Chicago Blackhawks' Kane sees streak end at 20 games
Patrick Kane's remarkable 20-game point streak came to an end during the Chicago Blackhawks' 4-3 loss to Dallas on Sunday at the United Center.
"He had a good run," coach Jeremy Colliton said afterward.
Kane finished with 9 shots (7 on goal) in 25 minutes, 50 seconds of ice time against the Stars.
He became just the seventh player in NHL history to compile two 20-game point streaks in his career. Only Wayne Gretzky, who did it seven times, accomplished the feat more than twice.
"He's been very important for us," Colliton said. "It just didn't go in for him (against Dallas) or for the guys he's playing with. But I'm sure he'll start a new one next game."
Kane had 17 goals and 26 assists during the streak. He has 39 goals and 54 assists on the season.
Too late?
When Roman Pollak was whistled for a double-minor, high-sticking penalty with 4:34 remaining, it gave the Blackhawks a golden opportunity to tie Sunday's game against Dallas.
Coach Jeremy Colliton elected not to pull goalie Cam Ward, however, until an offensive zone faceoff with 1:19 remaining. He defended the decision to leave Ward in net rather than create a 6-on-4 opportunity.
"Sometimes you just can't get him out or you don't like who's on the ice, or you want to make sure that you give your top guys a crack at it," Colliton said. "If we don't have our best six out there and then we pull the goalie, (and) we get scored (on) then I probably didn't do my job."
The Hawks' second unit of Artem Anisimov, Brandon Saad, Dominik Kahun, Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith was on the ice from 2:17 remaining until goalie Anton Khudobin saved an Anisimov shot with 80 seconds left.
Rough break:
Mats Zuccarello, whom the Stars acquired from the New York Rangers on Friday, believes he broke his arm after blocking a Connor Murphy shot late in the second period Sunday. He is expected to miss at least four weeks.
Zuccarello had a goal, an assist and was a plus-3 against the Blackhawks. His slick feed out of the defensive zone sprung Radek Faksa on a breakaway, and Faksa converted to give Dallas a 1-0 lead. Zuccarello then scored 1:44 into the second period to make it 3-0.
The 31-year-old Zuccarello has 12 goals and 27 assists in 47 games.
Slap shots:
Jonathan Toews, who scored in the third period against Dallas, has 29 goals - 5 shy of his career high. … Erik Gustafsson has 7 assists over the last three games. … Chris Kunitz's second-period goal was his second of the season and 265th of his career. … The Blackhawks acquired Spencer Watson from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for forward Matheson Iacopelli. Watson will report to Rockford. … The trade deadline is Monday at 2 p.m.