ST. PAUL, Minn. — Jared Spurgeon broke a lengthy 33-game scoring dry spell by netting two goals during the second period, helping the Minnesota Wild secure a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night.

Alongside Spurgeon’s performance, Marco Rossi also contributed a goal, and Marc-Andre Fleury, who celebrated his 40th birthday on Thursday, made 20 saves to boost his record to 5-0-1 for the season. The Wild continues to dominate the Blackhawks, boasting an impressive record of 13-0-1 against them since February 4, 2020.

Spurgeon’s pivotal moment came late in the second period with a long wrist shot from just inside the blue line that caught Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek off guard, giving the Wild a crucial 3-2 lead. This marked Spurgeon’s first goals since April 8, 2023, and celebrated his 35th birthday with a remarkable eighth career game scoring multiple goals.

For the Blackhawks, Ryan Donato found the back of the net twice, while Mrazek managed to stop 27 shots. Chicago remains at the bottom of the NHL standings, tied with Nashville for the least points in the league at 18.

**Noteworthy Insights**
The Blackhawks have scored the first goal in 13 games this season, ranking them among the top four teams in that category, behind only Minnesota (15), Anaheim (14), Carolina (14), and Tampa Bay (14). Notably, the Wild has demonstrated a remarkable defensive capability, allowing two or fewer goals in 15 out of their 23 games, which is the best in the NHL. Prior to this matchup, Minnesota led the league with a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.34 and a save percentage of .919.

**Significant Events**

In a pivotal moment, Rossi and Spurgeon struck within a quick span of just 17 seconds during the second period, making it the fastest scoring sequence for the Wild since they scored twice within 15 seconds back on December 4, 2022. This surge allowed them to level the game at 2-2, with Rossi finishing a slick passing sequence that involved Kirill Kaprizov and Marcus Johansson, followed by Spurgeon’s shot redirecting off a defender’s skate in the crease.

**Statistical Highlights**

Kirill Kaprizov played in his 300th career game, recording 174 goals and 192 assists, bringing his total points to 366, making him one of the most productive players in the league for his first 300 games. Among active players, only Sidney Crosby (407), Connor McDavid (394), Alex Ovechkin (384), and Evgeni Malkin (371) have more career points within the same timeframe. Additionally, only Ovechkin (204) and Auston Matthews (176) have scored more goals than Kaprizov in their first 300 games.

**Looking Ahead**

The Blackhawks will be hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday, while the Wild prepare to face the Nashville Predators at home on Saturday.