Versteeg's no-look shot ties game, and Hawks go on to win

NEWARK, N.J. - Kris Versteeg might have figured out the best way to beat the great Martin Brodeur.

Don't look when you shoot.

Brodeur was 26 seconds away from adding to his NHL records with his 599th career win and 109th shutout when Versteeg whirled and shot from the top of the right circle and scored off the skate of Devils defenseman Mike Mottau to wipe out a 1-0 lead the New Jersey Devils held since the first period.

Jonathan Toews then scored the only goal in the shootout as Antti Niemi and the Blackhawks bested Brodeur and the Devils 2-1 at Prudential Center on Friday.

Niemi was off the ice for a sixth attacker in the final minute when Versteeg scored with Toews causing havoc in front of Brouder with Mottau.

"You just turn around and shoot it and hope it goes in," Versteeg said. "It was a fortunate bounce there. We got a good 2 points."

Make it an important 2 points.

The Hawks eliminated Nashville from the race for the Central Division title and now can only be caught by Detroit. The Hawks have 103 points and the Red Wings 95 with both teams having five games to play.

The Hawks can clinch their first division title in 17 years if Detroit loses to Nashville today.

Niemi was sensational again in beating one of the game's greatest goaltenders. He made 32 saves through overtime and stopped Jamie Langenbrunner, Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk in the shootout.

"He was awesome," Toews said. "Even in the shootout, that just explained it and shows what he did all game. Three great shooters come down and they get nothing. He's pretty clutch for us and we're playing better and better in front of him."

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville still hasn't said officially that Niemi would be his playoff goalie, but there really is no need for it at this point.

"I like the response we're getting from him," Quenneville said. "He played three games in four nights and it looked like he handled it well."

Toews beat Brodeur in the first round of the shootout with a snap shot over the glove.

"Everyone says he's amazing at reacting where you shoot the puck," Toews said. "Sometimes a smart goaltender like that, he'll give you some open areas. I was looking glove and I thought he might be thinking high glove and I was lucky enough to take a chance and see it go in."

The Devils owned most of the first period with Niemi keeping it close. A wide-open Kovalchuk scored at 5:49 and a minute later the Devils had a 10-1 edge in shots.

The Hawks picked up the pace in the second period and were the better team in the third.

"Our start was just OK and Antti kept us in there with critical saves in the course of the game," Quenneville said. "I still thought we hung in there. We didn't really want to open it up and force plays and that patience paid off at the end."

That's two straight defensive-minded wins for the Hawks, who followed up nicely their 4-0 win at Minnesota on Wednesday.

"We had the puck and we played the way we wanted to," Versteeg said.

<p class="factboxheadblack">Tim Sassone's game tracker</p>

<p class="News">Blackhawks 2, Devils 1 (SO)</p>

<p class="News"><b>Three stars</b></p>

<p class="News">1. Antti Niemi, Hawks: Made 32 saves through overtime, then went 3-for-3 in the shootout.</p>

<p class="News">2. Martin Brodeur, Devils: Tying goal with 26 seconds left went in off his defenseman's skate.</p>

<p class="News">3. Jonathan Toews, Hawks: Bothered Brodeur on Kris Versteeg's tying goal, then scored the game winner in the shootout.</p>

<p class="News"><b>Shootout stars</b></p>

<p class="News">Hawks goalie Antti Niemi now is 6-2 in shootouts, having allowed only 6 goals on 38 attempts. Jonathan Toews is 8-for-14 for the year.</p>

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