If the Minnesota Wild are going to beat the Winnipeg Jets in the first-round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and advance further, they will have to do so without one of their top forwards. The team announced today that forward Zach Parise suffered a fractured sternum in the team’s 6-2 Game 3 victory, and will be out for several weeks. Some reports indicate that the injury could keep Parise out as long as six-to-eight weeks. This would be the duration of the playoffs, even if the Wild make the Stanley Cup Fine.

NEWS: Zach Parise will miss tonight’s game & is week-to-week due to a fractured sternum suffered in Game 3 vs. Winnipeg → https://t.co/ykVGeFaW7m #mnwild pic.twitter.com/2JxiyIeqhT

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) April 17, 2018

Zach Parise out 6-8 weeks with broken sternum suffered in Game 3 vs. Jets. UNLOCKED story>>>https://t.co/6Pq7GHC6Ff

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) April 17, 2018

Zach Parise Injured in Game 3; Fractured Sternum

It is unclear as to when Parise suffered the injury. He played nearly all of Game 3. A late third period hit from Winnipeg defender Ben Chiarot and Mark Scheifele may have been the culprit but it is tough to be sure.

With 4:03 remaining of #WPGvsMIN Game 3 #mnwild Parise took this hit from #NHLJets Scheifele & Chiarot. His next shift was with 2:27 remaining – Parise went out for 13 seconds and didn't play for the rest of the game. pic.twitter.com/DrbaA1coS8

— Michael Remis (@mremis) April 17, 2018

Parise is a big loss for the Wild. He has scored three goals in the first three games of the series. This season he scored 15 goals and nine assists for 24 points in 42 games. Parise also added 14 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers were 46.6 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of -2.2.

Over his 13-year NHL career, Parise has played for the Wild and New Jersey Devils. He has put up 333 goals and 352 assists for 685 career points in 872 career games. Parise has added 35 goals and 39 assists for 74 points in 92 career playoff games. He was originally drafted in the first–round, 17th overall of the 2003 NHL draft by the Devils.

Parise and Ryan Suter joined the Wild in 2012, with each player signing a massive 13-year, $98 million contract. Suter broke his leg just before the playoffs. The Wild must go forward without their two biggest signings.

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