Minnesota Wild host watch party at CHS Field as Stanley Cup qualifiers begin

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - While the Xcel Energy Center is empty, Wild fans got a chance Sunday to cheer on their team while Minnesota fights for a playoff spot.

The qualifying round for the Stanley Cup playoffs started on Saturday but the Wild were taking part in their first game on Sunday.

The Wild are taking on the Vancouver Canucks in a best-of-five series to make the playoffs. While fans aren't allowed in the NHL's quarantine bubble in Edmonton, Wild fans got the chance to cheer on their squad from afar.

A watch party was held at CHS Field, home of the Saints, for the game. The field, which was recently granted permission to allow fans into the stadium for Saints games starting next week, has divided the field into three sections.

With separate entrances, concession areas, and empty sections in between, officials said that allowed the stadium to bypass crowd size restrictions.

However, the stadium can only allow up to 1,500 fans total and each section is limited to the state's 250-person gathering cap.

Sunday night, however, for the Wild game, fans were allowed to go on the field to watch the game from the scoreboard, with marked off areas for keeping social distancing.

Masks were also recommended for guests at the field and moving through the stadium.