Toews wows 'em, and Hawks win

Even if Jonathan Toews goes on to score hundreds of goals for the Blackhawks before he is done playing, the 19-year-old center might never produce another prettier than the one he got Friday night.

Toews' goal seven minutes into the first period was nothing short of spectacular, lifting most of the 13,519 on hand at the United Center out of their seats and helping send the Hawks on their way to what turned out to be a dramatic 5-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche.

Tuomo Ruutu's goal with 1:25 to play snapped a 3-3 tie, but it Toews' effort that had everyone buzzing.

"We haven't seen a goal like that around here in a long time," Hawks coach Denis Savard said. "It was one for the highlight tape. It was the goal of the week probably -- the goal of the year."

Toews took a pass from Patrick Kane, split Avs Scott Hannan and Milan Hejduk inside the blue line, stickhandled around Brett Clark and deked goalie Jose Theodore out of his pants, tucking in his second goal of the season.

"Man, that was a sick goal, that's for sure," Kane said. "I got a D-zone assist there. I passed it up to him in the D-zone and he goes through the whole team. I told him. 'Thanks for the point, buddy.' "

Toews said he didn't realize what he was doing.

"I was telling the guys on the bench it felt like I blacked out and I couldn't even remember what happened on that play," Toews said. "That's what happens sometimes, you just go by instinct, and if you catch a few breaks, you're lucky enough to score. That's pretty much the only way I can sum it up, really."

Toews' goal was the first of 3 scored by the Hawks in the first period.

After Patrick Sharp banged home a rebound at 8:29 to make it 2-0, Kane got his first NHL goal at 14:36.

Kane's goal wasn't too shabby either. He took a pass from Sharp on a quickly developed 2-on-1 and roofed a shot over the glove of Theodore from inside the left circle.

But the Avs stormed back. Wojtek Wolski scored late in the first period and Marek Svatos 40 seconds into the second period to make it 3-2.

Ryan Smyth's goal at 7:35 of the third period tied it, but the Hawks struck late, thanks to -- who else -- Toews and Kane for the win.

With Toews and Kane starting the play with scoring chances, the puck wound up on the stick of Magnus Johansson at the left point. His slap shot banked in off Ruutu in the slot.

"I was lucky to be in the right place," said Ruutu, who broke his nose earlier after getting a puck in the face.

"I think you're seeing a different team," said Sharp, who had a goal and 2 assists in a strong performance. "We wanted the win when it was 3-3. In the past we might have let that one get away from us."

In the past, the Hawks didn't have Toews and Kane.

"Those kids were great," Savard said. "They're something for our fans to come out and watch."