Morning Box Score: Blackhawks Overcome Wild

By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 17, 2014 4:00PM

Blackhawks 5, Minnesota 3
This game was a lot closer than the score made it appear as the Hawks and Wild opened the offense in the second and third periods. The Hawks appeared to have the game in hand after Brent Seabrook, Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews scored second period goals but Minnesota saw the momentum shift in their favor in the third period when Nino Niederreiter beat Antti Raanta on a penalty shot. Marco Scandella tied the game midway through the third period before Patrick Kane scored the game winner at the 16:32 mark.

Ben Smith added an empty netter as an insurance goal. The Hawks outshot Minnesota 39-29 and have now won 10 of 11 games and 13 of their last 15, but power play efficiency sticks out like a sore thumb yet again. Counting Kane's tally last night, Chicago is now 3 for 34 on the power play in their last seven games.