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Backstrom helps Wild get past Chicago

Jan 26, 2011 - 6:18 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Martin Havlat was one of four different Minnesota goal scorers and Niklas Backstrom was solid with 31 saves, as the Wild defeated the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-2, at United Center.

Antti Miettinen, Chuck Kobasew and Pierre-Marc Bouchard also scored for the Wild, who have won four of their last five games and moved within one point of idle Colorado for second place in the Northwest Division.

Patrick Sharp and Troy Brouwer tallied for the Blackhawks, who have lost two straight games and finished the month of January with a 6-4-1 mark.

Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford allowed four goals on 22 shots.

"This was a frustrating loss," said Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville. "We need to come back rested and excited to improve."

Both teams scored before four minutes had elapsed in the contest. Havlat's 14th goal of the season 1:47 after the opening faceoff preceded Sharp's power- play marker at the 3:49 mark. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews both assisted on Sharp's 26th goal.

Chicago moved ahead midway through the opening period on Brouwer's 15th goal, a successful rebound attempt from a sharp angle near the left post.

At the 2:31 mark of the middle period, the Wild knotted the score. Jared Spurgeon sent a wrister toward the net from the top of the left circle and Kobasew got a piece of it before it settled in behind Crawford.

"It seemed like most of the chances they got, they scored on them," said Crawford. "The puck just wasn't bouncing our way tonight."

Miettinen's ninth tally of the campaign with 3:47 to go before the second intermission gave the visitors a 3-2 edge. Andrew Brunette pushed the puck toward the goal mouth from the lower left circle before Miettinen redirected it underneath the Chicago netminder from the top of the crease.

Bouchard capped the scoring on a rebound midway through the final stanza.

Game Notes

The Wild ended 0-for-2 on the power play, while the 'Hawks cashed in their only chance with the extra skater...Minnesota has won seven of its last 10 games at Chicago...The Wild improved to 14-8-3 on the road this season.