Minnesota @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 2, 2019 ) Chicago 4, Minnesota 3

The Minnesota Wild have been one of the league’s hottest teams, suffering one regulation loss in their last 15 games, and they’ll look to keep it going against a division rival Sunday when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks. Minnesota center Eric Staal netted a pair of goals - including the 69th game-winner of his 16-year career - to lead his squad to a 4-1 victory Saturday against Philadelphia.

The Wild failed to surrender a power-play goal for the first time in seven games Saturday, but went 0-for-5 with the man advantage and haven’t capitalized on their last 18 power-play opportunities. “Special teams has been the thing that’s been hurting us,” Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau told the media. “I gotta believe at one point they’re going to figure it out and get better, it’s been six games now. I was really happy to see the penalty killing get it done today.” Chicago suffered its fourth consecutive loss Saturday after letting a 3-0 third-period lead slip away against the St. Louis Blues in a 4-3 defeat. “It’s easy to look at the storyline and get really discouraged and come up with the wrong mentality in your mind about what can happen going forward,” Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews told reporters. “We’ve just got to focus on tomorrow night and build off the things we keep doing well. Each guy has to look at himself and try to find ways to bring more out of himself every night.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, FS North, FS Wisconsin (Minnesota), NBCS Chicago

ABOUT THE WILD (16-12-5): Staal’s two goals Saturday were the 998th and 999th points of his career as the 35-year-old leads the team with 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists). Left wing Zach Parise scored his 13th of the season against Philadelphia - breaking a tie with Jason Zucker for the team lead. Defenseman Carson Soucy became the fourth rookie in franchise history to score a shorthanded goal with his empty netter Saturday and has recorded three goals and three assists in his last six games.

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (12-15-6): Goaltender Corey Crawford had made 27 saves through two periods Saturday but his third period letdown was the fourth time in his last six appearances that the 34-year-old has surrendered at least four goals in a game. Patrick Kane continues to be the Blackhawks best offensive player as he leads the team with 15 goals and 22 assists, and is 13 points ahead of second-place Alex DeBrincat (eight goals, 16 assists). Brandon Saad is up to 10 goals after finding the back of the net twice on Saturday - the second player on the team outside of Kane to hit double digits.

OVERTIME

1. The Blackhawks are 24th in the league in power-play success rate (16 percent), but had scored a goal with the man advantage in five straight games before Saturday.

2. Soucy has a team-high plus-15 rating - tied for ninth-best plus-minus in the NHL.

3. Boudreau earned his 556th career win Saturday - tying him with Blackhawks assistant coach Marc Crawford for 22nd on the NHL’s all-time list.

PREDICTION: Blackhawks 4, Wild 2