Bedard scores, Blackhawks hang for first win over Wild in seven years
[March 20, 2026]
By PATRICK DONNELLY
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Connor Bedard scored a goal and
defenseman Alex Vlasic made a game-saving stop as time ran out on
Thursday night as the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild 2-1 to
snap the NHL's longest active point streak for one team against another. |
Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) celebrates after scoring a
goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the
Minnesota Wild, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie
Parr) |
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Ilya Mikheyev also scored and Spencer Knight made 28 saves for
the Blackhawks, who were 0-18-1 in their last 19 games against
Minnesota. Chicago's last victory over the Wild was on Dec. 15,
2019.
Nico Sturm scored for the Wild and Jesper Wallstedt stopped 24
of 26 shots he faced.
With Wallstedt pulled for an extra attacker, the Wild nearly
tied it in the final seconds. Knight got a piece of Quinn
Hughes' shot, but the puck trickled behind him in the crease.
Before a Minnesota player could get to it, the 6-foot-6 Vlasic
swept his stick into the crease and tucked the puck beneath his
goalie.
The Wild played without leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov, who was
scratched with a lower-body injury. He’s listed as day to day.
Chicago took a 1-0 lead late in the first when Andrew Mangiapane
found Mikheyev at the goal mouth for an easy tap-in.
Bedard doubled the lead midway through the second when he
intercepted a pass at the Wild blue line, skated in alone and
beat Wallstedt with a backhander.
Sturm got the Wild on the board with a wrist shot that beat
Knight between his skates with 4:13 to play in the second.
Minnesota was unable to score during a five-on-three power play
early in the third, as Matt Boldy and Vladimir Tarasenko each
hit the left post behind Knight.
Up next
Blackhawks: Host Colorado on Friday.
Wild: Host Dallas on Saturday.
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