Ducks top Blackhawks 5-3
Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and 2 assists, and Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 39 saves in the Anaheim Ducks' 5-3 victory over the Blackhawks on Friday night at the United Center.
Chris Kunitz added 2 goals - including an empty-netter - and Corey Perry and Mathieu Schneider also scored for the Ducks, who improved to 10-0-1 against the Hawks.
The Ducks haven't lost to Chicago in regulation since falling 3-1 at the United Center on Nov. 2, 2003. The Blackhawks' only victory over the Ducks since then was a 4-3 shootout decision at Anaheim on Nov. 17, 2006.
Chicago's Jonathan Toews, the NHL's rookie goal-scoring leader, netted his 11th. Patrick Sharp and Robert Lang also scored for the Blackhawks, who lost their third straight. Nikolai Khabibulin blocked 17 shots.
Toews opened the scoring with a power-play goal 1:07 into the first period.
Giguere stopped Dustin Byfuglien's shot from the blue line, but the rebound popped up over his shoulder. Toews batted the puck in as it landed on the ice
Perry's power-play goal with 6:06 left in the first tied it 1-all. He swept through the crease and knocked in a rebound while Anaheim's Todd Bertuzzi collided with Khabibulin. Goalie interference was not called because Bertuzzi was shoved into the crease by Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith.
Sharp made it 2-1 just 36 seconds into the second. While being checked to the ice in the left circle, Sharp's centering pass struck Kunitz's ankle and deflected in between Giguere's legs.
Kunitz tied it 2-all at 7:15 of the period. Set up by Perry, his quick shot from the slot rolled in over Khabibulin's blocker.
Schneider gave the Ducks their first lead, 3-2, with 8:13 left in the second. After the puck squirted out into the slot from a scrum on the right boards, Schneider skated in and beat Khabibulin high on the glove side.
Getzlaf's breakaway goal at 4:21 of the third made it 4-2. After slipping past the Chicago defense, Getzlaf took a pass from Francois Beauchemin and beat Khabibulin with a high backhand shot.
With Khabibulin on the bench for an extra attacker, Lang was credited with a goal with 1:50 left in the third that cut it to 4-3. Following a faceoff, Martin Havlat's shot from the point deflected in off Lang's abdomen.
Kunitz completed the scoring with his empty net goal. Notes: Blackhawks C Jason Williams missed his fourth straight game and eighth in the last nine with a nagging groin injury and is out indefinitely. ... RW Rene Bourque missed his eighth game with a broken thumb. Rookie C Jacob Dowell missed his fourth game with a broken right foot. ... Anaheim C Brian Sutherby missed his second game with a groin injury and is day to day.