June 25, 1997: The National Hockey League announces
that
Minnesota hockey Ventures Group, LP has been awarded an expansion
franchise to begin
play in the 2000-2001 season.
November 20, 1997: Six finalists named for new NHL
franchise:
Minnesota Blue Ox, Minnesota Freeze, Minnesota
Northern
Lights, Minnesota Voyageurs, Minnesota
White Bears and
Minnesota Wild.
January 22, 1998: The new NHL team is officially named
the
Minnesota Wild. The unveiling occurred in
front of a sellout crowd
at historic
Aldrich Arena.
September 30, 1998: The
Minnesota Wild announce the
largest crowd
ever for an NHL pre-season game in the state of
Minnesota
with 18,294 tickets sold for “U S
WEST Face-Off '98” featuring the
Phoenix Coyotes vs.
Dallas Stars at
Target Center. Over $45,000 donated
to Minnesota youth
Hockey programs.
November 18, 1999:
Minnesota Wild unveil the official Wild
home sweater at
Roseville Skating
Center.
May 1, 2000: Minnesota Wild officially joins the NHL.
September 19, 2000:
Minnesota Wild play in first-
ever preseason game vs.
San Jose at
the Rose Garden in
Portland,
Oregon. Game ends in 3-3 tie.
October 6, 2000:
Minnesota Wild make NHL regular
season debut at Mighty
Ducks of
Anaheim losing 3-1. Rookie
Marian
Gaborik
scores the first-
ever goal in Wild history in the second period.
September 29, 2000: First-
ever Hockey game in
Xcel Energy Center is
played as the
Minnesota Wild beat the Mighty
Ducks of
Anaheim 3-1 in a
preseason
contest.
October 11, 2000: Minnesota Wild make
Xcel Energy
Center regular season debut vs.
Philadelphia Flyers. Game ends in a 3-3
tie.
Darby Hendrickson
scores the first Wild goal at
Xcel Energy Center.
April 10, 2003: Minnesota Wild defeat
Colorado
Avalanche, 4-2, in its first-
ever playoff game. Filip
Kuba scores
first-ever playoff goal and Dwayne Roloson backstops win.
April 22, 2003: Minnesota Wild defeat
Colorado
Avalanche, 3-2, in
overtime on
Andrew Brunette's goal to win its
Western Conference Quarterfinal series.
May 8, 2003: Minnesota Wild defeat
Vancouver Canucks,
4-2, to become the first team in NHL history to come back from a 3-1
series deficity twice in the same postseason. Wild also became second
team in League history to win two Game
Sevens on the road in the same
postseason.
October 16, 2003: Minnesota Wild Unveil Third
Jersey vs.
Colorado Avalanche in
front of 18,568 at
Xcel Energy Center.
; "Minnesota Wild")
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