The Chicago Blackhawks have an embarrassing history against the Minnesota Wild, but they nearly outdid themselves Sunday at the United Center.
They put up one shot on goal in the first period, and at one moment in the second period the Wild had as many goals on the boards and the Hawks had shots: three.
But then the Hawks came alive in the third period.
Seth Jones picked up where he left off after missing Friday’s Tampa Bay game with an illness.
The Hawks defenseman ripped a power-play goal from the slot, his second marker in the last three games and fifth straight game with a point.
It came off Connor Bedard’s seventh assist this month, to go along with three goals.
Four minutes and 20 seconds later, Frank Nazar seized on an Ethan Del Mastro rebound and wristed it in to pull the Hawks within one goal.
Nazar persevered through modest returns on his first 16 games, but he’s now riding a four-game point streak, including goals in back-to-back games.
But that’s where the rally ended.
The Hawks couldn’t find the tying goal despite two more power plays.
And Marcus Foligno ended the threat with an empty-netter with 1 minute, 42 seconds left.
With the 4-2 loss, the Hawks’ all-time record against their Central Division rival dropped to 34-44-1-13.
“It’s just another game where we didn’t come out good enough,” Tyler Bertuzzi said. “We made a late push, but it’s hard in this league to come back from three goals, especially in the third period.
“Obviously we made the push, but it wasn’t good enough.”
