Jonathan Toews Lifts Blackhawks To 4-3 Win Over Wild With OT Goal

Patrick Kane called Wednesday’s game in Minnesota the Chicago Blackhawks’ “biggest game of the season.”

Blackhawks’ Jonathan Toews Scores Game-Winning Goal vs Wild

The Blackhawks manage to secure the 4-3 overtime victory against the Wild thanks to Jonathan Toews’ game-winning goal 3:09 into overtime.

Toews also recorded two assists and has four goals and seven assists in his past seven games.

“There was some added meaning to [this game], for our team anyways,” he said. “We hadn’t played since Saturday night, so it’s not always easy to get back for those when you get a break. … We had some energy and tried to wear them down, but obviously it’s a team that works pretty hard. They didn’t go away. Nice for us to find that resiliency and find a way to get a power-play goal at the end.”

Corey Crawford made 35 saves for the Blackhawks (33-17-5), who had lost eight consecutive games to the Wild.

Chicago, who have won three straight, are now within five points of Minnesota (35-12-6) for the Central Division lead.

Wild forward Erik Haula tied the game 3-3 at with 3:03 remaining in the third period. Minnesota trailed 2-0 1:09 into the second period.

Vinnie Hinostroza skated up the slot and assisted Ryan Hartman for a one-timer at 10:54 of the first period to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead.

Nick Schmaltz doubled the lead at 1:09 of the second, and Jared Spurgeon opened scoring for the Wild 37 seconds later with a wrist shot off the crossbar.

Zach Parise then tied it 2-2 at 7:15 of the second, and Chicago requested a coach’s challenge for offsides; the review, which took approximately six minutes to resolve, was inconclusive and the goal stood.

The replay review took so long that at one point linesman Ryan Daisy used an iPhone, presumably to communicate with NHL officials. The league said in a statement that replays were inconclusive that Parise was offside the moment puck touched Wild center Charlie Coyle’s stick.

Richard Panik gave Chicago a 3-2 lead at 17:24 of the second.

Wild goalie Darcy Kuemper made 28 saves starting in place of Devan Dubnyk. 

“It was a pretty even game,” Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau said. “In the end someone has to win, someone has to lose. We take a penalty in overtime and that’s a pretty good team to have on the power play 4-on-3 for two minutes.”

The Wild next host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday, when the Blackhawks visit the Winnipeg Jets.