The Minnesota Wild secured a playoff berth with a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks in their latest clash, while Vancouver officially confirmed a last-place finish in the NHL.
Matt Boldy scored his 39th and 40th goals of the season, while Kirill Kaprizov also reached the 40-goal mark as Minnesota sealed their post-season place with seven games still remaining.
Ryan Hartman added two third-period goals, including an empty-netter, and Filip Gustavsson made 29 saves as the Wild bounced back from a recent defeat.
Minnesota, currently third in the Western Conference, secured qualification far earlier than last season, when they needed all 82 games to reach the playoffs.
For Vancouver, Tom Willander and Jake DeBrusk scored, but the loss ensured a 32nd-place finish.
The Canucks now have the best odds in the upcoming NHL draft lottery.
Former Vancouver captain Quinn Hughes contributed his 67th assist for Minnesota after joining the Wild in a high-profile trade earlier this season.
Despite a recent high-scoring win over Colorado, Vancouver could not maintain momentum.
