Dallas Stars vs Minnesota Wild: First-Round Showdown

0:00On April 4, Dallas stars and Minnesota Wild are locked in for a first round showdown in the 2025-26 Stanley Cup playoffs. Barring a total meltdown by the top Colorado avalanche, Dallas should snack second place in the Central Division with six more points than Minnesota, giving them home ice. The Wild are solid and third, 12 points ahead of fourth place Utah. Lately though, the stars have hit a rough patch, dropping six of their last eight games, including four in regulation. Minnesota edged them to one in overtime back on March 21, and their season series split, 111 shows it's dead even. Fans are buzzing because neither team screams favorite. The stars haven't missed many first rounds lately, winning five of their last six while Minnesota's last deep run was back in 20. 14-15. Playoff experience could tip it, but who knows. The stars were scorching hot before the slump, going 14-0-1 from late January to mid-March, so they could flip the switch any time.

1:01Their offense has sputtered with two goals or fewer in four of six recent losses, but if they fix that, Minnesota's in trouble. They wrapped the regular season April 9 in Dallas, and stats are too close to call, stars 23-10 for at home, Wild 21. On the road, goals and defense nearly identical. Whoever heats up down the stretch owns this series. That's your update from NHL News Today, powered by AI.