The Chicago Blackhawks have an embarrassing history against the Minnesota Wild, but they nearly outdid themselves Sunday at the United Center.

The Blackhawks dropped to 1-4-3 in their last eight games. They lost three of four in the season series against the Wild. Minnesota jumped in front on Spurgeon's wrist shot from the high slot 5:43 into the first period. Gaudreau made it 2-0 when he beat Petr Mrazek on the goaltender's glove side from a tough angle at 7:17.

The Blackhawks, who have won just once in their past seven games, dealt away Taylor Hall.

The Chicago Blackhawks suffered a disappointing 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Sunday night at the United Center.

BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Blackhawks enter the matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning as losers of three games in a row. Tampa Bay has a 26-19-3 record overall and a 15-6-1 record in home games. The Lightning have allowed 135 goals while scoring 170 for a +35 scoring differential.

Brantford Bulldogs forward Nick Lardis can't stop scoring this season. He's the first to hit the 40-goal mark this season in the OHL and the three leagues that make up the Canadian Hockey League.

The Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild were meeting in tumultuous times. Both teams had lost their previous two games, with Minnesota losing 5-4 to the Calgary Flames the night before.

The Chicago Blackhawks were the third team in Friday's Blockbuster Avalanche/Hurricanes trade, but Adam Proteau says Chicago still must be focusing on the future the rest of this year.

Chicago Blackhawks practice was a few skaters light at Fifth Third Arena on Wednesday. Teuvo Teräväinen and Alec Martinez took maintenance days, and Jason Dickinson was listed out with an “illness” — not what you’d expect after he grabbed his right arm in pain after getting hit with a shot during Monday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

The word “blockbuster” gets thrown around a little too often in today’s NHL, often for trades unworthy of the term, in the same way that anything might feel like a five-star meal to a starving man. But the deal that dropped on Friday night? That one deserves the title, no questions asked.