SAINT PAUL, Minn. (Interstat) — The Minnesota Wild erupted for three third-period goals to break a tie and defeat the Dallas Stars 5-2 on Thursday night at Grand Casino Arena. The game was tied 2-2 entering the final frame before Marcus Johansson scored twice and Matt Boldy added another to power the Wild. Johansson, named the game’s top star, finished with two goals. Joel Eriksson Ek, Boldy and Zach Bogosian also scored for Minnesota, which got 16 saves from Filip Gustavsson. Miro Heiskanen had a goal and an assist for the Stars, who saw their three-game win streak snapped before an announced crowd of 17,109. The Wild improved to 17-14, while the Stars fell to 21-11.

SAINT PAUL, Minn. (Interstat) — A third-period offensive explosion propelled the Minnesota Wild to a decisive 5-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night at Grand Casino Arena, snapping the Central Division leaders’ four-game winning streak. In front of a crowd of 17,109, the Wild transformed a tight 2-2 contest through 40 minutes into a convincing win with three unanswered goals in the final frame. The victory improved Minnesota’s record to 17-14, while the Stars fell to 21-11. The game’s turning point came just 4:40 into the third period. After sustained pressure, Minnesota’s top line broke the deadlock. Joel Eriksson Ek, from Karlstad, Sweden, won a crucial faceoff in the Dallas zone, feeding Matt Boldy of Millis, Massachusetts, who quickly dished to a wide-open Marcus Johansson. The Swedish winger from Landskrona made no mistake with a wrist shot for his 10th goal of the season. That goal seemed to deflate the Stars, who had battled back from an early deficit. Minnesota extended its lead at the 14:29 mark when Boldy capitalized on a turnover, taking a feed from Kirill Kaprizov of Novokuznetsk, Russia, and snapping a quick shot for his 17th goal. Johansson then sealed the victory with his second of the night, an unassisted backhand tally with just 2:50 remaining in regulation. The Wild’s offensive showcase overshadowed a strong start for Dallas, which opened the scoring on a first-period power play. With Minnesota’s Ryan Hartman in the box for hooking, the Stars’ league-leading unit went to work. Miro Heiskanen of Espoo, Finland, set up Wyatt Johnston, who found Jason Robertson for a precise wrist shot at the 9:32 mark, his 20th goal of the campaign. Minnesota answered just over six minutes later. Boldy intercepted a clearing attempt behind the Dallas net and centered to Eriksson Ek, who buried a wrist shot to tie the game at 16:10 of the first. The second period saw both teams trade goals. Dallas regained the lead early when Heiskanen unleashed a powerful slap shot from the point at the 0:19 mark, assisted by Esa Lindell and Radek Faksa of Vitkov, Czech Republic. The Wild responded before the period’s end. During a delayed penalty call, defenseman Zach Bogosian of Massena, New York, pinched into the play and hammered a slap shot past Jake Oettinger for his first goal of the season, with assists to Zeev Buium and Vladimir Tarasenko of Yaroslavl, Russia. The third period, however, belonged entirely to Minnesota. The Wild outshot Dallas 13-6 and controlled possession, capitalizing on their chances while stifling the Stars’ attack. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson of Skelleftea, Sweden, earned the win with 16 saves on 18 shots. His counterpart, Oettinger, faced a heavier workload, stopping 32 of 37 Minnesota shots in the loss. Johansson, named the game’s top star, led all scorers with two goals. Boldy finished with a goal and two assists, while Eriksson Ek added a goal and an assist. Tarasenko contributed two assists. For Dallas, Heiskanen was a standout with a goal and an assist. The game was a physical affair, with Minnesota holding a slight edge in hits. The Stars’ penalty kill was perfect, negating both Wild power-play opportunities, but their own vaunted power play managed just one goal on two chances. The result avenged a 5-2 loss to Dallas in Minnesota’s visit to Texas on Oct. 14. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Dallas entered the game with a 57.10 percent probability to win, while the service’s game simulator had projected a 5-3 Minnesota victory. The Wild will look to build on this momentum when they host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. The Stars, who saw their road point streak end, return home to face the Florida Panthers, also on Saturday.

Preview: Stars at Wild, Thursday, December 11, 2025 SAINT PAUL, Minn. (Interstat) — Two Central Division foes trending in opposite directions will clash Thursday night when the Dallas Stars visit the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena. The Stars (20-10-0) enter on a hot streak, having earned points in nine of their last 10 games (8-1-1). They are coming off a 3-2 shootout victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday. Dallas boasts one of the league’s top offenses, averaging 3.6 goals per game during this productive stretch. Captain Jamie Benn has been a catalyst, recording six goals and five assists in his last 11 contests. He scored in the shootout win over Pittsburgh. The top line of Benn, Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz continues to drive play for a deep Dallas squad. Conversely, the Wild (16-14-0) have struggled for consistency, alternating wins and losses over their past six games. They are 3-2-1 in that span, most recently a 4-1 road win in Seattle on Monday. Center Joel Eriksson Ek powered that victory with a goal and two assists, part of a strong personal run where he has four points in his last three games. Minnesota will rely on its structured defensive game and the goaltending of Filip Gustavsson, who made 23 saves in the Seattle win, to slow Dallas’s attack. The Wild have played several tight, low-scoring games recently. This is the second meeting of the season between the teams. Dallas dominated the first, a 5-2 win at home on Oct. 14. The Stars’ potent power play struck twice in that contest, an area Minnesota’s penalty kill must shore up. The matchup features a contrast in styles: Dallas’s high-flying offense against Minnesota’s more defensive, grinding approach. The Wild will need to establish their forecheck early to disrupt the Stars’ skilled defensemen and generate offense from below the goal line. For Dallas, maintaining their disciplined play on the road is key, as they begin a brief two-game trip before returning home. Minnesota looks to build momentum before embarking on a challenging post-Christmas road swing. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST. The Stars return home to face Florida on Saturday. The Wild host Ottawa on Saturday.