Declining Devils face off with improving Knights

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Minnesota Wild center Eric Staal was released from the hospital after leaving Game 5 agains the St. Louis Blues due to a head-first crash into the boards, according to the team. During a 4-on-4 situation in the second period, Staal sent a breakaway shot at the net before tripping on Blues goalie Jake Allen’s skate after initial contact with defenseman Carl Gunnarsson knocked him off balance. Staal slid hard and horizontally into the boards.

When Joel Kiviranta capped a hat trick by scoring the series-clinching goal in overtime in his playoff debut in the second round, the young Finn had one real desire. ”I hope I get more games,” Kiviranta said. Kiviranta hasn’t come out of the Dallas Stars lineup since, and he’s emblematic of the impact a player can have in the fight for the Stanley Cup after playing but not practicing for weeks on end.