Khabibulin makes sure Hawks get win

In hockey you win some, lose some and steal some with great goaltending.

The Blackhawks knocked off the Nashville Predators 5-2 Wednesday night at the United Center for their fourth straight victory thanks to goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, who made 30 stops, including several game-savers in the third period.

"He got 2 points for us," Hawks coach Denis Savard said.

The first sellout crowd in two seasons -- 20,511 -- appreciated Khabibulin's efforts. Khabibulin got a standing ovation and heard chants of "Hab-by" in the third period after stopping Jordin Tootoo on a breakaway with the Hawks clinging to a 2-1 lead.

Khabibulin moments earlier robbed Martin Gelinas on a 2-on-0 rush with Tootoo.

"That reminded me of when I played with Tony (Esposito)," Savard said. "This city has always loved its goaltenders."

Hawks fans haven't shown Khabibulin much love in his first 2½ seasons since signing the largest contract in franchise history, but that may be starting to change.

"I don't think about that; I just step on the ice and try to do the best I can," Khabibulin said. "Sometimes it works out well, and sometimes not so good.

"It always feels great when you can make some saves and, obviously, when the fans do that it feels unbelievable."

The Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Patrick Sharp short-handed and Jonathan Toews.

Sharp's goal, set up by Toews, opened the scoring at 11:27 and was his NHL-leading seventh short-handed goal of the season. The Hawks lead the league with 12.

But even with the quick lead, the Hawks weren't on top of their game after a two-day break for Christmas.

"I'm sure the turkey was good at Christmas," joked Savard.

The Predators took it to the Hawks in the third, and only the strong play of Khabibulin kept the game from slipping away.

"I don't know what happened in the third period there," Sharp said. "We gave up some pretty decent scoring chances, and if it wasn't for Nik it would be a different story. I don't know if he was the first star tonight, but he was in our book."

Somehow the three-star selectors placed Khabibulin third behind Toews and Robert Lang, who had 2 third-period goals. At least Khabibulin was named a star, unlike Sunday against Edmonton when he was left out despite another stellar game.

"When he's playing well back there it gives our whole team confidence to make plays, to know if we do make a mistake he's going to be there to back us up," Duncan Keith said. "Both our goaltenders have been great this year."

For the second straight game, the Hawks gathered at center ice after the final horn to salute another mammoth crowd with sticks raised. Might this become a home tradition?

"I hope so," Sharp said. "I hope 20,000 people becomes a regular thing."

"This is great," Keith said of the bigger crowds that are starting to come out. "I had some family come in and they were here the last few years and they can't believe the difference.

"Everybody wants to keep it going, keep getting better and hopefully keep getting wins for the fans."