CHICAGO — On a thrilling Sunday evening, Philipp Kurashev scored just 1:48 into overtime, leading the Blackhawks to a narrow 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild, effectively putting an end to Chicago’s two-game losing streak.

Kurashev unleashed a powerful shot from the left wing that found its way past Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson’s glove, sealing the game for the Blackhawks. Petr Mrazek, the Blackhawks’ goalie, showcased his talent with an impressive 32 saves, thus allowing Chicago to finally conquer the Wild after enduring a 12-game losing streak against them. Their last victory over Minnesota dated back to December 15, 2019.

Matt Boldy managed to equalize for the Wild with a goal at 4:31 remaining in regulation, marking their 32nd shot of the game. Prior to that, Jason Dickinson had opened the scoring for Chicago. The Wild dominated the Blackhawks in the final period, outshooting them 19-4, and concluded the game with a total of 33 shots compared to Chicago’s 22. Gustavsson was also notable in goal, blocking 20 shots throughout the contest. As a result of this game, the Wild now stand at 10-2-3, garnering 23 points and marking their best start to a season after 15 games.

For the Wild, after completing a three-game road trip with a 5-2 win against both San Jose and Anaheim, their offensive performance was noticeably limited in the first two periods, especially considering their previous average of over four goals per game in 21 previous away games.

On the other hand, Blackhawks’ coach Luke Richardson emphasized the importance of limiting Minnesota’s scoring opportunities. His team responded admirably until the late stages of the game, even successfully killing off three power plays for the Wild.

A significant moment occurred in the final minute of the second period when Mrazek lost his goal stick after a collision in the crease. Forward Taylor Hall promptly handed Mrazek a replacement stick, which he used to make a critical save against Jake Middleton just 25 seconds before the end of the period.

One noteworthy statistic from the game was Dickinson’s goal, which marked the end of a 10-game scoring drought for him. It was his second goal of the season, having previously set a career-high of 22 goals in the last season, tying for the team lead in Chicago.

Looking ahead, the Wild are set to host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday, while the Blackhawks will be traveling to Seattle for their next matchup.