Wild Secure Playoff Spot, Hughes Shines in Debut

0:00It's April 3rd. This is NHL News Today Team News, powered by AI. Minnesota Wild locked in their Stanley Cup playoff spot with a solid 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul. Last Thursday, Matt Boldy and Ryan Hartman each lit the lamp twice, while Boldy chipped in and assist for three points total. Karyl Kaprizov, Nashtagol and an assist, and Matt Zookarello, dish two helpers. Philip Gustafson stopped 29 shots for his 100th win with a wild. Meanwhile, wild defensemen Quinn Hughes went plus four with an assist in his debut against his old squad after Vancouver shipped him out on December 12th. They got back to Fenceman Zeebum, Ford's Marco Rossi and Liam Ogren, plus a first-round pick in the 2026 draft. On the Canucks side, Tom Willender and Jake DeBrusk scored quick goals 42 seconds apart to briefly take the lead, but they sit last in the league at 22, wins 45 losses and

1:01eight overtime defeats. Golly Nikita Tolopolo made 32 saves in the loss. The wild have been flipping wins and losses over their last eight games, staying sharp as they gear up for postseason action while Vancouver chases.