Stewart scores twice as Wild bury Blackhawks
CHICAGO -- Chris Stewart scored two goals in the third period, and the Minnesota Wild pulled away for a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.
Eric Staal, Jason Zucker and Mikko Koivu also scored for the Wild. Minnesota (1-1-1) tallied four goals in the final 9:28 to earn its first victory of the season.
Ryan Hartman and Jonathan Toews scored for the Blackhawks. Chicago (3-1-1) lost in regulation for the first time this season.
Devan Dubnyk made 36 saves to win his 100th game as a member of the Wild. The Blackhawks' Corey Crawford turned aside 29 shots.
Minnesota broke a scoreless tie in the final minute of the second period. Charlie Coyle slid a pass across the slot to Staal, who buried a one-timer for his second goal in as many games. Crawford slid left to right to try to make a save, but Staal's shot sneaked just inside the near post.
Chicago evened the score at 1 with 11:39 to play in the third period. Patrick Kane lifted a wrist shot from near the blue line with Tanner Kero setting a screen. Dubnyk stopped the shot but could not corral the rebound, which Hartman pushed across the goal line.
Stewart put the Wild back on top 2-1 with 9:28 to go. Zucker outraced Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook to a loose puck to set up a two-on-one break for the goal.
Less than two minutes later, Zucker scored on a rebound to make it 3-1. Zucker banked a shot off Crawford's skate from the side of the crease and into the net.
Stewart scored an empty-net goal with 4:04 remaining. Mikko Koivu added an empty-net goal to dash any lingering hopes for Chicago with 2:01 to go.
Toews finished the scoring in the final minute.
NOTES: Wild C Zach Parise missed his third game in a row because of an undisclosed injury. ... Blackhawks C Nick Schmaltz did not play for the third straight game because of an upper-body injury. Schmaltz is hopeful to return Saturday against the Nashville Predators. ... Wild RW Mikael Granlund sat out for the second game in a row because of a groin injury. ... Blackhawks D Connor Murphy returned to the lineup after sitting out the previous game as a healthy scratch. ... The Wild played with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. ... Blackhawks D Gustav Forsling wore a face shield after taking a puck to the mouth two nights earlier. Forsling told reporters he needed 15 stitches but lost no teeth.