Wild vs. Blackhawks: Looking to continue recent surge with a return of ‘Spurge’

The Minnesota Wild will look to extend a five-game point streak on Saturday night at home against Chicago.

And the final of the home-and-home series that falls on Hockey Day in Minnesota will also mark the return of defenseman and team captain Jared Spurgeon.

The 32-year-old has been sidelined since he re-aggravated an upper body injury one shift into a game against the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 16. He initially missed eight games with the injury before he was cleared to come back against Buffalo.

Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek made his return to the lineup in Friday’s 5-1 win at the United Center after he missed more than four weeks with an upper-body injury and also a postive COVID-19 test.

There was the chance that goalie Cam Talbot would make his return as well after he was injured during the Winter Classic on Jan. 1, but Kaapo Kahkonen will be in net again for his fifth straight start. Minnesota has won four of those matchups and also earned a point in a 3-2 shootout loss to Colorado on Monday.

Minnesota enters Saturday in fourth place in the Central Division with 49 points — four less than both St. Louis and Nashville, who are locked in a tie for second behind the Colorado Avalanche.

Wild stats and stuff 

Mats Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov both had two assists for the Wild on Friday and two have combined for 166 points since the start of last season. Kaprizov also has a team-best 13 points since Dec. 20, one more than Zuccarello.

Friday’s 5-1 win marked the 10th road win for the Wild this season in which they have scored three or more goals while they held the opponent to two or less.

Chicago is making its first trip to St. Paul since Feb. 4, 2020. The Wild won 3-2.

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Betting odds

The Wild vs. Blackhawks odds on WynnBET has the Wild favored by 1.5 goals at the United Center. The Wild are also the favorite on the moneyline at -200. Chicago is the underdog at +175. The over/under has the projected total goals at six.

Upcoming Wild schedule

Monday, Jan. 24: Montreal, 7 p.m. CST

Friday, Jan. 28: @New York Rangers, 7 p.m CST

Sunday, Jan. 30: @New York Islanders 6:30 p.m. CST