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Get your game notes: Blackhawks at Wild

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Chicago Blackhawks at Minnesota Wild

May 6, 2014; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Mikael Granlund (64) celebrates his goal with forward Zach Parise (11) and defenseman Jonas Brodin (25) during the third period against the Chicago Blackhawks in game three of the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xcel Energy Center. Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

USA Today Sports / Reuters

Tonight on NBCSN, it’s the Minnesota Wild hosting the Chicago Blackhawks starting at 9:30 p.m. ET. Following are some game notes, as compiled by the NHL on NBC research team:

• In Game 3, the Wild ended the Blackhawks’ six-game win streak with a four-goal outburst in the third period. The four goals were the most they had scored in a postseason period since May 5, 2003, when they scored five times in the second period of Game 5 vs. Vancouver, and were the most ever scored in a period in a home playoff game. This series, the Wild have scored all seven of their goals in the third period.

• The Blackhawks fell to 0-9 in the first road game of their last nine playoff series. (Their last win in a road opener was in Game 1 of the 2010 Western Conference Final vs. San Jose, a series they went on to sweep.) They are 10-5 in all other road games in the previous eight series. One of those wins came in Minnesota in Game 4 of the 2013 Western Conference Quarterfinals, a 3-0 shutout of the Wild.

• With the Canadiens’ OT loss last night, the Blackhawks (5-0) and Wild (4-0) remain the only teams with perfect records at home this postseason. Minnesota has outscored Colorado (in three games) and Chicago (in Game 3) by a combined 12-3 on home ice, getting goals from seven different players: Mikael Granlund (4), Zach Parise (3), Jason Pominville, Charlie Coyle, Erik Haula, Jared Spurgeon and Marco Scandella.

• Wild goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov made 19 saves in Game 3 to record his first postseason shutout since posting three in a row for Anaheim from May 3-7, 2006 (36 postseason starts ago). It was the second postseason shutout in franchise history, after Darcy Kuemper blanked Colorado in Game 3 of their first round series. Since 2007, only two other teams have gotten shutouts from two different goalies in one postseason: Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher for Philadelphia in 2010 and Marc-Andre Fleury and Tomas Vokoun for Pittsburgh in 2013. Elias Sports Bureau

• The Blackhawks were held to 22 or fewer shots on goal in only two of 82 games during the 2013-14 regular season (second fewest in the NHL, after Ottawa – one). However, after being held to 19 shots on goal in Game 3, the Hawks have been held to fewer than 22 shots in all three games vs. the Wild. Four of Chicago’s five lows in shots this season (including the playoffs) have come against Minnesota.

Chicago shots on goal Opponent Date Result
19 at Minnesota Dec. 5 lost 4-3
19 at Minnesota May 6 (Game 3) lost 4-0
20 at Montreal Jan. 11 lost 2-1 (OT)
22 vs. Minnesota May 2 (Game 1) won 5-2
22 vs. Minnesota May 4 (Game 2) won 4-1

• The Blackhawks, third among all playoff teams in goals/game (3.22), are one of only two teams with five or more players with eight or more points each this postseason. (Pittsburgh has six.) None of the five Hawks have more than nine points: Jonathan Toews (4-5–9), Brent Seabrook (2-7–9), Marian Hossa (2-6–8), Patrick Kane (5-3–8) and Bryan Bickell (5-3–8).

• Wild winger Matt Cooke will return to the lineup after serving a seven-game suspension for his knee-on-knee hit on Colorado defenseman Tyson Barrie in Game 3 of Round One. (Minnesota went 4-3 in those games.) Cooke, who has never met Chicago in a playoff game in his 15-year NHL career, scored two goals and registered six hits in three games vs. the Blackhawks at Xcel Energy Center this season.

• Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, who has been unable to talk since taking a Jonas Brodin shot to the throat in Game 2, leads the playoffs with 34 blocked shots in nine games, including four or more in five of them. Hjalmarsson had 42 blocked shots in all of the 2013 postseason (23 games).