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Final Score: Chicago 4 - Minnesota 0

St. Paul, MN (Sports Network) - Tomas Kopecky scored twice and Antti Niemi posted his seventh shutout of the season, as the Blackhawks downed the Wild, 4-0, at the Xcel Energy Center.

Niemi stopped 21 shots as Chicago, having already clinched a playoff berth, snapped a three-game skid and trails San Jose by just three points for the Western Conference lead with six games left.

Ben Eager and Jonathan Toews also tallied for the Blackhawks, who won for the first time in Minnesota since December 28, 2008.

"I don't think we want to worry about a turning point," said Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook. "I think we just want to continue to play the same way we've been playing the last two games. I thought we played well. We played hard. We battled and I think we just have to continue to do that and work at that."

Niklas Backstrom stopped 31 shots in defeat as the Wild lost for the second time in three games.

"I'm embarrassed the way I play today personally," said Wild forward Anti Miettinen. "I think there are way too many guys that feel that way after this game."

The Blackhawks took a 1-0 lead with 1:40 left in the first period when Eager carried down the left boards into the offensive zone, then fed the puck to Kopecky right inside the blueline, and he blasted a one-timer past Backstrom.

Eager made it 2-0 midway through the second period as he put back his own rebound, after blocking a Minnesota clearing attempt just in front of the Wild defensive zone.

Kopecky put the game out of reach nearly six minutes into the third period with a wrister, after carrying the puck the length of the ice down the left boards.

Toews widened the lead to 4-0 with about six minutes left in the game on a nice backhand pass to the front from a streaking Marian Hossa behind the net.