Wild, Ducks Win Series Over Stars, Oilers in 5-2 Games

Minnesota Wild secured their first playoff series victory in 11 years with a 5-2 win over the Dallas Stars in Game 6 on Thursday night at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. In a separate first-round matchup, the Anaheim Ducks eliminated the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 6 at Honda Center in Anaheim, California, marking their first series win since 2017.

Quinn Hughes sparked Minnesota's advance by scoring twice and adding an assist. His first goal came early in the first period on a wrist shot that beat Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger. Dallas tied it in the second on Wyatt Johnston's power-play goal, his 10th of the postseason, assisted by Mikko Rantanen. Mavrik Bourque then gave Dallas a 2-1 lead with 3:42 left in the frame after a carom off the end boards. Vladimir Tarasenko answered 54 seconds later with his 50th career playoff goal, tipping a shot while falling and backhanding it into an open net.

Hughes broke the deadlock midway through the third with his second goal, a shot from the left dot that deflected off Stars defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin's skate and past Oettinger. With Dallas pulling Oettinger for an extra attacker, Matt Boldy sealed the win with empty-net goals at 1:09...