With loss to Wild, Blackhawks have dropped 11 of 12
CHICAGO (AP) — Marcus Johansson scored two goals late in the third period, and the short-handed Minnesota Wild beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 on Monday night.
Matt Boldy and Gustav Nyquist also scored for Minnesota in its second consecutive win. Filip Gustavsson made 39 saves in his second straight start.
Johansson's 18th goal — a wrist shot on a 2-on-1 with 6 minutes left — tied it at 2. It was the Wild's 14th short-handed goal of the season, breaking the franchise record.
Johansson then put Minnesota in front when he got a nice pass from Boldy and beat Alex Stalock on the glove side with 3:13 left.
Nyquist closed it out with an empty-netter with 1:01 remaining.
Anders Bjork and Joey Anderson scored for Chicago, which has dropped 11 of 12. The Blackhawks (25-49-6) are in the mix with Columbus, Anaheim and San Jose for the worst record in the NHL this season.
With Minnesota most likely headed for a third-place finish in the Central Division, Kirill Kaprizov, Mats Zuccarello, Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin stayed home, and Matt Dumba also got the night off.
Minnesota (46-24-10) hosts Winnipeg on Tuesday night, and Wild coach Dean Evason said the players could return to the lineup against the Jets.
Defenseman Brock Faber made his NHL debut, and forwards Marco Rossi and Nic Petan played after they were recalled from the minors on Sunday. Faber helped the University of Minnesota reach the Frozen Four and then signed with the Wild after the Golden Gophers lost to Quinnipiac in the NCAA championship on Saturday night.
The 20-year-old Faber was paired with 37-year-old Alex Goligoski, another former University of Minnesota star, for his first game.
The Wild jumped in front when Boldy knocked home his own rebound 12:32 into the first period. It was Boldy's 12th goal in his last 11 games and No. 31 in his second NHL season.
The Blackhawks tied it when Anderson jumped on a loose puck in front of Gustavsson with 1:49 left in the first. It was Anderson's fourth goal in 22 games since he was acquired in a trade with Toronto in February.
Bjork then put Chicago in front with his first goal of the season 2:23 into the second. Buddy Robinson's shot was stopped by Gustavsson, but the rebound went right to Bjork and the winger got just enough of the puck to score, despite largely whiffing on the shot.
Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews skated for 18 minutes in what could be one of his last home games with his only NHL team. The three-time Stanley Cup champion received a loud ovation when he was introduced with the starting lineup.
It looked as if the center had scored during a delayed penalty in the third, but the goal was waved off when the officials ruled Minnesota had controlled the puck before Toews put it in.
Toews, who turns 35 on April 29, is eligible for free agency after this season, and he isn't sure of his plans after missing much of this year because of health issues.
"I don't really have an answer right now," he said. "I'm just trying to enjoy the last few days of the season here with this group and not thinking that far ahead."
HONORED
Stalock and Wild forward Mason Shaw were nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy, which is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and presented to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
MAKING MOVES
The Blackhawks assigned forward Lukas Reichel and defenseman Alex Vlasic to Rockford to help the IceHogs' push for an AHL playoff spot. Forward Buddy Robinson was recalled from Rockford.
UP NEXT
Wild: Host the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night.
Blackhawks: At the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.
