The Minnesota Wild evened their series with the Chicago Blackhaws on Friday night with a 4-2 victory, at the Xcel Energy Center.
Minnesota is 5-0 at home on the post season.
The Wild dominated the ice, outshooting the speedy Blackhawks 31-20.
Jared Spurgeon played an outstanding game for the Wild. He did his job defensively, but also finished with a goal and an assist on the night.
It didn’t take Matt Cooke long to have an impact on the game, in his return to the ice following the seven-game suspension for the illegal hit during Game 3 of the Colorado series.
Cooke assisted on Justin Fontaine’s first playoff goal to put Minnesota on the scoreboard. It was also the first non-third period goal for the Wild in the series.
Chicago tied it up right before the end of the first period when Patrick Sharp beat Ilya Bryzgalov to even the score at one.
Early in the second, Minnesota regained the lead on a deflection from Jason Pominville, for his second playoff goal.
RT @cjzero: GIF: Jason Pominville plays the bank shot off Corey Crawford to score http://t.co/ay0M8dGFgJ
— Phil (@PhilErvin) May 10, 2014
The Blackhawks tied it up at two on a goal from Michael Handzus just a over two minutes later.
But the Wild wouldn’t be denied, they took the lead for good on a goal from Nino Niederreiter. He was assisted by Charlie Coyle and Spurgeon.
The Wild held the 3-2 lead until the third period when Spurgeon scored his third goal of the playoffs with assists from Mikko Koivu and Ryan Suter.
After allowing the early goal, Bryzgalov really bounced back to make some big stops in the second and third period.
Bryzgalov lets in one of the softest goals in the postseason…
…then comes back with 2 of the best saves of the postseason. #mnwild
— Keith Leventhal (@KeithLeventhal) May 10, 2014
The series shifts back to Chicago on Sunday night for Game 5. They will play at 8 p.m. at the United Center.
Below are some of the more unique moments of the night.
Our man @ceeflashpee84 got to ride the zamboni tonight at the #mnwild game! pic.twitter.com/Z1IifR5IMy
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) May 10, 2014
Star-spangled ice. pic.twitter.com/U66SP1VPr0
— Phil (@PhilErvin) May 10, 2014
