Marian Hossa scored two goals for the second straight game as the surging Chicago Blackhawks won their fourth straight and took over the NHL points lead by beating the Minnesota Wild 4-1 on Tuesday night.
Chicago (30-10-3) has 63 points, two more than Eastern Conference-leading New Jersey and San Jose.
Cristobal Huet made 19 saves as the Blackhawks improved their home record to a league-best 20-4-1.
Patrick Kane extended his scoring streak to nine games with a power-play goal early in the third that made it 3-1, and Hossa finished the scoring by following in his own rebound from the crease. Minnesota's Guillaume Latendresse opened the scoring, and the Blackhawks' John Madden also had a goal in the first period.
Moments after he checked Josh Harding off the puck when the Wild goalie went behind the net, Chicago's Patrick Sharp took a carom pass from Brian Campbell and found Hossa open in the left circle for the go-ahead score at 12:38 of the second.
The goal came after Huet stopped a breakaway by Latendresse. He then snuffed Kyle Brodziak at the end of the Wild's 3-on-1 break minutes later.
Latendresse scored at 13:52 of the first, taking a centering pass and beating Huet from in front.
Minnesota backup Harding, who entered with a 3-1 career record against Chicago, finished with 29 saves, including a diving glove stop of Kane after he cut across the crease in the first period.
But the Blackhawks broke through when Madden took a nice pass from Kris Versteeg, and after hitting the post on his first tip-in attempt, scored on his second to tie it.
Kane's shot from the left circle came seconds after a two-man advantage for the Blackhawks expired.
NOTES: The Wild have lost four straight. ... Hossa, who missed the first 22 games following shoulder surgery, has 10 goals. ... D Niklas Hjalmarsson, who missed two games after being hit with a puck while sitting on the bench, returned to the Blackhawks lineup. D Cam Barker was scratched for Chicago, and Owen Nolan sat out for the Wild.
