1. Bring out the brooms
After playing three times (and winning three times) during a two-week stretch between mid-January and the All-Star break, the Wild finished off a season sweep of its Central Division rival with a hard-fought victory.
Like the last time these clubs met in St. Paul, it didn't come easy.
While Minnesota dominated both wins this season at the United Center, running up a 10-1 combined margin, the games at Xcel Energy Center were considerably tighter.
Unlike last time however, when the Wild rallied late on Hockey Day Minnesota to force overtime before winning on a Marcus Foligno in the extra session, it never trailed in this game.
But it was never really able to breathe easy either, thanks to a solid effort between the posts by Blackhawks netminder Kevin Lankinen, who finished with 31 saves.
Seth Jones tied the game midway through the first period on a rifle under the bar from the left circle, and it looked like overtime could be in the offing.
Instead, Kirill Kaprizov won a puck battle, fed Mats Zuccarello near the hashes, and the veteran one-touched a pass to Ryan Hartman all alone on the backdoor for a shot into a wide open cage with 3:13 left in regulation.
Video: MIN@CHI: Zuccarello sets up Hartman's go-ahead goal
It was the 25th goal of the season for the one-time Blackhawk who is in the midst of a career season in Minnesota.
Jordan Greenway would add an empty-net goal in the final seconds to provide the final margin and close another outstanding game from the Big Rig in style. Greenway now has a goal in three consecutive games and has been impactful in each one.
"From now on, every game is going to be tight like that," said Wild forward Freddy Gaudreau. "It feels good to come back to our good habits, all five together and finding a way to win those tight games."
Video: CHI@MIN: Greenway scores in 3rd period
A big part of the win for the Wild was goaltender Cam Talbot, who didn't see much in the way of quantity, but saw a few really good scoring chances among the small sample size.
"For the most part, we didi a heck of a job tonight in front of our own net, boxing guys out, blocking pucks," Talbot said. "We played as good a game defensively as we have in a while and that's what it takes this time of year. There's no blowouts this time of year, it's gonna be those one- or two-goal, empty-net kind of games and you have to be comfortable in those situations. In the last couple of games, we've shown we can play those."
Talbot finished with 21 saves, but it was all about some of the timely stops he was able to make, keeping the Wild ahead early, then keeping the Wild ahead while the game was tied and creating an opportunity for Hartman to be the hero late.
"Certainly early in the year, we were accustomed to scoring four or five goals, but that's just not going to happen anymore," said Wild coach Dean Evason. "We liked how we did play defensively and we didn't press. We had great looks, no question about that. But it wasn't going in. We didn't panic, we just stayed the course, kept doing what the Minnesota Wild do, and we were fortunate to catch a break and get one.
"That's playoff hockey. It's that time of year where you're not going to score easy goals, and I don't care who you're playing. This time of year, everyone is playing tight and playing responsibly. So really happy with that end of our game."
2. Freddy finds consistency
The only offense for the Wild through 40 minutes came from Freddy Gaudreau, who rifled a shot under the crossbar late in the first period.
For Gaudreau, it was his ninth goal of a season in which he is shattering all of his previous career bests in the National Hockey League. He's now up to 28 points in 54 games on the year, with a bulk of that damage coming lately. Seven of his goals and 17 of those 28 points have come in just the last 23 games since Jan. 24.
Video: MIN@CHI: Gaudreau snaps in first goal of game
Since his assist that night against Montreal, Gaudreau has gone more than a game without a point just twice, with each of of those dry spells lasting just two games.
More than the production, it has been that consistency which has made the Wild's forward group so difficult to handle. It's not a coincidence that the consistency has come at a time where Gaudreau has found a home between Matt Boldy and Kevin Fiala, which has remained virtually untouched since Boldy's NHL debut in Boston on Jan. 6.
"It's huge and it's fun to be able to build a chemistry with linemates," Gaudreau said. "There's seasons where it feels like you're switching linemates every two games or games, and it's fun to show up to the rink knowing that we're going to be together.
"The way it has been lately, we've been together every game and it's fun to be able to build that chemistry, especially with those two guys, because they are special players. They're so skilled, they see the game so well so I just try to bring my own special things to that line."
Fiala, who set up the goal with a nice cut to the middle of the ice to create space, earned the first assist, his 55th point of the campaign, which gave the Swiss-born sniper a new career high. Fiala has 18 points over his past 14 games.
3. Sandpaper on its way to St. Paul
Moments after the game, the Wild finished a trade for Nicolas Deslauriers, a veteran forward formally of the Anaheim Ducks.
Deslauriers is as gritty and as tough as they come, and should fit right in with the Wild as it aims to round into playoff shape as the postseason approaches.
"Seems to fit the Minnesota Wild," Evason said. "Plays a hard game, plays gritty, he's got a skillset, too, that can score. It's going to provide us with size and bite and can play up and down our lineup, so we're excited.
"Certainly a guy that we've identified for a bit now that's a pain in the butt to play against, so he'll now be a Minnesota Wild pain in the butt."
A veteran of 486 NHL games, Minnesota will be the fourth organization Deslauriers has played for when he tosses on a Wild sweater for the first time. Selected in the third round of the 2009 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings, Deslauriers made his debut with the Buffalo Sabres in 2013-14 and has also seen time with the Montreal Canadiens before joining the Ducks in 2019.
In parts of his nine seasons in the league, Deslauriers has 41 goals and 41 assists. In 61 games with the Ducks this season, Deslauriers has 90 penalty minutes, just two shy of his career high, and HockeyFights.com has credited him with 10 fights this season, which is tied for most in the NHL.
"I think our depth has been good but I think this makes it a little better," said Wild General Manager Bill Guerin. "He brings an abrasiveness to his game that we like and we all agreed we think he's a guy who makes us better. Brings a physical nature to the game, leadership, sticks up for his teammates and kills penalties. He's definitely a good add."
Guerin said he expects Deslauriers, who will wear sweater No. 44, to be at practice on Sunday and to make his Wild debut Monday night when it hosts the Vegas Golden Knights.
Loose pucks
- The season sweep of the Blackhawks marks the third time Minnesota has accomplished the feat in team history
- Talbot's five-start winning streak is his third such streak this season
- Zuccarello's assist on the game-winning goal was his 62nd point of the season, establishing a new career high
- Hartman's game winner was his sixth GWG of the year, which leads the club
- Kaprizov's helper marked the 27th game in the past 31 he's registered at least one point
- Jon Merrill finished with a pair of assists for his second multi-point game of the year
- Patrick Kane and Dylan Strome had assists on Jones' goal
- Minnesota was a perfect 2-for-2 on the penalty kill
Dan's three stars
1. Ryan Hartman
2. Cam Talbot
3. Kevin Lankinen
Highlights
Video: Hartman, Zuccarello power Wild to win
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