Chicago Blackhawks stay hot with win over Penguins
There is just no stopping the Chicago Blackhawks these days.
No stopping them from making last-minute deals in the trade market. No stopping sick, did-you-see-that moves. And there's certainly no stopping Patrick Kane of late.
On a whirlwind day that saw the Hawks welcome back old friend Johnny Oduya, they also got a hat trick from Kane and a highlight-reel goal from Richard Panik during a 4-1 victory over the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night at the United Center.
Oh, and they got another amazing performance from Scott Darling, who started because Corey Crawford is still working his way back from an illness.
The Hawks have won 10 of 11 and are just 3 points behind division-leading Minnesota.
There was, however, some bad news as coach Joel Quenneville said Artem Anisimov is going to miss some time after going down hard during his only shift of the second period. The big center was working on the mobility of his right knee on the bench afterward. Anisimov attempted to take his next shift, but after pumping his right leg a few times he went to the dressing room and did not return.
"Guys are going to have step in and play a different role," said Kane, who has 27 goals, 12 coming in the last 11 games.
One of those guys is Nick Schmaltz, and what a show he put on while centering Kane and Artemi Panarin during the last two periods.
Midway through the second, Schmaltz did a fantastic job of backchecking and stripped the puck from Jake Guentzel. He spun around and threw a perfect pass to Kane, who beat Marc-Andre Fleury and gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead.
Then with the Hawks nursing a 2-1 advantage late in the game, Kane scored after Schmaltz split a pair of Penguins and backhanded a pass to last year's MVP in the right slot.
"Wow, what a couple of great plays (Schmaltz) made on my first 2 goals," Kane said. "He played great. … Not many guys can bring it to their backhand and make a pass like that (to) pretty much give me an open net."
Quenneville said Schmaltz will stay with Panarin and Kane with Anisimov out, while Ryan Hartman figures to move up with Toews and Panik.
As for Panik's move, if you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and load it up. With the game tied at 1-1 late in the second period, he made his way to center ice and put a sick move on Evgeni Malkin by sliding the puck between his legs. In the next motion, he wristed a shot past Fleury with 24 seconds remaining.
"I think I scored like that in juniors," said Panik, who is on a seven-game point streak. "When you feel it, you feel it. You're just playing with confidence; that's what's behind it."
The same can be said of all the Blackhawks, a team that looks as unstoppable as any in the league.