In a back-and-forth Central Division match-up, a late penalty call had an impact in deciding the winner, and the Minnesota Wild was not at all happy about it.
Erik Haula was called for hooking with under five minutes remaining in the third period. Shortly after, Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane was celebrating what would be the eventual winning goal on a power play.
The Blackhawks, who were without Duncan Keith due to illness though it head coach Joel Quenneville did not believe it was the mumps, would outlast the Wild by a final score of 5-3.
“That time in a hockey game in a tie game, a one-handed hook on a dead play, pretty frustrating,” said Wild head coach Mike Yeo, as per the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Here's a look at the hooking penalty on Erik Haula that the #MnWild are upset about and led to Kane's game-winner. pic.twitter.com/ILJ5yceY3r
— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) December 17, 2014
It was expected that goalie Darcy Kuemper was expected to get the start for the Wild, however Niklas Backstrom was called into action just prior to game time.
According to reports, Kuemper was dealing with a stomach ailment before the game and that Backstrom actually came down with the same ailment in the first period.
Niklas Backstrom was dealing with the same stomach ailment after the first period that forced Darcy Kuemper to miss tonight. #mmwild
— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) December 17, 2014