Preview of NHL Playoff Game Between Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild SAINT PAUL, Minn. (Interstat) — The Western Conference playoff series between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild shifts north for a pivotal Game 3 on Wednesday night, with the teams arriving at Grand Casino Arena having split two chaotic contests in Texas. The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1 following a pair of lopsided results. The Stars held serve with a 5-4 victory on April 9, but the Wild responded with a decisive 6-1 rout in Dallas on April 18 to seize home-ice advantage. Minnesota forward Matt Boldy was the central figure in that emphatic response, posting two goals, an assist and a game-high eight shots on goal. He has been a consistent force against Dallas this season, recording five points (two goals, three assists) in three head-to-head meetings in April alone. His performance anchors a top line with Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek that combined for nine points in the Game 2 victory. Dallas, which finished the regular season with a 50-33 record, must find a counterpunch after being thoroughly outplayed. A player to watch for a potential rebound is Stars center Oskar Back. While held to a single hit in the Game 2 loss, Back contributed an assist in the Game 1 win and has shown recent flashes of offensive involvement. The Wild (47-36) have been strong on home ice this season and will look to leverage the energy of their first home playoff game of this series. The venue, Grand Casino Arena, is expected to be at a fever pitch for the 8 p.m. CDT faceoff. History in the season series suggests volatility. The teams have split six meetings, with the road team winning four times. Three of those games featured a combined nine or more goals, indicating a potential for high-event hockey despite the heightened playoff stakes. The winner of Wednesday’s contest will gain a critical 2-1 series lead. Game 4 is scheduled for Saturday night back at Grand Casino Arena.