The Minnesota Wild have the chance to push the Dallas Stars to the brink of elimination on Tuesday night. The Wild do carry the momentum after picking up a comeback victory in Game 4, with Marcus Foligno tying the game with five minutes left in regulation and Matt Boldy scoring the overtime winner with just seconds remaining.
The Wild have been undermanned since Game 1, one in which they dominated, as forward Mats Zuccarello was hit in the head by Stars defenseman Tyler Myers' elbow. Zuccarello had been sidelined since, and his absence has been felt huge, especially as the linemate of Kirill Kaprizov, who struggled in Games 2 and 3.
There was good news on Monday, as Zuccarello was spotted participating in team practice, even lining up on the top power play unit. It spelled good news for the Wild, especially since Game 5 was set for Tuesday night.
On Tuesday, Wild head coach John Hynes revealed that Zuccarello was officially a game-time decision.
Hynes said Zuccarello and Trenin are game time decisions for Game 5 #mnwild
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) April 28, 2026
Mats Zuccarello officially a game-time decision for Game 5 vs. Stars
While he is not officially active yet, it is a promising update for the Wild.
Zuccarello made an immediate impact in this series, as he notched three assists in Game 1. He has a bevy of playoff experience, from his time with the New York Rangers early in his career, to his one year stint with the Stars, to his recent tenure with the Wild. In 103 playoff games, Zuccarello has 19 goals and 42 assists to his credit.
Before notching three assists in Game 1, Zuccarello scored 15 goals and recorded 39 assists in 59 games.
If Zuccarello is officially inserted into the lineup on Tuesday, it should give the team a much-needed boost against a Dallas team that has been nothing short of tough. The Wild know they'll need all hands on deck not just for this series, but if they advance to the second-round, where they will take on the Colorado Avalanche, who clinched their spot after sweeping the Los Angeles Kings.
We'll see if Zuccarello will officially make his return in Dallas.
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