Brock Faber broke a deadlock in the third period, propelling the Minnesota Wild to halt a four-game skid with a narrow 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night.
Contributing to the Wild’s win, Kirill Kaprizov, Jared Spurgeon, and Marcus Foligno also found the back of the net. Yakov Trenin recorded two assists, while Filip Gustavsson turned away 28 shots on goal. Foligno sealed the deal with an empty-net goal with just 1:24 left on the clock, extending the Wild’s lead to 4-2. Although Jason Dickinson managed to score for Chicago with 33 seconds remaining, the Blackhawks fell short in their bid to equalize.
Connor Bedard and Nick Foligno registered goals for Chicago, with Arvid Soderblom making 23 saves in the losing effort. Faber, notching his fourth goal of the season, gave Minnesota the lead at 3-2 just 2:43 into the final period, capitalizing on a precise one-timer from the right faceoff circle following a feed from his defensive partner, Jonas Brodin.
In terms of takeaways, the Blackhawks saw their momentum stumble after a successful three-game homestand as they suffered consecutive road defeats in Calgary and Minnesota. Conversely, the Wild, desperate for a win after enduring a scoreless streak of 16-4 in their previous four games, managed to turn the tide. Despite the defensive lapses leading to numerous scoring opportunities for the opponents, Gustavsson delivered a solid performance in his first start since a disappointing 7-1 loss to Edmonton back on December 12.
A pivotal moment in the match unfolded with approximately five minutes remaining when Frank Nazar of Chicago intercepted a pass from Declan Chisholm of the Wild behind the Minnesota net. Nazar swiftly set up Teuvo Teravainen in the slot, but Gustavsson stood tall, denying his close-range shot. As Gustavsson scrambled back into position, Teravainen’s rebound attempt narrowly missed the target, preserving the Wild’s narrow 3-2 advantage.
Highlighting the statistical aspect, the Blackhawks currently stand among the teams with the fewest road victories this season, having secured just five wins away from home.
Looking ahead, the Blackhawks are set to face the Buffalo Sabres, while the Wild will travel to Dallas for their next matchups scheduled for Friday.
