The Blackhawks quickly fired off three shots on goal early in the second period but couldn’t add any more before the Wild matched their shot total with goals. By the end of the second period, the Blackhawks had allowed just 19 shots on net while recording only five of their own.
Ryan Donato came out strong to start the third, skating hard and earning the Blackhawks a power play, which Seth Jones capitalized on to score their first goal. Later in the period, as the Wild got physical with Donato, Frank Nazar added another goal, narrowing the Wild’s lead to just one. It seemed like the Wild were falling apart.
Star 1: Ryan Donato
Donato’s intensity was evident from the start of the third period. He delivered a big hit on a Wild player and kept applying pressure, energizing the Blackhawks while frustrating the Wild. His hard work and fiery attitude lit a spark for the team.
Star 2: Seth Jones
After taking a puck to the face in the second period, Jones returned in the third and scored the Blackhawks’ first goal on the power play.
Star 3: Frank Nazar
Nazar scored the Blackhawks’ second goal of the night, his third of the season, extending his point streak to four games.
Key Takeaways
Ethan Del Mastro earned his first career NHL point with an assist on Nazar’s goal. Congrats to him!
The first two periods were, at best, painfully uneventful. The highlight came when Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno was penalized for holding and made his displeasure known to the refs—marking the only noteworthy moment of the first two periods for the home team.
The first period was arguably the worst of the season for the Blackhawks, as they struggled with puck management. Despite being credited with 18 shot attempts, only one actually made it to the goalie.
Jason Dickinson was solid in the faceoff circle, winning 5 of 7 in the first period and 13 of 16 through two periods. He finished the night winning 17 of 20 faceoffs against a strong Minnesota team and added two shots on goal—two of the Blackhawks’ total of five—and led the team with three hits.