The plot was familiar. The main players were familiar.
So was the result.
Marian Hossa scored the winner with 28.7 seconds left in overtime to give the Blackhawks a 4-3 win Sunday over the Dallas Stars. Jonathan Toews had a goal and two assists, Artem Anisimov stretched his career-best point streak to 11 games, Patrick Kane also scored, and the Hawks overcame a late tying goal in the teams’ second game in two nights.
The Hawks led 3-2 until the 18:40 mark of the third when Gemel Smith re-directed a shot past Scott Darling to even the game and send it to overtime. After killing a Kane penalty in overtime thanks in part to a sprawling save from Darling on Patrick Eaves, Hossa scored with help from an Anisimov screen to give the Hawks the win.
“No one seems to be focused on the win streak that we’re on right now,” Toews said. “We’re just focused on every game. I think that’s a good thing that we’ve got going as well.”
The Hawks had been down 2-0 midway through the second before scoring the next three goals, continuing an ongoing theme for this team. The start was slow, the result ended up good, this time leading to their sixth straight win and a sweep of the home-and-home from Dallas.
“It’s tough to say one reason but I think when the games go on we are in a better rhythm and I think we are playing better than (at) the start,” Hossa said. “That’s the reason, but I think we have to keep improving (and) have better starts because that’s as important as finishing.”
Down 2-1 after Kane’s second-period goal, the Hawks scored twice in 56 seconds early in the third to take the lead. Toews tied the game at the 3:39 mark when he directed a slick Hossa pass past Kari Lehtonen to tie the game. Toews then set up the go-ahead score by driving to the net and firing the puck off Lehtonen’s pads, with Anisimov sending the rebound into the net for the lead.
Though that lead didn’t hold up, the Hawks were able to come away with two more points.
“I think there’s a lot of positives to take away,” Toews said. “I think we’re relying more and more on some young guys in key situations. Four lines are getting involved in getting their minutes up. We’re getting contributions from everyone.”
The Hawks did, however, get some bad news on a night they extended their run.
With 6:37 left in the second period, promising rookie Tyler Motte was engaged with the Stars’ Radek Faksa and went into the boards. After struggling to get up, Motte barely was able to put weight on his left leg and headed straight to the dressing room and did not return.
Joel Quenneville said the team would know more about Motte’s injury in the next day or so and might miss some games.
Motte’s injury was a downer on a night the Hawks found a way to pick up more points that could be valuable later this season.
The Hawks fell behind 1-0 in the first on Tyler Seguin’s power-play goal, and Dallas extended its lead to 2-0 in the second when Smith scored a shorthanded goal at the 8:29 mark of the period.
Darling, making his first start since October 22 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, stopped 32 shots.
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