Chicago Blackhawks take advantage of struggling Minnesota Wild with 5-2 pounding - NHL Update
The Chicago Blackhawks are back to winning with another brilliant performance to win yet another game, 5-2, this time over the Minnesota Wild at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, United States, on Thursday night, January 12, 2012.
Blackhawks went on a scoring spree in the second period in a comprehensive win that takes them to second position in the Western Conference, two points behind the division leading Vancouver Canucks, with a 26-13-5 record.
Chicago's veteran, Dave Bolland, scored two in the rout of Minnesota and seems to have found his scoring mojo back.
"Right now we're rolling, and it's a good thing", said Bolland, who has four goals in three games after scoring just one in the previous 18.
"Things are working in the offensive zone, and we're getting quick outs (from the defensive zone)".
The Minnesota Wild who entered the game with a big 5-4 shootout victory over the San Jose Sharks were completely outclassed and have now lost three of their last four games, putting them at the eighth spot in the Western Conference, with a 22-16-6 record.
Minnesota's coach, Mike Yeo, was left to reflect on his team’s problems and panned the performance.
"It was there for the first seven minutes and then we started to turn pucks over like crazy, everything we needed to do to win this game we didn't do. We have to play the right way and we have to have everybody. Tonight we didn't even come close to playing
the right way".
The first period saw Minnesota looking like the more potent side and taking advantage with a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute through Devin Setoguchi.
Once again Minnesota could not maintain its lead for long and five minutes later, Andrew Shaw equalised it for the Blackhawks.
The equaliser seemed to crush Wild’s confidence completely and it showed tellingly in the second period with the Blackhawks running rings around their opponents.
It would take Chicago eight minutes to take the lead with Jimmy Hayes beating Wild's goaltender, Josh Harding, at 8:53 on the power play.
A few seconds later, Viktor Stalberg put the Blackhawks two goals ahead with a well taken shot that deflected off Harding’s glove and into the net.
Harding’s bad night was not over yet as Dave Bolland ending his goal drought with a well taken shot on another added man advantage to make it 4-1.
His misery finally ended when coach Yeo pulled him off and replaced the goaltender with Matt Hackett for the final 22 minutes of the game.
Minnesota pulled a goal back at 8:56 of the third period through Kyle Brodziak but the Blackhawks regained their three goal lead as Bolland got his second of the night and Chicago’s fifth to end the game, 5-2.
The Blackhawks will now look to put on a string of results together and will face the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday while Minnesota Wild will hope to put in a better performance against the St. Louis Blues.
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