The Minnesota Wild seemingly have been on their heels throughout the first round of the playoffs, but they have a chance to knot up their postseason series when they host the Dallas Stars for Sunday afternoon’s Game 6. The Islanders won the third game 4-3 in the first extra period, and captured Game 5 in Florida 2-1 at 16 minutes of the second overtime.
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Jared Spurgeon scored two of Minnesota’s four third-period goals, both on the power play, and the Wild almost tied the game with 34 seconds remaining when Nino Niederreiter whacked at a loose puck in the crease. John Klingberg, Jason Spezza and Patrick Sharp staked Dallas to a 3-0 margin in the first before Jamie Benn stretched the lead to 4-0 with a late second-period tally.
The Wild’s season came to an end Sunday afternoon with a 5-4 loss to Dallas in Game 6 of their opening-round series, but it didn’t end before the Wild delivered what could be considered a flawless 60-minute summary of their season.
Playing at home for the first time since the music icon died Thursday at age 57 in his Paisley Park home and recording studio in Chanhassen, Minn., about a 30 minute drive west of Xcel Energy Center, the Wild also warmed up with Prince’s 1982 hit “1999” playing in the arena.
A review by the NHL-based Toronto replay room did not provide conclusive evidence that the entire puck had crossed the goal line. “That momentum can switch real quick and it did”, Koivu said. After all, they had 85 total shots in regulation in Game 5, 40 more than the Wild. It was, however, as close as you could get. People will remember the epic battles of this series and they’ll most likely think differently about some of the players who stepped up in those battles who had such bad regular seasons.
The Minnesota Wild’s 2015-16 season came to an end today as they were eliminated by the Dallas Stars in six games.
The league’s most potent offense roared out to a 4-0 lead over the surprisingly disinterested Wild and Dallas appeared to be on its way to an easy series clincher.
After a busy 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs weekend (not to mention some weekend eliminations), we’ve got just two matchups to look forward to tonight.
“And he goes, ‘Oh, no, no, no, no, we’re going to score”. Combined with his game-winner in Game 3, Koivu has beaten that output in his past three games.
“Things weren’t looking good”. Brodin gets the puck and fires it on net.
Flyers 2, Capitals 0: WASHINGTON – Michal Neuvirth made a playoff career-high 44 saves to lift Philadelphia, which cut the series deficit to 3-2 despite being outshot 44-11 by Washington. Niemi then stopped 28 shots in their 3-2 win in Game 4, but gave up two goals in less than 5 1/2 minutes Friday night. The issue here was another defensive zone faceoff loss, this time by Charlie Coyle. As Dubnyk turned to try and locate it, he kicked it into his own net and the lead was back to two goals. It was Klingberg’s first goal of the playoffs, but his name is familiar to the Wild.
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FARGO, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota State Athletic Director Matt Larsen says the Bison have signed football coach Chris Klieman to a new six-year contract that will keep him with the team through the 2021 season.
