Minnesota Wild Aim for Playoff First Against Dallas Stars

Wild look to take 2-0 series lead after dominant Game 1 victory

Apr. 19, 2026 at 10:56pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a hockey game, with overlapping geometric shapes in shades of green, red, and blue, conveying the intensity and action of the playoff matchup between the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars.The Minnesota Wild's dominant Game 1 victory sets the stage for a pivotal clash as they seek their first-ever playoff series win against the resilient Dallas Stars.Dallas Today

The Minnesota Wild have a chance to do something they've never done in the NHL playoffs - go up 2-0 in a series - after routing the Dallas Stars 6-1 in Game 1. The Wild haven't clinched a series-clinching fourth win since 2015, while the Stars have a history of coming back from early deficits, having won 7 of 9 series after losing Game 1 since 2022.

Why it matters

This series represents a pivotal opportunity for the Wild to break through and advance past the first round for the first time in franchise history, while the Stars will look to draw on their recent playoff resiliency to overcome an early deficit.

The details

Minnesota scored three goals in the first 6:30 of the second period to take a commanding 4-0 lead. Matt Boldy had two goals and an assist, while Joel Eriksson Ek, Kirill Kaprizov, and Mats Zuccarello also had multi-point games. Rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt made 27 saves in his playoff debut. The Stars will stick with veteran Jake Oettinger in net despite the lopsided loss.

  • The Wild and Stars will face off in Game 2 on Monday night.
  • Minnesota hasn't clinched a series-clinching fourth win since beating St. Louis in the first round of the 2015 playoffs.
  • The Stars have lost Game 1 in 9 of their last 11 playoff series since 2022, but have come back to win 7 of those 9 series.

The players

John Hynes

Head coach of the Minnesota Wild.

Matt Boldy

Forward for the Minnesota Wild who scored two goals and had an assist in Game 1.

Jesper Wallstedt

Rookie goaltender for the Minnesota Wild who made 27 saves in his playoff debut.

Jake Oettinger

Goaltender for the Dallas Stars who gave up 5 goals on 28 shots in Game 1.

Glen Gulutzan

Head coach of the Dallas Stars.

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What they’re saying

“We won a game, we didn't win a series. So it's just moving on to Game 2. ... We're not satisfied with winning one game.”

— John Hynes, Head coach, Minnesota Wild

“I'm not too worried. This team is really good at resetting and coming back the next night.”

— Mikko Rantanen, Forward, Dallas Stars

What’s next

The Wild will look to take a 2-0 series lead when they face the Stars again in Game 2 on Monday night.

The takeaway

This series represents a crucial opportunity for the Minnesota Wild to finally break through and win their first playoff series in franchise history, while the veteran Dallas Stars will need to draw on their recent postseason resiliency to overcome an early deficit.