Toews, Kane score in shootout, Hawks win
It didn’t take long for Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville to try out his changes for the shootout.
With the Hawks 0-for-6 in two shootout losses on home ice, Quenneville’s biggest switch was letting the visiting Anaheim Ducks go first. Normally, the Hawks’ coach has his shooters go first at home.
Quenneville also went to Dave Bolland, but he didn’t go away from old reliables Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, which paid off.
Toews and Kane each scored in the shootout and Corey Crawford stopped Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf as the Hawks won a playoff-type game 3-2 at the United Center on Tuesday night.
“We obviously went second, which was an easy decision because we didn’t win going first,” Quenneville said.
“We’ve got so much talent in here, so much scoring ability, eventually we were going to win a shootout,” Crawford said. “Our guys made some nice moves and it was nice to finally get one.”
Toews and Kane were each 0-for-2 in the Hawks’ two previous shootouts, but their career numbers don’t lie when it comes to their ability to get the job done.
Toews came into the game ranked 16th among active NHL players in shootout goals and Kane 21st out of everyone in the league.
It was a special night for Kane and linemate Marian Hossa.
Kane had 2 assists in regulation, including a dazzling backhand pass off a spin-o-rama to Hossa for a goal.
Hossa not only scored for the fifth game in a row that he has played, he hit two posts, including one with a fraction of a second left in overtime off a Toews faceoff win that would have counted.
Kane made one of the sweetest passes you’ll ever see to set up Hossa’s goal at 10:16 of the second period to make it 1-1. He spun away from defenseman Toni Lydman in the right circle and found Hossa flying to the net on the left side.
“A move I’ve tried a number of times and it had to connect sooner or later,” Kane said.
“Danny Carcillo did a nice job taking two guys to the net with him and it opened it up for me,” Hossa said. “From there is was a highlight reel spin-o-rams by Patrick. He knows where I was going and the pass was right on my tape. It was probably the easiest goal I could get.”
A turnover by Kane minutes later resulted in a Teemu Selanne goal and a 2-1 Anaheim lead, but Kane made up for it early in the third period when he found Patrick Sharp in the slot for a rocket past Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller with Toews screening in front.
Michael Frolik had a great chance to put the Hawks ahead at 9:35 of the third period when he busted in alone on Hiller, but the goalie made a big pad stop.
Crawford made 33 saves and Hiller 29 in a terrific goalie battle.
The Hawks’ penalty killers stood tall again as the Ducks went 1-for-6. The Hawks’ biggest kill came late after Hossa was penalized for interference with 2:10 to play.
“I thought we did a good job killing 5 (power plays), especially at dangerous times of the game,” Quenneville said.