Game Preview: Wild vs. Blackhawks

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild returns home tonight, facing the Blackhawks yet again after defeating the team 4-3 in Chicago on Tuesday night.

Info for Tonight's Game:

• When: Thursday, March 19th at 6:30 p.m. CT
• Where: Grand Casino Arena (Saint Paul, Minnesota)
• Tickets: Buy Now
• Stream: ESPN+/Hulu
• Listen: KFAN
• Gamecenter: Wild vs. Blackhawks

Wild Record: 39-17-12

Hawks Record: 25-30-12

2025-26 Series Record: 3-0-0

All-Time Wild Record: 60-29-6 (32-12-3 at Grand Casino Arena)

Last Time Out

This Season on Wild vs. Blackhawks

Minnesota won the series-opening game, 4-3, in overtime at United Center (11/26), the second game, 4-3, in a shootout at Grand Casino Arena (1/27), and the third game, 4-3, in overtime in Chicago (3/17).

D Brock Faber (1-4=5) and LW Marcus Johansson (1-4=5) lead the Wild with five points each in the series. LW Matt Boldy owns four points (1-3=4) in the series. C Joel Eriksson Ek (1-2=3) has three points. G Filip Gustavsson is 2-0-0 with a 2.97 GAA and a .902 SV% in starting the first and third contests. G Jesper Wallstedt is 1-0-0 with a 2.63 GAA and a .912 SV% in starting the second contest and appearing in relief during the third game.

C Connor Bedard leads the Blackhawks with five points (1-4=5) in the series. D Louis Crevier owns three points (1-2=3). G Spencer Knight is 0-0- 3 with a 3.48 GAA and a .869 SV% in starting all three games.

Wild Leaders Against Blackhawks

• RW Vladimir Tarasenko leads the Wild with 34 points (21-13=34) in 38 career games against Chicago
• RW Mats Zuccarello owns 26 points (9-17=26) in 30 career matches
• D Jared Spurgeon owns 22 points (8-14=22) in 48 games
• LW Kirill Kaprizov owns 18 points (7-11=18) in 16 games

Hawks Leaders Against Wild

• LW Andre Burakovsky leads Chicago with 18 career points (4-14=18) in 32 games against the Wild
• LW Teuvo Teravainen has 15 points (5-10=15) in 28 games
• C Ryan Donato has 12 points (5-7=12) in 26 games
• LW Tyler Bertuzzi has 10 points (5-5=10) in 17 games

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On the Mend

Bobby Brink: upper body (four games missed)

Joel Eriksson Ek: lower (one game missed)

Marcus Foligno: lower body (eight games missed)

Full Injury Report

Connections

• C Ryan Hartman was selected by Chicago in the first round (30th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft and collected 57 points (27-30=57) in 141 games during four seasons (2014-18) with the Blackhawks
• F Nick Foligno collected 83 points (35-48=83) in 89 games across parts of three seasons (2023-26) with Chicago, serving as the team’s captain for two seasons (2024-26)
• Donato tallied 39 points (18-21=39) in 84 games in parts of two seasons with Minnesota (2018-20)
• D Wyatt Kaiser is from Andover and played three seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth (2020-23)
• C Oliver Moore is from Mounds View and played collegiately at the University of Minnesota
• D Sam Rinzel is from Chanhassen and played two seasons (2023-25 at the University of Minnesota)

Fast Facts

• Minnesota’s 60 all-time wins against Chicago are its third-most against an opponent
• The Wild has earned points in 19 consecutive meetings (18-0-1) against the Blackhawks dating back to 2/4/20, the longest active point streak by one NHL team against another and the longest point streak versus one team in Wild history
• Minnesota has earned a point in 12 consecutive games played at Grand Casino Arena (11-0-1) dating back to 2/10/18
• The Wild has earned points in 10 consecutive games played at United Center (8-0-1) since 1/21/22
• In 2015-16, the Wild became the first team to win every game in a season series of at least five contests against Chicago since the Boston Bruins went 8-0-0 in 1938-39

At Today's Game

• BMO Flag Bearer: Kyrin Yerks
• Foligno Faceoff: Tonight marks the final Foligno Faceoff night! If interested, fans can donate to the V Foundation here.
• Hockey Talks Ticket Pack: Buyers of the Hockey Talks Mental Health Awareness Ticket Pack get access to a pregame event with Gopher/Wild Alumni, Erik Westrum in the Riverside Room of 317 Washignton from 5pm-6pm
  • The exclusive Minnesota Wild x Happiness Project t-shirt included with your ticket pack can picked up in the concourse near Section 114
• Let's Play Hockey: Erik Westrum
• Food Item of the Game: Wild fans may be #1 but so is popcorn at Grand Casino Arena! Try our freshly popped popcorn at Section 104, 117, or 209 today!
• Retail Item of the Game: A limited run of Foligno Faceoff t-shirts will be available at tonight's game at The Hockey Lodge, a Fanatics experience

For more information on today's matchup, check out the game notes below.