Wild put together a winning streak by thumping Senators 4-1

Sarah McLellan, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Apr 4, 2026

Published in Hockey

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

The Minnesota Wild have already clinched a playoff spot in the Western Conference, but they are impacting the race in the East, too.

They rolled by a bubble team in the Senators 4-1 on Saturday at Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre for back-to-back victories for the first time in nearly a month.

Ryan Hartman scored twice for a second consecutive game, extending his goal streak to a career-high four games, with Mats Zuccarello setting up both goals.

Jonas Brodin had the Wild’s first goal, a friendly bounce for the Wild off an Ottawa skate, and Jake Middleton supplied the last. Rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt made 33 saves. The Senators, who came into the game in a four-way tie for the last wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference, spoiled his shutout bid late in the third period.

As for the Wild, who clinched a playoff spot with their 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, they continued to experiment with their lineup. Nick Foligno returned to action, with Bobby Brink getting scratched.

They also finished the game shorthanded on defense after Zach Bogosian left early.

Bogosian went into the boards awkwardly following a run-in with Nick Cousins. Earlier in the third period, captain Jared Spurgeon left after getting hit into the boards by Cousins, but Spurgeon returned.

How it happened

Ottawa outshot the Wild in the first period, but the Wild did more with less.

Goalie Linus Ullmark stopped Brodin’s throw at the net but not the rebound that caromed in off teammate Nikolas Matinpalo’s skate 9:45 into the period.

Then with 4:25 to go in the first, Hartman and Zuccarello got loose for a 2-on-0 that Hartman buried behind Ullmark after accepting Zuccarello’s pass.

Turning point

The Senators had a few close calls in the second, like when Brock Faber’s stick broke deep in the defensive zone and after they intercepted Quinn Hughes at the offensive blue line.

But the Wild downgraded every situation, preventing Ottawa from generating dangerous pressure.

Meanwhile, Hartman made the Senators’ comeback even tougher 15:31 into the second when he patiently put the puck past Ullmark’s glove after Zuccarello found him yet again. Kirill Kaprizov also picked up an assist.

Hartman has six goals during his four-game streak, and his 22 overall are his second-most in a season behind only the career-high 34 he netted in 2021-22.

Middleton added an exclamation point to the Wild’s rout with 7:14 to go in the third period, walking in for a snapshot that was his first point in 17 games.

With 3:17 remaining, Drake Batherson whacked in a loose puck while lying on the ice.

Wallstedt improved to 16-8-6, and Ullmark finished with 19 saves. The Wild’s power play went 0 for 1, and their penalty kill was 2 for 2.

Key stat

The Wild have won two in a row for the first time since March 3-6.

What it means

The Wild have plenty of options for the bottom of their forward lineup, as evidenced by the shuffling that keeps happening, but it’s becoming clearer what works for the top two lines.

After the Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek and Marcus Johansson combination delivered in that playoff-clinching victory over the Canucks, with Boldy converting twice to become a 40-goal scorer, the Hartman, Zuccarello and Kaprizov trio also clicked, and that continued against the Senators.

There’s a history there: Hartman’s best season came alongside Zuccarello and Kaprizov, and he gives a playmaker in Zuccarello another stick to look for; only Kaprizov, Boldy and Eriksson Ek have more shots this season than Hartman among Wild forwards.

Up next

The Wild have another matinée Sunday, at the Detroit Red Wings, another team fighting for a playoff spot in the East.

____