Injured MN Wild Players Return to Practice Just in Time

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Mats Zuccarello - Dallas Stars at Minnesota Wild
Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Wild found a way to force overtime in the closing minutes of Game 4 against the Dallas Stars in St. Paul, and that pinball goal may have saved their postseason.

Now, instead of flying back to Dallas up against the ropes, down 3-1, the series is tied 2-2 and Minnesota brings the momentum down to Texas with a chance to put the pressure back on Dallas, if they can pull out their second road win of the series.

Not only did the Wild bring the series back to even with their win on Saturday, they stopped the bleeding on a two-game losing streak that began in Game 2, when the Stars bounced back from a dominating 6-1 opening night performance by the MN Wild.

But Game 1 also marked one of the more unfortunate moments in this series, when forward Mats Zuccarello left with a head injury after taking an elbow to the face by Stars forward, Tyler Myers.

Reinforcements en route for Minnesota Wild

The 38-year-old missed the last three game since that knockout shot, and his absence has been felt in a big way, especially by Kirill Kaprizov, who’s struggled in Zuccarello’s absence.

That’s what made the news on Monday morning, that Mats Zuccarello is back at MN Wild practice via Michael Russo (The Athletic), so exciting. In fact, Zuccy was back on the top power play unit today, and seemed very much himself, even on-ice PP meetings.

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In all reality, Minnesota’s losing streak started the moment Zuccarello left the ice in Game 1. After he left the lineup, Kaprizov went from three points (one goal) in the opener to just one point in games two and three combined.

Now, after a resurgent effort in Game 4, where he helped on two of the Wild’s three goals, it appears Kirill will get get his partner in crime back on his line for Game 5 on Tuesday.

Both Mats Zuccarello and Yakov Trenin expected back

And remember, Zuccy didn’t just help make Kaprizov great in Game 1, he himself assisted on three of the MN Wild’s six goals on opening night night, before Myers literally knocked him into this week.

The Mats Zuccarello news wasn’t the only light Michael Russo brought into our lives on Monday. Because Zuccy wasn’t the only key veteran who returned to the ice at TRIA Rink this morning. So too did NHL hits leader, Yakov Trenin.

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Trenin collected 13 hits in Game 1, alone, before he too was knocked out by a Dallas Stars player, though that open ice hit was much more on the legal side, it was jarring nonetheless. So not

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