Chicago Blackhawks rally just to get game to OT
Jeremy Colliton minced no words after the Blackhawks' 3-2 overtime loss Tuesday night at Minnesota.
“It's been awhile since we played that poorly,” the second-year coach told reporters after Matt Dumba's goal at 2:21 of OT lifted the Wild to just its second win in nine games. “Our performance was far from what we need.”
How bad was it? This bad:
• The Hawks' first shot on goal — from Olli Matta — came 12:38 into the game.
• Minnesota peppered Corey Crawford with 8 shots in the first eight minutes and outshot the Hawks 12-4 in the first period.
• Alex DeBrincat and Ryan Carpenter both failed to convert breakaway chances.
• Brandon Saad, gathering up a Connor Murphy rebound, inexplicably elected to pass rather than fire on a wide-open net with 3:12 left in the second period.
• After two periods, half of the Hawks' shots were from Murphy (3), Alex Nylander (2) and David Kampf (2).
• Patrick Kane was mostly a nonfactor and had his 12-game point streak snapped.
Add it all up and it's easy to see why the flat-footed, error-prone Hawks were extremely fortunate to return home with a point. Crawford's spectacular play in net, which included a save on a Ryan Donato breakaway with 9:14 remaining, was the primary reason Colliton's squad was even in the game.
“All year he's been great,” Duncan Keith said of Crawford. “It's not just the last month and a half. Early on we weren't playing well as a team — as good as we have been lately. So he got hung out to dry a few times there.
“If you look (at the) games, he was making big save after big save. Unfortunately the game would be 4-0 anyway. Goaltending's been great all year — him and Robin (Lehner).”
Minnesota, which crept within 3 points of the Hawks (25-21-7), took a 2-0 lead on a pair second-period goals by Kevin Fiala.
The Hawks finally came out with a purpose in the third period and got on the board when Adam Boqvist's long blast found its mark with 13:37 remaining. Keith registered his 499th assist on Boqvist's third goal of the season.
Maatta evened things up with 3:10 left when his 45-foot shot from the sideboards eluded goalie Alex Stalock.
“I was just trying to surprise him,” said Maatta, who has 4 goals for the Hawks and 29 in 410 career games. “I feel like whenever you get a chance just try to get it on net. Our forwards did a great job of screening the goalie.”
Crawford finished with 31 saves, while Stalock made 27.
The Hawks are 8-1-1 in their last 10 road games. They play again Wednesday when Boston invades the United Center for a 7 p.m. puck drop.
“Every point is crucial, so feel good to get one (against the Wild),” Keith said. “We'll try to carry the momentum we had there in the third (period) into the next game. ...
“Good team (in) Boston tomorrow and we're gonna need to be ready.”
• Twitter: @johndietzdh
Scouting report
Blackhawks vs. Boston Bruins, 7 p.m. at United Center
TV: NBCSN
Radio: WGN 720-AM
The skinny: Boston defeated Vancouver 4-0 on Tuesday to extend its winning streak to four. The Bruins (32-10-12) are a battle with Washington, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay for the top overall seed in the Eastern Conference. ... David Pastrnak has 38 goals and is on pace for 58. He has 23 multi-point games. The Bruins have also gotten 23 goals from Brad Marchand and 22 from Patrice Bergeron. ... Boston entered Tuesday's action with the league's second-best power play (27.2 percent) and third-best penalty kill (84.2). ... The Hawks, after blowing a 3-0 lead by allowing 3 third-period goals, defeated Boston 4-3 on Dec. 5 when Jonathan Toews scored 54 seconds into overtime.
Next: Winnipeg Jets, 6 p.m. Sunday at Bell MTS Place
— John Dietz