Hawks' amazing streak hits 21
Stop if you've heard this before.
“It wasn't our best game, but we found a way to win,” Viktor Stalberg said after the Blackhawks did it again Friday night, extending their record streak to 21 games without a loss in regulation to start the season after a 4-3 win in over Columbus in overtime.
“You get that little swagger and confidence when you're on a streak like this and you have a feeling amongst yourselves that you're going to find a way to get it done,” Stalberg said. “The first period, or parts of it, was pretty ugly and we find a way to come out 1-1. That's the sign of a good team and a confident team.”
Brent Seabrook converted a sweet pass from Jonathan Toews at 3:23 of OT to give the Hawks their eighth straight victory.
Toews turned Blue Jackets defenseman Adrian Aucoin inside out and then slid a perfect pass to a streaking Seabrook flying to the net.
“I didn't really expect Tazer to make that pass,” Seabrook said. “He didn't look at me once and I didn't yell. He's pretty good in those situations so I just let him do his thing. I don't think I shot the puck. It was such a hard pass it just hit my stick and bounced in.”
Hawks coach Joel Quenneville called it a great play by Toews.
“It was a great play on the wall, great pass, great finish — just a great play,” Quenneville said.
The third line came through with goals from Stalberg and Bryan Bickell to cap a great week.
“Maybe not our best game, but that's the kind of game where our third line comes in handy and our depth players, or whatever you want to call us, contribute a lot and find a way to get it done,” Stalberg said.
It has been quite a week for Bickell, starting Monday when he set up linemate Andrew Shaw for the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Columbus.
Bickell set up Shaw again for a goal in Thursday's win at St. Louis.
On Friday in a rematch with the Blue Jackets at the United Center, Bickell made a steal and scored himself to snap a 2-2 tie.
Patrick Sharp and Bickell scored 59 seconds apart late in the second period to wipe out a 2-1 Columbus lead.
Sharp beat goalie Steve Mason with a backhander from a difficult angle left at 17:20 that Mason just muffed.
Bickell made it 3-2 at 18:19 when he stole a pass intended for Nikita Nikitin and steamed the other way. Mason never moved on Bickell's hard wrist shot from the left side.
“Our depth means a lot on this team,” Bickell said. “I was happy to get a good shot on net and sneak one through.”
Columbus tied the game 3-3 with 7:37 to play when Ryan Johansen scored from in front.
Vinny Prospal scored 31 seconds into the game after Hawks goalie Ray Emery coughed up a soft rebound in front. Artem Anisimov made it 2-1 at 12:42 of the second period on a long slap shot that hit Daniel Carcillo and changed direction.
With the Hawks sitting at 18-0-3, Quenneville was asked if he ever looked at his team's record and just said wow.
“I might have said it once,” Quenneville joked. “We're definitely pleased and happy.”
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