ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild play in arguably the toughest division in the NHL, with the top two teams both right ahead of them in the standings.
That’s why it was so encouraging for them to beat the Dallas Stars 5-2 by controlling the five-on-five play at home Thursday night against the second-place team in the Central Division. This comes just a few weeks after a home shootout win over the best-in-the-NHL Colorado Avalanche.
The fact that the Wild completed the feat without several key regulars — from Mats Zuccarello to Jake Middleton, Marco Rossi and Marcus Foligno — made it more impressive.
“We have belief, and we know what we’re capable of,” Matt Boldy said. “There’s never been a doubt in that. So, yeah, those teams are the measuring stick. They’re so good. So, for us to come in and find ways to win, it’s not always pretty. There’s ups and downs. Those are good teams. The biggest thing for us is to play our game and make it hard on them.”
The Stars entered the game 10-0-5 in their last 15 meetings against the Wild, with this being Minnesota’s first regulation win over them since Nov. 18, 2021. Dallas came in red hot; this was only its third regulation loss since Oct. 21. But the Wild set the tone from the start, holding a 9-0 shot advantage midway through the period.
Dallas delivered a gut-punch on Jason Robertson’s power-play goal, its first shot, to make it 1-0. Minnesota responded, though, tying the game twice, including after Miro Heiskanen’s shorthanded goal midway through the second.
“I think there was a lot of different things in this game where I like the way that we stuck with certain things,” coach John Hynes said. “And I would say it’s two back-to-back games, you go back to Seattle with the Zuccarello (injury) and how we handled that, and then I think tonight in a highly contested game, there were things where you got a bounce or two, or something didn’t go your way, but we weren’t deterred.”
Boldy was a big reason why. He was terrific all night, getting the assist on Minnesota’s first two goals, then adding an empty-netter. He’s making a difference every night, showing why he’s got a superstar ceiling. Marcus Johansson had two goals, including the game-winner for the second straight game. Joel Eriksson Ek had a goal, and Zach Bogosian tallied his first of the season.
Filip Gustavsson stopped 16 of 18 shots for his second straight win.
The Wild also got a boost from their video coaches, as a Wyatt Johnston goal in the second period — which would have made it 3-1 Dallas — was overturned due to a coach’s challenge for offside. How soon did Hynes know to challenge?
“Really quick,” Hynes said. “That was, it wasn’t really a question. I think when you see the replay, it was kind of an easy one.”
Minnesota didn’t win the special teams battle, going 0-for-3 on the power play with a shorthanded goal allowed and giving up Robertson’s power-play goal. A lot of their best work was done at five-on-five, where the Wild had a 13-5 edge in high-danger chances and 3.01-1.07 advantage in expected goals, per Natural Stat Trick.
“I think playing a team like that, that’s been as hot as they were, we were ready for them,” Bogosian said. “I think that’s a good brand of hockey that we were playing.”
Ride the ‘Bus’
For the first time in 15 games, the Wild went away from their goalie rotation.
Gustavsson got back-to-back starts after having been in net for Monday’s 4-1 win over the Kraken. Hynes indicated there were a few reasons behind that call. Part of it was the schedule, as the Wild had a couple of off days following the road trip and wanted to get Jesper Wallstedt a few skates before his next game. Gustavsson also played well against Seattle and entered the game with solid numbers against the Stars. He now holds a .934 save percentage and 2.01 goals against average in 10 career regular-season starts
“I guess (I was surprised). Maybe a little bit,” Gustavsson said. “We’ve been going back and forth for so long, and then (I) was out playing with the kid in the snow and got the text (from Hynes). You’re always excited to play, so it’s fun.”
Gustavsson got off to a shaky start, but he ultimately delivered, making nine saves in the third period.
“I was still in the game and just moving along,” Gustavsson said. “You see 1-0 on the scoreboard with one shot. It’s psychologically tough, and sometimes you can feel a team losing a little bit of momentum there. Today just kept going.”
The Stars took the lead again on a Heiskanen shorthanded goal on a blast from the point midway through the second. Gustavsson called it a “soft goal.”
“Obviously, I want to save that, and then it would be an easier game for us in the third period, I feel like,” Gustavsson said.
Still, give Gustavsson credit for settling in and making some key saves in the third, including one on Mikko Rantanen with the extra attacker.
“I thought for the most part when we had some breakdowns, Gus came up big for us,” Hynes said.
Gustavsson and Wallstedt will split the back-to-back games Saturday and Sunday.
Clutch Johansson
Is there a better bang for your buck in the NHL than Johansson?
Johansson, who signed a one-year, $800,000 deal in the summer, already has 11 goals, matching his total from each of the previous two seasons. For the second straight game, he scored the game-winner, with this one a strong finish on a really slick cross-crease pass from Boldy.
“I guess a little bit of a face-off play,” Boldy said. “You have ideas where guys are going to go. But for him to peel out and get as open as he was, and then to watch him score was a lot of credit to him. That’s not an easy play.”
Marcus Johansson = hockey guy pic.twitter.com/f7zq1bx0an
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) December 12, 2025
Johansson entered the season saying he was happy playing any role in the lineup, but he’s been a fixture with Boldy and Eriksson Ek on the second line.
“I love when he’s on my line,” Boldy said. “I love the way he plays, creates offense, wins battles and plays great all over the ice.”
Power play scuffles
Remember earlier in the season when the Wild’s power play was top five in the league? They’ve been in a rut recently, going 1-for-20 in their last nine games.
“Sometimes it goes like that, you know?” Boldy said. “It is what it is. It’s like golf. All the parts of the game are never gonna click at the same time. I think that’s similar, just in hockey, too. It’s like our D- zone is really good at the beginning of the year, and our power play was really good. But, you know, the five-on-five scoring wasn’t there. And now we’ve been scoring a little and the power play is down a little bit. So I think the way we’ve been approaching it, we’ve been working hard. I think it’s gotten better and gone uphill.”
A special teams unit’s confidence can go up and down just like an individual player’s, and it’s just one of those moments now for the Wild. They feel like they’re getting the looks and chances.
“It goes in waves a little bit, I think,” Johansson said. “Just keep working hard. I know we’re a hard-working power play. Maybe simplify a little bit and get pucks to the net and work from there. But it’s going to come with this group and this power play. It’s a matter of time, and it will be back. Everyone’s working hard, so get a couple of bounces and a couple of good looks and kind of get some weight off the shoulders.”
Medical matters
Both Zuccarello and Middleton were put on injured reserve, meaning they’ll miss at least the next two games (Saturday and Sunday) with upper-body injuries. Zuccarello took a big open ice hit with head contact in Monday’s game, and Middleton left the game early. Hynes said both are “more than day to day.”
“Usually, on certain injuries you have to wait a few days to really get a grasp of what it’s going to be,” Hynes said. “Definitely not day to day.”
Rossi participated in his first team skate on Thursday morning but continues to be sidelined. Hynes indicated there’s still no timeline for his return. Foligno and Vinnie Hinostroza have yet to begin skating. As some insurance, the Wild have called up Nicolas Aubé-Kubel and defenseman Matt Kiersted from AHL Iowa.