Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – The Minnesota Wild clinched a playoff berth Thursday night, after a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at Grand Casino Arena.
The night belonged to the stars. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy each reached the 40-goal mark on the evening, cementing what has been a historic offensive season for both forwards. Kaprizov, the perennial engine of Minnesota’s attack, has now matched his linemate’s output in what could be a career-best campaign for the Russian winger. Ryan Hartman added a pair of goals to round out a balanced and commanding effort.
The win pushed the Wild to 96 points on the season, keeping them firmly in third place in the Central Division. For a franchise that has been knocking on the door in recent years, Thursday’s clinch is a statement that this group is built for more than just a postseason appearance.
Head coach’s message to the locker room will have to be brief — there’s no time to celebrate. Minnesota hits the road Saturday to face the Ottawa Senators at noon CDT, with playoff seeding still very much on the line as the regular season winds down.
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