Cardiff City coach Neil Warnock will spend his 70th birthday a happy man after his squad climbed out of the Premier League relegation zone with a 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday.
Warnock turns 70 on Saturday and will mark his milestone birthday with a family get-together at a restaurant in the Welsh countryside.
The meal will taste all the sweeter after second-half goals from Aron Gunnarsson and Junior Hoilett completed yet another Cardiff comeback win.
Cardiff City's Aron Gunnarsson, center, scores his side's first goal of the game during their Premier League soccer match against the Wolverhampton Wanderers at Cardiff City Stadium, Wales, Friday, Nov. 30, 2018. (Nick Potts PA via AP)
Matt Doherty had marked his 200th league appearance for Wolves by opening the scoring after 18 minutes, but a fifth defeat in six games means Nuno Espirito Santo's side have only picked up one point from a possible 18.
Cardiff has found some momentum in recent weeks and this was its third win from four home games, all of which it has fallen behind in.
Wolverhampton is 11th while Cardiff moved up to 15th.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' Adama Traore, left, and Cardiff City's Aron Gunnarsson battle for the ball during their Premier League soccer match at Cardiff City Stadium, Wales, Friday, Nov. 30, 2018. (Nick Potts PA via AP)
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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Wild have clinched a spot in the NHL playoffs, giving them another chance to advance in the postseason for the first time since 2015.
The Wild earned a bid 75 games in after clinching last year in the 82nd and final game of the regular season. They beat league-worst Vancouver 5-2 on Thursday night to get in.
Minnesota was eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round last year, ending coach John Hynes’ debut season.
The Wild failed to advance in seven postseason appearances between 2016 and 2023. Their deepest run in the playoffs was a trip to the conference finals in 2003 in the franchise’s third year of existence.
The Minnesota North Stars lost in the 1981 and 1991 Stanley Cup Final. They relocated to Dallas in 1993, becoming the Stars, and hoisted the Cup in 1999.
The Wild proved their commitment to contending this season by signing Kirill Kaprizov to an eight-year, $136 million contract extension — the richest deal in league history. The star winger has a team-high 83 points.
Goaltender Filip Gustavsson has won twice as many games as he’s lost while giving up a little more than 2 1/2 goals per game.
Minnesota has the league’s longest active streak of consecutive winning seasons at 14.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) shoots the puck against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 2, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson defends his net against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 2, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman celebrates after his goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 2, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
