Matt Boldy Reaches 28 Shots in Wild's 3-2 Series Lead
matt boldy keeps driving Minnesota’s offense in a tight playoff series. Through five games against the Dallas Stars, the Wild forward has put 28 shots on goal on net, and Minnesota now leads 3-2 with one chance to reach the second round.
Boldy’s shot totals have been relentless: 7, 4, 4, 5 and 8. He has finished with at least four shots in every game, a steady volume that gives Minnesota repeated looks while the Wild sit one win from advancing and Dallas tries to extend the series.
Wild 3-2 Against Dallas
Minnesota has not won a playoff series since 2015, so the position it holds now is straightforward. Game 6 on Thursday, April 30, carries the chance to end that drought, while Dallas needs one win to force a seventh game.
The Stars have had trouble creating offense at even strength, going 207:53 without an even-strength goal. Nine of their fourteen goals in the series have come on the power play, which leaves the Wild’s five-on-five work tied directly to the series score.
Jason Robertson's Shot Volume
Jason Robertson has matched Boldy’s 28 shots on goal through the first five games, and he has produced five goals for Dallas. He has also taken five or more shots in every game, giving the Stars a forward who keeps pushing the pace even as the series has tilted Minnesota’s way.
That shot battle is the cleanest read on the matchup. Boldy keeps testing Dallas from different spots, Robertson keeps answering for the Stars, and the series has reached the point where each team’s top shooter is shaping whether this turns into a short spring for Minnesota or one more game for Dallas.
Mats Zuccarello Returns
Mats Zuccarello returned to the Wild lineup in Game 5 after missing Games 2 through 4, and he scored the first goal of that game. He has points in three straight games overall and in each of his last three games against the Stars, giving Minnesota another forward who has arrived at the right time.
For a Wild team that last won a playoff series in 2015, the next step is simple: keep the shot pressure high and finish the job before Dallas can turn the series back in its favor.
