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Chicago Blackhawks: Corey Crawford shuts down Minnesota Wild

By Tyler Mason, The Sports Xchange
Corey Crawford and the Chicago Blackhawks held off the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI
Corey Crawford and the Chicago Blackhawks held off the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Corey Crawford made 24 saves for his second consecutive shutout as the Chicago Blackhawks skated to a 2-0 win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.

Artem Anisimov's power-play goal off a deflection of Duncan Keith's shot with 5:42 remaining in the third period held as the game-winning goal. Chicago had a four-minute power play after a high-sticking call on Wild forward Luke Kunin.

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It was the fifth goal of the year for Anisimov, who now has a goal in four straight games. Alex DeBrincat added an empty-net goal with 1:37 remaining.

Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk stopped 33 of the 34 shots he faced.

Minnesota nearly scored the game's first goal on the first power play of the night as forward Nino Niederreiter redirected a pass that hit off the left post. Niederreiter raised his arms in celebration and the goal horn momentarily went off in Xcel Energy Center.

There was no indication of a goal by the officials, though, as play went on and the game remained scoreless.

Crawford made his best save of the night early in the third period. Wild forward Eric Staal had a good look at the net on a breakaway, but Crawford got enough of his glove on the puck to deny Staal.

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The Wild had several good scoring chances in the third but Crawford stood tall. Defenseman Jan Rutta helped Crawford out on one of Minnesota's chances by clearing a loose puck in the crease.

Minnesota finished 3-3-0 on its six-game homestand. The Wild now leave town for a four-game road trip, beginning Monday in Boston.

Chicago returns home to host Montreal on Sunday, the fourth back-to-back already this season for the Blackhawks.

The first time these teams met this season yielded quite a bit more scoring. Minnesota won that game by a 5-2 final back on Oct. 12 in Chicago.

NOTES: Wild D Kyle Quincey returned to the ice after sitting out the last two games as a healthy scratch. Quincey skated alongside Mike Reilly on Minnesota's third defensive pairing. ... Chicago is now 1-2-1 in the first game of back-to-backs this season. ... LW Zach Parise, D Gustav Olofsson and C Landon Ferraro were scratches for the Wild on Saturday. ... D Gustav Forsling, C Tanner Kero and D Jordan Oesterle were Chicago's scratches.

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