Blackhawks beat Wild for first time in years

The Chicago Blackhawks secured a long-awaited victory over the Minnesota Wild with a 2-1 win on March 19, 2026, ending a seven-year winless streak against their divisional rivals. Andrew Mangiapane assisted Ilya Mikheyev for the first goal late in the first period, marking Mikheyev's 13th of the season.

Connor Bedard followed with a game-winning goal early in the second, stealing the puck from Marcus Johansson and finishing with a backhand shot for his 28th goal of the season. Minnesota's Nico Sturm scored the Wild's only goal with a wrist shot that slipped through goaltender Spencer Knight's pads.

Knight had an impressive performance, stopping 28 of 29 shots, while Jesper Wallstedt made 24 saves for the Wild. Both teams struggled on the power play, finishing 0-for-3. The victory was a significant achievement for the Blackhawks, who had been searching for a win against the Wild since 2010.

According to Second City Hockey, the Hawks' defensive effort limited the Wild to just four high-danger chances throughout the game. The Blackhawks are now back in Chicago to host the Avalanche on Friday night.