Kane helps Blackhawks snap 3-game skid
By John Dietz
jdietz@dailyherald.com
Very few victories have come easily for the Blackhawks this season, but 15 minutes into their game Thursday night at Arizona it certainly looked like fans finally could enjoy a laugher as Patrick Kane, Ryan Hartman and Marian Hossa provided a 3-0 lead.
Facing a Coyotes team with the second-fewest points in the NHL, it should have been game, set, match.
But it was not to be.
Arizona, using the momentum of 5 minor penalties taken by the Hawks, stormed back with 3 second-period goals and made coach Joel Quenneville's team work their collective tails off to claim a 4-3 victory.
Three of those Hawks' penalties in the second period were for delay of game for sending the puck over the glass.
The guilty parties were Artem Anisimov, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Brian Campbell.
"We've got to keep it in the building," Quenneville told reporters afterward. "Tough to lose momentum on plays like that. I thought we played a great first period - had a great start to the game."
No doubt about that.
Kane (8:44) and Hossa (14:15) scored on power plays, a welcome sight for a squad that was 1 of 20 with the extra man over the last eight games.
"Nice to get that going," Quenneville said.
Kane ripped a shot that sailed over Mike Smith's left shoulder for his 16th goal. Hossa, meanwhile, streaked in over the blue line, took a pass from Artemi Panarin and beat Smith with a wrist shot from just eight feet out.
Arizona made it 3-1 early in the second by scoring on a two-man advantage, but Panarin restored the 3-goal lead less than four minutes later with a wicked one-timer from the left faceoff dot. Panarin, now with 18 goals, snapped an eight-game drought.
"I thought he had more jump (and) more possession with the puck," Quenneville said.
Arizona stayed alive when Christian Dvorak tipped in a blast by Shane Doan at 14:24 of the second period, then quickly made it 4-3 when Brendan Perlini scored at 15:51.
"Just kind of let them back in the game - gave it to them," said Corey Crawford, who made 24 saves and won his 201st game to tie Ed Belfour for third most in Hawks history. "Just can't do that against any team. It's one of the bottom teams in the league and they still come back. It's a good lesson for us."
From there - other than a late rush by Shane Doan that a sliding Trevor van Riemsdyk turned away by getting his left skate on the puck - the Hawks locked in defensively and allowed Arizona just 7 shots on goal in the final 20 minutes.
"I like how we stabilized the game in the third period," said Quenneville, whose team snapped a three-game skid and improved to 31-17-5.
The Hawks continue their six-game road trip Saturday in Dallas with a 7 p.m. puck drop.
• Vinnie Hinostroza, Jordin Tootoo and defenseman Michal Kempny were the healthy scratches. It was Hinostroza's first scratch since Game 18. … Kane's goal was the 267th of his career, tying him for seventh place in Blackhawks history with Jeremy Roenick. … Andrew Desjardins picked up his first point of the season by registering an assist on Hartman's goal.
• Follow John on Twitter @johndietzdh