Defense helps Blackhawks solve Jets in 5-2 win
Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Brian Campbell didn't score a single goal Friday night, but their hard-nosed, gritty, unselfish play was the primary reason the Hawks walked out with a 5-2 victory over the host Winnipeg Jets.
Seabrook, who hasn't had the most spectacular of seasons, blocked a season-high 6 shots and also prevented what looked to be a sure goal by sweeping away a puck that was sliding toward the goal line with 2:25 left in the second period.
"(He) was awesome out there," goalie Corey Crawford told reporters. "He might have had like 12 saves. He's an important part, and I thought our D were the difference tonight - playing hard in our zone, blocking shots and moving the puck to our forwards. That was just a solid game from us."
Hjalmarsson was a plus-5 and also blocked 6 shots, and van Riemsdyk and Campbell were big reasons Winnipeg managed just 19 shots on goal in the first 49 minutes. Crawford, who wasn't tested much early on, made 28 saves - none bigger than when he denied a Matthew Perrault one-timer by lunging to his right with 6:39 left in the first period.
The Hawks led just 2-1 after 57 minutes, but Duncan Keith's blast with 2:59 left gave them a 3-1 cushion, and Marian Hossa and Artemi Panarin added empty-net goals with 1:51 and 15.3 seconds remaining, respectively. Winnipeg's Adam Lowry did score with 71 seconds left, but it was too little, too late for a Jets team that ended up going 4-1-0 vs. the Hawks this season.
"Might have been our most complete game," said coach Joel Quenneville.
The Hawks remain 5 points behind first-place Minnesota, which beat Tampa Bay 2-1 in a shootout Friday. Quenneville's team has gone 4-1-0 on a six-game road trip that ends Saturday in Edmonton.
Patrick Kane gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead at 15:37 of the first period, scoring on a one-timer off a perfect pass from Panarin. Kane now has the most goals (269) by an American-born player in Blackhawks history, passing Tony Amonte.
The Hawks dominated the first period, outshooting Winnipeg 16-7 in the first 19 minutes.
"That's the way we want to play right there. That was fun," Kane said. "Every line was going. We had a couple good power plays; we didn't score on them but had some chances. … Great period overall. That's the way we want to play."
Artem Anisimov snapped a 1-1 tie at 12:16 of the second period by wristing home his 19th goal after pouncing on a rebound of a Panarin blast.
Two of Seabrook's biggest blocks came 3.5 minutes into the third period on back-to-back shots by Mark Scheifele. Seabrook was only a few feet in front of Crawford, and those blocks allowed the Hawks keep their 2-1 lead.
"Seabs played a very strong game tonight," Quenneville said. "Shooting the puck well and defending around the net. Good stick. … Lot of kill plays defensively.
"I thought a lot of (our defenders) played well tonight."
Hossa's goal was his team-leading 20th of the season. Panarin's 3-point night gives him 51 and moves him up to 11th in the NHL.
According to the Blackhawks' public relations staff, Hjalmarsson is the first Hawk to record a plus-5 rating since March 9, 2003 when Steve Sullivan and Eric Daze both accomplished the feat.
Blackhawks vs. Edmonton Oilers at MTS Center, 9 p.m. Saturday
TV: WGN
Radio: WGN 720-AM
The skinny: The Oilers have hit a bit of a rough patch since the all-star break, losing three of four. They have scored just 1 goal in the last three games yet won 1-0 in a shootout over Montreal on Sunday. Edmonton has not played since that victory. … Connor McDavid is tied with Sidney Crosby for the league lead with 60 points. … Leon Draisaitl leads the Oilers with 20 goals. … Watch for Scott Darling to start in net for the Blackhawks. ... The Hawks' bye week begins after this game.
Next: Edmonton Oilers at United Center, 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18
- John Dietz