Minnesota Wild defenseman Jake Middleton, after a pivotal overtime win against Anaheim, remains optimistic about the upcoming playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights. Middleton humorously acknowledged his role in the two goals conceded but expressed gratitude towards his teammates for the late comeback. Notably, both Joel Eriksson Ek and Kirill Kaprizov are back in the lineup, having recovered from injuries that plagued them during the season. Coach John Hynes is set to have a fully healthy roster for Game 1, a significant change from the struggles faced throughout the season. While the Wild went 0-3 against Vegas in the regular season, they hope their strong finish and healthy lineup will lead to a different outcome in the playoffs.