‘Tenacious’ Andrew Shaw rebounds with key goal

The first run-in between New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist and Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw — behind the Rangers’ net early in the first period — didn’t work out too well for Shaw.

At all.

“He was behind the net playing the puck and I knew he didn’t see me on his back side,” Shaw said. “So I came in to give him a whack on the stick and his helmet cage caught me in the face.”

The collision sent Shaw speeding straight toward the locker room. He returned a short time later sporting 10 stitches.

The next time the two crossed paths, Shaw came out on top after re-directing Johnny Oduya’s shot past Lundqvist to tie the game at 1-1 in the second period.

“Shawsie had a strong game,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “He’s tenacious.”

Hammer back:

After missing 13 of the last 14 games with concussion symptoms, Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson was back in the lineup Friday against the Rangers.

“He gives you important minutes,” said Joel Quenneville, who had Hjalmarsson paired with Dylan Olsen. “I think Hammer defends as well as anybody in our own end.

“He can kill penalties for us, he can play important minutes. It’s nice to have that predictability that he provides back there.”

Hjalmarsson played 14:30 and finished plus-1.

“It’s obviously pretty tough coming in after being gone for that many games,” Hjalmarsson said.

His coach liked what he saw.

“With the addition of Johnny (Oduya), this helps give us three solid pairs,” Quenneville said. “Getting Hammer back there ... it really helps us.”

Tip-ins:

Friday marked the 180th consecutive capacity crowd at the United Center, a franchise record. ... Former University of Illinois football stars Pierre Thomas and Dave Diehl shot the puck between periods.