Comeback falls flat as Hawks drop sixth straight
LAS VEGAS — Twelve seconds.
That's all it took for Vegas to flip a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead midway through the third period Thursday night en route to a 4-3 victory over the Blackhawks.
It was yet another crushing defeat for the Hawks, who are 9-16-5 overall and 3-10-2 since Jeremy Colliton took over as coach on Nov. 6.
The Hawks fell behind 2-0 after the first period, but battled back to take the lead on goals by Jonathan Toews, Dylan Strome and Artem Anisimov. Anisimov's tally — his fourth in the last eight games — came on a gorgeous backhander with 12:46 remaining.
Unfortunately for Colliton's squad, Jonathan Marchessault took a pass from Reilly Smith, raced into the offensive zone and snapped off a shot that got past Erik Gustafsson and Corey Crawford with 12:05 left.
Before the second-largest crowd in Vegas' brief history (18,494) could catch their breath, the Golden Knights retook the lead when Alex Tuch's shot slid between Crawford's legs with 11:53 on the clock.
The Hawks argued that Max Pacioretty interfered with Crawford, but the situation room in Toronto allowed the goal to stand because “the actions of Chicago's Brandon Manning caused Pacioretty to contact Crawford before the puck crossed the goal line.”
“I've seen many goals around the league get called back,” Toews said. “They've been pretty strict on goaltender interference. I don't think (Manning) made too drastic of a motion to push him into Crow. He had momentum anyway going into our goaltender.
“I didn't think it was a goal, but that's the way it goes sometimes.”
Toews is now tied with Patrick Kane for the team lead in goals with 13. Strome, acquired for Nick Schmaltz, has already scored three times in six games with the Hawks.
Toews nearly scored two other times in the middle frame, but Marc-Andre Fleury soaked up a 20-foot wrister, and Toews failed to pound one home with about 7:45 left.
Crawford has now lost seven straight starts, allowing 30 goals in those contest.
That's better:
Erik Gustafsson played one of his best games of the season during the Blackhawks' 4-2 loss at Anaheim on Wednesday.
He scored the Hawks' first goal and nearly potted another late in the second period, but his big slap shot banged off the right post.
Coach Jeremy Colliton made the defenseman a healthy scratch against Calgary on Sunday, and Gustafsson definitely used that as motivation.
“It's not fun,” he said. “You want to go out there and play in every game you can. At the same time, I need to learn from it too.
“I just wanted to go out there and show them I can be better in my own zone; I can be tougher. It was a good learning (experience).”
There's no doubt Gustafsson is growing as a force in the offensive zone. He had 4 goals in his last seven games before the Hawks played the Golden Knights on Thursday, and he had 10 goals in 63 contests dating back to last season.
The game is starting to slow down for him as well — a common theme among young D-men.
“I don't rush (things) too much up on the ice,” he said. “I think I'm reading the game a little bit better right now.”
Slap shots:
Gustav Forsling sat out the Hawks' game at Vegas on Thursday. The defenseman is considered day-to-day with a shoulder injury he suffered against Anaheim on Wednesday. … Brandon Manning had 8 hits and 5 blocked shots in the Hawks' 4-2 loss at Anaheim. … Brendan Perlini has just 3 shots on goal in his first six games with the Blackhawks. … Patrick Kane has just 1 goal in the last 14 games. The worst dry spells of Kane's career came during his first two seasons, when he scored 1 goal in 18 games as a rookie and 1 in 21 games in 2008-09. He also had a 4-goals-in-30 games slump during the 2011-12 season.