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Market	Minnesota Wild	Dallas Stars
Moneyline	N/A	N/A
Puck Line (-1.5)	N/A	N/A
Over/Under	N/A	N/A

Game 4 Is All or Nothing for Minnesota

The 2026 NHL Western Conference First Round series between the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars has been a gripping chess match — and right now, the Wild are in check.

Dallas leads the best-of-seven series 2-1 after a pair of gritty wins that steadied the Stars following a humbling Game 1 defeat. Minnesota blitzed Dallas 6-1 in the series opener at American Airlines Center on April 18, but the Stars have since won back-to-back — including a nerve-shredding 4-3 double-overtime triumph in Game 3 at Xcel Energy Center that shifted all the momentum in their favor.

Game 4 returns to St. Paul, where the Wild were dominant during the regular season and where the crowd at Xcel Energy Center will be as loud as ever. Minnesota went 2-0 at home against Dallas in the regular season, and playoff history is full of teams that dug themselves out of 2-1 holes on home ice. But the Wild face this do-or-die scenario without key pieces. Yakov Trenin is confirmed out, Mats Zuccarello is questionable, and the wounds of letting a late lead slip in Game 3's double overtime are still fresh.

Dallas, meanwhile, comes in riding a regular-season closing surge of five consecutive wins and the confidence of a team that believes it can close out the series at its opponent's arena. The series has delivered everything hockey fans could want — momentum swings, overtime drama, and star-level performances on both sides. Game 4 promises more of the same.

Minnesota Wild: Backs Against the Wall at Home

The Minnesota Wild finished the 2025-26 regular season with a 46-24-12 record (104 points), good for a top-8 seed in the Western Conference. The Wild ranked 10th in the NHL in scoring (3.27 goals/game) and 4th in goals allowed (2.87/game), making them one of the league's more complete clubs.

At the center of Minnesota's offensive identity is Kirill Kaprizov. The 28-year-old Russian winger posted a monster regular season — 45 goals and 44 assists for 89 points in 78 games — cementing himself as one of the game's premier power forwards. In the playoffs, Kaprizov has been effective if not always flashy: 1 goal and 3 assists through three games, with a series-high 6:28 shorthanded time on ice per game.

Alongside Kaprizov, Matt Boldy continued his ascent as one of the NHL's most dangerous left wings, finishing the regular season with 42 goals and 43 assists (85 points). In the playoffs, Boldy has been Minnesota's most consistent offensive threat, recording 4 points (2G, 2A) in three games and generating multiple quality looks in each contest.

Quietly, Joel Eriksson Ek is the Wild's best player in this series. The 29-year-old two-way center leads Minnesota with 5 playoff points (3G, 2A) and won 61.5% of his faceoffs in the first three games. His work in the defensive zone has been equally valuable — he's been a force at both ends of the ice when Minnesota has needed it most.

The Wild's blueline has been a genuine strength, anchored by Quinn Hughes (5G, 48A in the regular season) and Brock Faber, who at 23 years old is already one of the best young defensemen in hockey. Hughes has 4 assists through three playoff games while logging 32:17 per game, and Faber has added 3 points (2G, 1A) from the back end.

In goal, Jesper Wallstedt has actually outplayed his counterpart in this series despite the scoreboard deficit. The 23-year-old Swede has stopped 87 of 95 shots for a .916 save percentage — above his already-strong regular-season mark of .915. Wallstedt's challenge has been puck luck and the fact that Minnesota lost Game 2 narrowly and Game 3 in double overtime.

Injuries are a real concern. Yakov Trenin (upper body) is confirmed out for Game 4, and Mats Zuccarello is listed as questionable. Zuccarello, who had 3 assists in Game 1, hasn't played since. His potential return would be a significant boost to the Wild's power play and overall offensive depth.

Minnesota's power play clocked in at 25.1% during the regular season. Getting key personnel healthy and translating that unit's effectiveness into Game 4 could be the difference in a tight game.

Dallas Stars: Efficiency Over Flash

The Dallas Stars were one of the NHL's most complete teams in the 2025-26 regular season, finishing 50-20-12 for 112 points and the league's 2nd-best goals-against total (222, or 2.71/game). That defensive dominance — combined with an elite power play (28.6%) — made Dallas one of the most feared matchups in the West.

The Stars' offensive engine runs through Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston. Robertson posted one of the best seasons of his career — 45 goals and 51 assists for 96 points — while Johnston, just 22 years old, matched him at 45 goals and added 41 assists (86 points). In the playoffs, both are leading the Stars with 5 points each in 3 games. Robertson's game-winning goal in Game 2 was the series turning point; Johnston's tenacity in Game 3's double overtime was essential.

Mikko Rantanen — acquired from Colorado before this season — adds another level of offensive weaponry. The 29-year-old Finnish winger posted 22 goals and 55 assists (77 points) in 64 regular-season games and has 3 playoff points. His size and reach around the net create problems for any defense.

