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.
“We knew all we had to do was win a game and we're there,” winger Ryan Hartman said. “Happy with the result tonight.”
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 and now has Minnesota back in the postseason again.
“We make playoffs, it’s nice," Kaprizov said. “It's the best time of the year.”
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.
“He's such a talented kid, but now you're starting to see the talent come into, I think, a mindset and a little bit of a swagger that you need to have as the main guy, and he's done a good job of that,” Hynes said. “I think the guys play hard in front of him, and he's done a good job too, I think, of earning the trust and respect of the group.”
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)
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Los Angeles Lakers 139-96 on Thursday night in a game in which NBA leading scorer Luka Doncic left due to injury.
Only six times in their storied history have the Lakers been defeated by more points. They fell six points short of their worst margin of defeat ever — a 49-point loss to the Dallas Mavericks in 2017.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning league MVP, got the best of his matchup with Doncic — one of Gilgeous-Alexander's top competitors for this season's award. Doncic had scored at least 40 points in five of his previous seven games, but he finished with 12 points on 3-for-10 shooting from the field and 1-for-7 shooting from 3-point range against the Thunder's suffocating defense.
Doncic left the game with a left hamstring injury in the middle of the third quarter. Lakers coach JJ Redick said he will have an MRI on Friday.
Austin Reaves scored 15 points and LeBron James added 13 for the Lakers.
Isaiah Joe added 20 points and made six 3-pointers as Oklahoma City shot 53.9% to turn a matchup between two of the league’s hottest teams into a blowout. The Thunder have now won 16 of 17. The Lakers had won four straight and 13 of 14.
It was a critical game for Oklahoma City. The Thunder entered the night two games ahead of San Antonio in the race for homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs with six games remaining.
In a sign of things to come in the game, it took the Lakers nearly five minutes to make their first field goal. The Thunder led 44-21 at the end of the first behind 14 points from Lu Dort.
The Lakers had another shooting drought to start the second quarter, taking a little more than four minutes to make their field goal. The Thunder reached their season high point total for a first half when they took a 76-41 lead on a layup by Gilgeous-Alexander with 3:25 left in the second quarter.
Oklahoma City led 82-51 at the break, falling a point short of the Thunder regular-season record for points in a half. They scored 83 in the first half of a game against Minnesota in 2021.
Joe hit three 3-pointers in an 85-second flurry to put the Thunder up 99-61 in the third quarter. The teams played reserves throughout the fourth quarter.
The Lakers will host a rematch on April 7.
Lakers: Visit the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
Thunder: Host the Utah Jazz on Sunday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Gerald Leong)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) drives against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April. 2, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Gerald Leong)
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, April. 2, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Gerald Leong)
Los Angeles Lakers forward/guard Luka Dončić (77) drives against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April. 2, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Gerald Leong)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake LaRavia (12) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Gerald Leong)
