Hawks on hot streak with another OT win
Two games in a row in net for Corey Crawford?
No problem.
Two games in a row in which the Blackhawks faced a third-period deficit?
Big deal.
The suddenly sizzling Hawks are doing very little wrong and finding ways to overcome whatever obstacles are in their way.
Coach Joel Quenneville's team did it again Sunday in a 4-3 overtime win over San Jose at the United Center when Andrew Shaw tied things up 6:51 into the third period and Jonathan Toews tapped in the game-winner off a perfect pass from Patrick Kane in OT.
Said Shaw: “It's one of those games that builds character through the year (and) shows if you stick to your gut and keep working hard … and doing all the little things right that you can find a way to win.”
That's exactly what happened Saturday when the Hawks escaped Buffalo with a 3-2 shootout victory thanks to Kane knotting the score at 2-2 with just 33 seconds left in regulation.
Sunday was another full team effort with Crawford making 33 saves, none bigger than when Joonas Donskoi unleased a one-timer that stuck right into Crawford's glove hand with 8:57 remaining.
“I saw the pass kind of poke out there (to Donskoi),” Crawford said. “I got a good read on that one.”
Even though the Hawks were playing on back-to-back days, Quenneville elected to stay with his hot goalie.
Crawford, who has stopped 236 of 245 shots in his last 8 starts for a .963 save percentage, certainly didn't mind. Nor did any of his teammates.
“When he's playing the way he is, it gives you more energy,” Toews said. “I think he's excited to get back in the net any chance he gets and he's making a huge difference for us every night.”
Shaw has been playing inspired, blue-collar hockey for the better part of a month. On the tying goal, recent call-up Phillip Danault kept the puck alive in the corner and got it to Shaw, who kicked it to his stick and slapped it past Martin Jones.
“He's been playing awesome lately,” Toews said. “He's hungry, he's hitting, he's taking hits. He wants the puck. He's playing smart all over the rink … creating, good defensively. Not much more you can say about Shawzie.”
Artem Anisimov snapped an 8-game goal-scoring drought to open the scoring 4:18 into the first period and Kane notched his 21st goal at 15:39 of the first to it at 2-2.
In overtime, Toews and Kane broke free on a 2-on-1 rush that ended with Kane feeding Toews for the easy game-winner.
“It's just an honor to be out there on the ice with Kaner, the way he's playing,” said a smiling Toews. “Just put my stick on the ice and it goes in the net. It's that simple.”
The Hawks are now 7-2 in their last nine games. The hot streak is starting to mimic their 16-3-1 stretch from last season that went from mid-November to the end December. That tear moved the Hawks from fourth in the Central Division to first.
This run has moved them from fifth into a tie for second, with a game against Patrick Sharp, Johnny Oduya and the first-place Stars coming Tuesday.
Toews was asked about what it will be like to play against his former teammates.
“Obviously two guys, two players, we miss on and off the ice, we miss a great deal in this room,” he said. “At the end of the day — other than Tuesday — we're happy to see them doing well. Should be fun to go up against those guys.”
• Marian Hossa missed Sunday's win over the Sharks with an upper-body injury. Coach Joel Quenneville said Hossa will not travel to Dallas but considers the forward day-to-day. Brandon Mashinter took Hossa's place in the lineup against the Sharks.