Chicago (3-2-3) at Minnesota (5-0-1) 8:00 p.m. EDT
ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) -- The only Western Conference team
without a regulation loss puts that distinction on the line when
the Minnesota Wild host the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.
Minnesota sits atop the Northwest division, thanks in large part
to goaltender Niklas Backstrom.
The Finnish netminder has logged every minute between the pipes
for Minnesota, posting a 1.97 goals against average, which is
good for third in the NHL.
Minnesota's record would be spotless had it not been for a poor
third period against Buffalo Wednesday. Backstrom allowed a
pair of late goals that forced the game to overtime and Derek
Roy gave the Wild their lone blemish on the season.
Antti Miettinen is the lone Wild player who has more than two
goals with five, but he has been held off the scoresheet in each
of the last three games.
Chicago has earned a point in six straight games after dropping
its first two of the season, but are coming off a tough 6-5
shootout loss to Detroit in which it surrendered a 4-2 third
period league.
Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane have five goals apiece for the
Blackhawks, who will play a road game for just the second time
in two weeks. They are 0-2-1 in their previous three games away
from home.