The Chicago Blackhawks came into Sunday night’s action looking to get back into the win column. They had dropped their last two games in overtime against the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning. In both games, they led through the second period, but could not close out the third period with a slim one-goal lead. Petr Mrazek got the start in net, with Seth Jones checking back into the lineup in TJ Brodie’s spot.
First period
This game started off looking like one team showed up to play, and the other team looked like they had played five games in a row to get to this one. Minnesota dominated the first period, getting their first goal of the game fairly early on. Ethan Del Mastro tried to get the puck up the side boards from the point, but it got intercepted by Marco Rossi. Then, that sprang the Wild on a 4-on-2, with Jared Spurgeon putting the puck past Mrazek, 1–0 Wild.
Then, a few minutes later, the Blackhawks would give up a goal that everyone would have liked to have back. Frederick Gaudreau put the puck on net from a bad angle that fooled Mrazek and got by him, 2–0 Minnesota. This first period would end with a grand total of one shot recorded on net by the Blackhawks.
Second period
It was more of the same from the Blackhawks in the second, only generating four shots on net this time around, but having to fight back from an even bigger deficit. The Wild picked up another goal on the power play, with Joel Eriksson Ek getting the tip in front to get it past Mrazek. The period would end with Minnesota up 3–0.
Third period
Something must have rattled the Blackhawks’ cages in the intermission, because they came out seeming like they actually wanted to play in the third. Right away in the period, Jake Middleton got called for a cross-check on Ryan Donato, putting the Blackhawks on the power play. They made quick work of that, with Seth Jones putting the puck to the back of the net. A few minutes later, Del Mastro flew toward the net. He put the puck off of Filip Gustavsson’s pad, giving up a juicy rebound. Frank Nazar flew in to clean it up, making it 3–2 Wild.
simply *chef’s kiss*🤌 pic.twitter.com/m3ofzNQRbS
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 27, 2025
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The Blackhawks would continue to fight back to try to get back even with the Wild, but could not quite get there. The Wild would tack on an empty-netter, giving them the 4–2 victory.
Analysis
This game was a tale of two games if there has ever been one. The first and second periods were, without a doubt, the worst periods that the Blackhawks have played offensively this entire season. Five shots on goal through two periods is bush league crap, as no professional hockey team should only be able to generate five measly shots on net in 40 minutes. They looked like the computer when you play against them in an NHL video game on rookie mode, they were that bad at generating anything. The third period was like it was from a totally different planet. The Blackhawks came out with a fire in them in the third; they looked like a totally different team that actually wanted to try to win a hockey game.
If there is more of that kind of play the rest of the season, this team will surprise some people and win some more games that on paper they should not be winning. If this team looks like the team through the first two periods, they will continue their current woes of losing seven of the last eight games they have played.
Connor Bedard doesn’t back down against Zach Bogosian. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/ycnhhHTTCX
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 27, 2025
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The Blackhawks’ next game is on Tuesday night in Tampa Bay against the Lightning again. That game will be on CHSN at 6 p.m. CST.