How ex-Rangers star got teammates ‘hearts pumping’ in Wild playoff return
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images To know Mats Zuccarello is to love Mats Zuccarello. Certainly New York Rangers fans are well aware of that, even if the popular forward departed Broadway seven years ago and is now inspiring his current team, the Minnesota Wild, and its fan base. Zuccarello was it again Tuesday night in Game 5 of Minnesota’s opening-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars.
Back in the lineup after missing three games with an upper-body injury, the 38-year-old scored the first goal in Minnesota’s 4-2 road victory , and the Wild now lead the best-of-7 series 3-2. WELCOME BACK TO THE LINEUP MATS ZUCCARELLO 🔥 pic. twitter.
com/Nu2SYe3ywO — Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) April 29, 2026 Asked about the “Zuccarello effect” after the win, veteran Wild forward Marcus Foligno broke out into a wide grin. “A little swagger after tonight’s game. We needed him, that’s what he was saying,” Foligno joked with reporters , before turning more serious.
“It was awesome. To have him come back and score the first goal, i think that got our hearts pumping a little more. That was kind of a beautiful moment for our team to have.
A guy like that, I mean ‘Zuccy’ has done so much for our team. ” You don’t have to tell the Rangers or the Blueshirt Faithful that. They know all about what Zuccarello brings on the ice and off, as a terrific player and even better teammate.