ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Wild goalie Josh Harding left Game 4 against the Chicago Blackhawks after the first period because of a left leg injury.
Harding was injured with about four minutes to play in the first period on a collision with Chicago's Jonathan Toews. Trainers came out to examine him, but he remained in the game and finished the first period.
But backup Darcy Kuemper came out to start the second period. Kuemper played in six games this season, but spent most of the year with the Wild's AHL affiliate in Houston. He went 1-2 with a 2.08 goals-against average for the Wild.
Harding started the first four games of these playoffs only after starter Niklas Backstrom was injured in warm-ups before Game 1. The Wild did not immediately announce Harding's status.
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