before putting it past Wallstedt's back side with a wrist shot.

"We knew they were going to push hard (in the first period). It's their home rink and they want to end the series," Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen said. "I think we could have played better (in the first), but it was only 1-0 and I think we played better in the second, got some momentum. You got to give credit to them. They didn't give us a lot of chances, especially in front of the net."

Just 54 seconds after Bourque's goal, Vladimir Tarasenko tied it up 2-2 at 17:02. Hughes' shot from the left point prompted Oettinger to move to the right post to make the save, leaving his backside wide open for a diving Tarasenko to finish the second chance on the backhand. It was Tarasenko's 50th career playoff goal.

"We did what we had to do," Wild defenseman Brock Faber, who had the primary assist on Hughes' go-ahead goal, said. "I think we played a good series. This is a new team. We write our own story. Every team has their own ups and downs. We knew we were the better team, we just had to go prove it, and that's what we did.

"It's on to round two now. You flush this. It doesn't matter anymore. We've got another series to win."

NOTES: Stars forward Jason Robertson had his streak of at least one goal in eight straight playoff games end, dating to Game 3 of the 2025 Western Conference Final. ... Hughes became the first defenseman in Wild history to score a series-clinching goal. Forwards Justin Fontaine (Game 6, 2015 Western Conference First Round), Nino Niederreiter (Game 7, 2014 Western Conference First Round), Darby Hendrickson (Game 7, 2003 Conference semifinal) and Andrew Brunette (Game 7, 2003 Conference quarterfinals) are the others.