Defensively, Miro Heiskanen remains the backbone of the Stars' blue line. The 26-year-old Finn leads all Dallas defensemen in the playoffs with 3 assists in 3 games while logging over 31 minutes per game. His partner Thomas Harley and veteran Esa Lindell (who led all NHL defensemen in plus/minus during the regular season at +30) give Dallas a mobile, responsible defensive corps.

Jake Oettinger has been very good, if not spectacular. The 27-year-old starter went 35-12-6 during the regular season with a 2.59 GAA and .899 SV%. In the playoffs, he's 2-1 but carrying a .889 save percentage — slightly below his regular-season norm. Oettinger allowed 6 goals in the series-opening rout but has otherwise been solid, stopping 69 of 75 shots over Games 2 and 3 combined.

The injury picture for Dallas is significant. Roope Hintz — a 15-goal, 44-point forward who contributes on both sides of the puck — is confirmed out for Game 4 with a lower-body injury. His absence removes a key face-off specialist (59.1% regular season) and a physical presence up front. Tyler Seguin (ACL) and Nathan Bastian (hand) are also unavailable. The Stars have managed without them, but Hintz's loss for Game 4 is a meaningful hole in their lineup.

Dallas closed the regular season with a remarkable 5-0 run in their final five games, outscoring opponents 19-14 and demonstrating the kind of peaking form you want entering the postseason. That momentum carried directly into this series.

Head-to-Head & Betting Trends

2025-26 Regular Season Matchups:

These teams split their four regular-season meetings 2-2, but the results carried a distinct home-ice pattern:

Date	Location	Winner	Score
Oct 14, 2025	At Dallas	Dallas	5-2
Dec 11, 2025	At Minnesota	Minnesota	5-2
Mar 21, 2026	At Minnesota	Minnesota	2-1 (OT)
Apr 9, 2026	At Dallas	Dallas	5-4

Minnesota went 2-0 at home and 0-2 on the road against Dallas. The home team won every regular-season meeting, and that trend has carried into the playoffs — though Dallas's Game 3 road win in double overtime just broke the home-team dominance pattern.

Playoff Series So Far:

Game	Date	Winner	Score
Game 1	Apr 18 (at Dallas)	Minnesota	6-1
Game 2	Apr 20 (at Dallas)	Dallas	4-2
Game 3	Apr 22 (at Minnesota)	Dallas	4-3 (2OT)
Game 4	Apr 25 (at Minnesota)	TBD	—

Despite trailing 2-1 in the series, Minnesota has actually outscored Dallas 11-9 through three games. Wallstedt has been better than Oettinger statistically (.916 vs .889 SV%), yet the Wild face elimination pressure. This disconnect underscores how tight and scenario-dependent this series has been.

The loss of Hintz for Dallas and the uncertain status of Zuccarello for Minnesota create parallel injury dynamics — both teams enter Game 4 without important forwards.

Prediction & Best Bets

🎯 Best Bet

Our Pick

📊 Minnesota Wild 4, Dallas Stars 2

**Series Context:** Dallas leads 2-1 and has a chance to go up 3-1 tonight — a position from which NHL teams have historically won the series approximately 85% of the time. The pressure on Minnesota is immense. However, several factors favor the Wild in Game 4:

FAQ

What is the current series score between the Wild and Stars?

Dallas leads the 2026 NHL Western Conference First Round series 2-1 going into Game 4. The Stars won Games 2 and 3 after Minnesota took Game 1 by a convincing 6-1 margin.

Who are the key players to watch in Game 4?

Kirill Kaprizov (Wild) and Jason Robertson (Stars) are the marquee names, but Joel Eriksson Ek leads the Wild with 5 series points and is Minnesota's most important player right now. Miro Heiskanen continues to log monster minutes for Dallas, and Jesper Wallstedt's ability to steal a game in net could be decisive.

Is Roope Hintz playing in Game 4?

No. Dallas confirmed that Hintz (lower body) is out for Game 4. The Stars are also missing Tyler Seguin (ACL, out for season) and Nathan Bastian (hand, out until next round at earliest).

Is Mats Zuccarello playing?

Zuccarello is listed as questionable for Game 4 with an upper body injury. He played only Game 1 of this series (recording 3 assists) before being sidelined. His return would significantly strengthen Minnesota's power play.

Where is Game 4 being played?

Game 4 is at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. As the lower seed, the Wild host Games 3, 4, and 6 of this series. --- **Featured Image Suggestion:** A wide-angle action shot of the Xcel Energy Center ice surface packed with a full crowd during a Wild playoff game, ideally with Kirill Kaprizov in mid-stride with the puck. Alternatively, a dramatic split composition showing Dallas's Jake Oettinger making a glove save on the left and Jesper Wallstedt in a butterfly on the right, representing the goaltending duel at the heart of this series.