Nick Schmaltz scored the game-winning goal in a seven-round shootout to lift the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night at United Center.
Nick Schmaltz goes through the wickets of Condon in the top of the seventh. Forsberg denies Stone, #Blackhawks win. pic.twitter.com/7NvV9Xrr6m
— Cristiano Simonetta (@CMS_74_) February 22, 2018
Patrick Kane and rookie Alex DeBrincat also scored in the shootout for Chicago, while Ottawa’s Matt Duchene and Mike Hoffman found the back of the net. Chicago goaltender Anton Forsberg stopped Mark Stone in the bottom of the seventh round for Chicago’s second win in February.
With the victory, the Hawks completed a season series sweep of the Senators and improved to 8-1 in their last nine home games against them.
Chicago dominated the first period by holding Ottawa to a mere two shots on net until the closing minutes of the frame. Kane scored the opening goal off a nifty drop pass from Vinnie Hinostroza, who collected his fourth point in his last four games with the helper. Hinostroza now has seven goals and 13 assists in 30 games this season.
Ottawa answered in quick fashion. Less than two minutes later, Zach Smith knocked in a Derick Brassard centering pass to tie it.
Brandon Saad nearly gave the Hawks a 2-1 lead late in the opening frame, but Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson, a two-time Norris trophy winner, cleared the puck off the goal line.
.@ErikKarlsson65 with the save! pic.twitter.com/BNUDuGGokm
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) February 22, 2018
Kane then took over to create the Hawks’ next goal. He carried the puck to the point, spun and lost a defender to create space for a feed to Artem Anisimov for a 2-1 advantage.
The Senators again responded when a Schmaltz offensive zone turnover led to Stone sending a pass to Duchene, who had his shot redirect off Hawks defenseman Jordan Oesterle’s leg and past Forsberg midway through the second. It was Stone’s second assist of the game.
Forsberg made big stop after big stop in the third period and into overtime to keep the Hawks in the game. He made 32 saves in his seventh win this season and picked up his second NHL career shootout win. His first was Jan. 2, 2016, with Columbus against Washington.
Patrick Kane: “We need every point we can get at this point. There’s still belief in this locker room.” #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) February 22, 2018
The Hawks finish off their five-game homestand against San Jose at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
3 stars
1. Patrick Kane (CHI) — 2 goals (1 regulation, 1 shootout), 1 assist
2. Anton Forsberg (CHI) — 32 saves
3. Nick Schmaltz (CHI) — 1 shootout