Wild Guaranteed to Open Playoffs on the Road Against Dallas

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The Minnesota Wild have officially clinched third place in the Central Division, meaning they will face the Dallas Stars in the first round of the NHL playoffs. With two games left in the regular season, the Wild cannot catch the second-place Stars, who have a six-point lead and the tiebreaker. The playoff series will start in Dallas, with Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 set to be played in Texas.

Why it matters

The Wild-Stars matchup is an evenly matched first-round series, and home-ice advantage could be a significant factor. The Wild must now decide whether to rest their key players in the final two regular-season games to ensure they are healthy for the playoffs, or keep them playing to maintain momentum.

The details

On Saturday, the Wild lost 2-1 to the Nashville Predators, while the Stars defeated the New York Rangers 2-0. With two games left, the Stars are six points ahead of the Wild and have the regulation victories tiebreaker. The Wild cannot catch the Stars in the standings, setting up the first-round playoff series between the two Central Division rivals.

• On Thursday, the Wild lost a thrilling game to the Stars.
• On Saturday, the Wild lost 2-1 to the Predators, and the Stars defeated the Rangers 2-0.
• The Wild and Stars have two games left in the regular season.

What’s next

The Wild will face the Stars in the first round of the NHL playoffs, with Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 set to be played in Dallas. The Wild must now decide whether to rest their key players in the final two regular-season games or keep them playing to maintain momentum.