There will likely be plenty of missed bedtimes Thursday night with the Minnesota Wild and Timberwolves both at home, and fighting to advance in the playoffs with 3-2 advantages in their first round series.
On one side of the river:
The Minnesota Wild are now in the position that they try to be in every season in the NHL playoffs.
Things feel a bit different now, with the Wild going home for Game 6 on Thursday night with a chance to eliminate the Dallas Stars and advance to the second round for the first time since 2015.
The only other time Minnesota has ever had a 3-2 series lead was that first round in 2015, when they beat St. Louis in six games. The Wild have since lost nine consecutive playoff series, including to Dallas in 2016 and 2023.
“We’ve got to just look to control our emotions in Game 6 and in front of our home crowd, a place where we had a good feeling leaving last time,” said forward Marcus Foligno said, who is in his ninth season. “I think it's a little bit different. I think we have a lot of leadership and guys that are experienced. ... It’s a close group but a really hard working group and a confident one right now.”
Wild captain Jared Spurgeon and fellow defenseman Jonas Brodin are the only two current players who have taken part in a postseason series victory in Minnesota. Spurgeon was then a 25-year-old in his fifth of his 16 NHL seasons — all with the same team. Brodin's status is uncertain for the potential clincher at home after leaving Game 5 with a lower-body injury.
If Minnesota can't wrap up the powerhouse first-round series at home, where it won Game 4 in overtime, a deciding Game 7 would be Saturday in Dallas.
The series winner will advance to play well-rested top-seeded Central Division foe Colorado, which finished off a sweep of its first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings last Sunday.
Kirill Kaprizov had two assists on Tuesday night, two days after his 29th birthday, before an empty-net goal with two minutes left. His second goal in this series was the 17th playoff goal of his career, breaking a tie with Zach Parise for the most in franchise history. His ninth career multipoint playoff game also surpassed Parise.
Matt Boldy, the 25-year-old budding standout, had the tiebreaking power-play goal in the final minute of the second period after having one taken away because of a goalie interference challenge at the end of the first.
Jesper Wallstedt, their 23-year-old rookie who has started every game in net over Filip Gustavsson in this series, had 20 saves in Game 5. He has allowed only three goals against the Stars in five-on-five situations, with neither coming that way.
“We’re very confident of where we’re at. ... Now we get to bring the series home,” Wallstedt said. “I’ve never played in a game of that type of magnitude. I’m very excited. I’m looking forward to it so much.”
And on the other side of the river:
Things are a bit more pressing for the Timberwolves. Even though they lead the series 3-2, and are in the friendly confines of Target Center Thursday, key pieces - maybe THE key piece - aren't playing. Anthony Edwards is out with a knee injury, likely to keep him out for at least part of a second round series even if they advance. And guard Donte DiVincenzo is out for the rest of the year with a ruptured Achilles.
The Timberwolves might not have lost their confidence or swagger with the injuries, but their discipline and focus sure disappeared in the Game 5 defeat in Denver where they fell behind by as many as 27 points in the fourth quarter, with 25 turnovers the most glaring problem.
Though Edwards and DiVincenzo are their two best 3-point shooters and offensive creators, a revival of the smothering defense that fueled the rally in Game 2 and blowout wins in Games 3 and 4 will be the biggest key to the Timberwolves taking the series.
“There’s no doubt that we miss Donte and Ant and all the things they do offensively and defensively, but we played a large part of Game 4 without those guys, so we still have really good defenders elsewhere,” coach Chris Finch said. “I didn’t like our attack mindset the other day. I thought we kind of waited on our heels a little bit too much. We’ve just got to be better getting back to what we know will work for us better.”
Can they repeat their Game 4 success at home and end the series? WCCO's sports host Henry Lake says being at home could give them the boost they need.
"You feel optimistic about having a Game 6 at Target Center, here in the state of Minnesota, and feeling like this is a team in the Denver Nuggets that you can get past," Lake says.
Center Rudy Gobert, who until the difficult Game 5 performance, has defended three-time MVP Nikola Jokic as well as anyone every has, adds the fans absolutely make a difference.
"Obviously a lot is at stake, but it's basketball, so we want people to come in and bring the energy, bring like their belief, the aura," Gobert says. "And we want them to have a good time. As an organization, as a city, and obviously as a player, this is the moment that you dream about, that you want to be a part of. So you just got to enjoy the moment."
Denver Nuggets (54-28, third in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33, sixth in the Western Conference)
Minneapolis; Thursday, 8:30 p.m.
LINE: Nuggets -5.5; over/under is 224.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Timberwolves lead series 3-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Timberwolves look to clinch the Western Conference first round over the Denver Nuggets in game six. The Nuggets defeated the Timberwolves 125-113 in the last meeting on Tuesday. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 27 points, and Julius Randle led the Timberwolves with 27.
The Timberwolves are 31-21 against conference opponents. Minnesota ranks fifth in the Western Conference in rebounding with 44.1 rebounds. Rudy Gobert leads the Timberwolves with 11.5 boards.
The Nuggets have gone 36-16 against Western Conference opponents. Denver is seventh in the Western Conference with 44.0 rebounds per game led by Jokic averaging 12.9.
The Timberwolves' 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.2 more made shots on average than the 13.6 per game the Nuggets give up. The Nuggets average 7.5 more points per game (122.1) than the Timberwolves give up to opponents (114.6).
TOP PERFORMERS: Naz Reid is scoring 13.6 points per game and averaging 6.2 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Ayo Dosunmu is averaging 16.0 points and 2.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Jokic is scoring 27.7 points per game and averaging 12.9 rebounds for the Nuggets. Jamal Murray is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 118.2 points, 41.6 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 7.7 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 49.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.3 points per game.
Nuggets: 7-3, averaging 121.1 points, 44.5 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 7.5 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.2 points.
INJURIES: Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards: out (knee), Donte DiVincenzo: out for season (leg).
Nuggets: Peyton Watson: out (hamstring), Aaron Gordon: day to day (calf).
Dallas Stars (50-20-12, in the Central Division) vs. Minnesota Wild (46-24-12, in the Central Division)
Saint Paul, Minnesota; Thursday, 6:30 p.m.
LINE: Wild -124, Stars +104; over/under is 5.5
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Wild lead series 3-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Wild host the Dallas Stars in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 3-2 lead in the series. The teams meet Tuesday for the 10th time this season. The Wild won the last meeting 4-2.
Minnesota has gone 46-24-12 overall with a 16-11-4 record in Central Division play. The Wild have a 44-7-7 record in games they score three or more goals.
Dallas is 50-20-12 overall and 19-8-4 against the Central Division. The Stars have a +51 scoring differential, with 273 total goals scored and 222 allowed.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ryan Hartman has scored 23 goals with 20 assists for the Wild. Matthew Boldy has five goals and six assists over the past 10 games.
Wyatt Johnston has 45 goals and 41 assists for the Stars. Jason Robertson has 10 goals and five assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wild: 5-4-1, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.7 assists, 5.2 penalties and 11.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.
Stars: 7-2-1, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.6 assists, 5.3 penalties and 10.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
INJURIES: Wild: Jonas Brodin: day to day (lower body).
Stars: Nathan Bastian: out (hand), Roope Hintz: out (lower body), Tyler Seguin: out for season (acl), Arttu Hyry: day to day (lower body), Nils Lundkvist: day to day (face).
