Wild Rally Late to Top Blackhawks in Shootout Thriller
Tuesday night in St. Paul had all the makings of a classic - two division rivals, a family face-off, and a comeback that brought the Xcel Energy Center to its feet.
The Minnesota Wild hosted the Chicago Blackhawks for the second time this season, and while it started rough for the home team, they clawed their way back from a 3-0 hole to win it in a shootout. It was a game that had a bit of everything: emotion, resilience, and a reminder that no lead is safe in the NHL.
Let’s break down the biggest takeaways from a night that saw Marcus Foligno get the better of his brother Nick - again - and the Wild show some serious fight.
Foligno Face-Off: Round Two Goes to Marcus
This wasn’t just another game for the Foligno brothers. Tuesday marked the second “Foligno Face-Off” of the season - a matchup that’s become more than just a sibling rivalry.
It’s also a tribute to their late mother, Janis, who passed away from breast cancer in 2010. The event raises money for breast cancer research and has become a powerful tradition for both families.
On the ice, it was Nick who got the early bragging rights. The Blackhawks jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first period, with Nick on the ice for the second tally. Chicago added another in the second to make it 3-0, and for a while, it looked like Nick might be skating away with the win.
But Marcus and the Wild weren’t done. Yakov Trenin got Minnesota on the board in the second, and the Wild found another gear in the third. They scored twice - including a clutch, late-game equalizer by captain Jared Spurgeon - to send the game to overtime and eventually a shootout, where Minnesota sealed the deal.
That’s now two wins in two Foligno Face-Offs this season for Marcus, who’s got the scoreboard and the bragging rights on his side.
Second and Third Period Surge
The Wild didn’t come out flat, but the Blackhawks were clearly the sharper team early. They were quicker to pucks, more aggressive on the forecheck, and they capitalized on Minnesota’s defensive lapses. It wasn’t until the second period that the Wild started to find their legs - and more importantly, their edge.
Minnesota began throwing their weight around, playing with more urgency, and finally found the back of the net thanks to Trenin. That goal shifted the momentum, and the Wild carried that energy into the third. They stayed aggressive, stayed disciplined - even when a few questionable non-calls went against them - and kept pushing.
The payoff came late, with Spurgeon crashing the net and burying a loose puck to tie the game with just over a minute left. It was a captain’s goal - gritty, timely, and exactly what the Wild needed.
“We’ve scored more than three goals in half a game before, but you gotta stick with it,” said Marcus Johansson after the win. “I feel like we got a different swagger, I think, and confidence in the group lately than we’ve had before, and we believe in each other.”
That belief showed. Down 3-0, the Wild didn’t fold. They found another gear and played with the kind of urgency that’s been missing at times this season.
Wallstedt Battles Through Defensive Breakdowns
Jesper Wallstedt got the start in net for Minnesota, and while the scoreboard might suggest a rough night, the full story is more complicated. Yes, Wallstedt gave up three goals early, and yes, he looked frustrated after the third. But the truth is, he was hung out to dry more than once.
The first goal was a scramble in front - bodies everywhere, pucks bouncing, and no one able to clear the crease. The second?
A clean look for a Chicago forward left all alone in prime scoring territory. And the third was the result of a turnover that turned into a break the other way, with Wallstedt facing a rocket shot in transition.
Could he have stopped one or two of those? Probably.
But this wasn’t just on the goalie. The Wild’s defensive coverage in front of their net was shaky early, and that’s something they’ll need to tighten up moving forward.
Still, Wallstedt didn’t let the early goals define his night. He settled in, made some key saves late, and stood tall in the shootout. That kind of mental toughness is exactly what the Wild want to see from their young netminder.
“Obviously there’s one that I should save,” Wallstedt said postgame. “But the team had my back there and then got us back, and as soon as we have a 3-3 game we’re right back in it. Now all you see is the finish line - you just want to win that game.”
Final Word
This win won’t show up in the standings as anything more than two points, but it meant a lot more than that for the Wild. It was a gut-check game - one where they had to fight through adversity, dig deep, and trust each other. They did all of that, and they were rewarded with a win that could serve as a turning point.
They’ve now taken both matchups against the Blackhawks this season, with two more still to come. But beyond the rivalry and the family storyline, this was about resilience. And if the Wild can channel that same energy in the games ahead, they might just be finding their identity at the right time.