The Minnesota Wild are facing another obstacle in their first-round series with the Chicago Blackhawks: Goalie Josh Harding has left Game 4 with an injury. This comes after starting goalie Niklas Backstrom was injured in warmups of Game 1.
Wild vs. Blackhawks Game 4 Update: Josh Harding hurt, Sharp scores twice
As if things hadn’t gotten tough enough for the Wild, down goes Harding.
Harding was hurt stretching on a Jonathan Toews partial breakaway in the first period:
Darcy Kuemper, who has all of six NHL games of experience, will start the second period.
The Wild pulled themselves back into their series with the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3, but it was Chicago who struck first in Game 4. Patrick Sharp's deflection goal at 8:48 of the first period had them leading 1-0 headed into the first intermission.
Continuing the push that they began in Game 3, the underdog Wild outshot the Hawks 7-6 and killed both Chicago power plays in the period. In Game 3, the Wild were able to tie it at 1-1 late in the first period. This time, they could muster no such luck, and in fact Sharp scored again on Kuemper just 1:02 into the second period.
Also continuing what really ignited in Game 3, the Wild looked for every opportunity to initiate physical play. The most notable example was this encounter between Wild forward Cal Clutterbuck and Brent Seabrook:
To tie the game and tie the series, the Wild will need Kuemper to rally.
More in the NHL:
See More:
