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RECAP: Blackhawks Beat Islanders 3–2 In Shootout

  
RECAP: Blackhawks Beat Islanders 3–2 In Shootout
Starting the season without the captain(Photo by Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Chicago Blackhawks entered tonight’s contest after defeating the Washington Capitals on Sunday. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, each scoring five points in the 8–5 final, continue to lead the top-heavy offense against the New York Islanders tonight. The Islanders entered the game having shutout their last two opponents, Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals, and lead the league in goals against.

Cam Ward received the start in net for the Blackhawks. The 34-year old goaltender struggled against the New Jersey Devils in his last start, surrendering six goals. The Islanders started Robin Lehner in goal. The 27-year old has been excellent this season (2.02 GAA, .930 SV%).

This was your Blackhawks starting lineup:
Drake Caggiula–Jonathan Toews–Patrick Kane
Alex DeBrincat–Dylan Strome–Dominik Kahun
Brandon Saad–David Kampf–Marcus Kruger
Chris Kunitz–Artem Anisimov–John Hayden
Duncan Keith–Brent Seabrook
Slater Koekkoek–Connor Murphy
Erik Gustafsson–Henri Jokiharju

PERIOD ONE

The Islanders got on the board first, at the 2:19 mark, when center Valtteri Filppula beat Ward five-hole, for his eleventh goal of the season.  The unassisted goal was one Ward would like back. Artem Anisimov lost the defensive zone draw, to Filppula, which lead to the goal.

The Barry Trotz coached Islanders held the Blackhawks to nine shots on goal in the first period. Trotz’s teams are known for their defensive structure and commitment to their own end, it showed in the first frame. The Islanders were credited with thirteen shots on goal for the period.

PERIOD TWO

Dylan Strome scored on the power play, at the 6:05 mark, tying the game 1–1. The Islanders received two penalties on the same play when forward Matt Martin roughed John Hayden and forward Cal Clutterbuck slashed Artem Anisimov. The goal, assisted by Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, was Strome’s twelfth of the season (ninth with the Blackhawks).

The Islanders would not wait long to regain the lead. Center Mathew Barzal took a puck from a pinching Connor Murphy and beat Carl Dahlstrom to the net, slipping a backhand past Ward giving the Islanders the 2 – 1 lead.

Jonathan Toews tied the game, at the 19:38 mark, when he batted home the Blackhawks’ second power play goal of the game. Strome slid a cross-crease pass to DeBrincat, at the left dot, who fired a shot on Islander goaltender Robin Lehner, whose rebound found the back of the net after Toews picked the puck out of thin air.

Chicago outshot the Islanders 18–7 for the second period.

PERIOD THREE

Both teams played a cautious early third period, as both teams focused on not giving up an early period goal.

Midway through the period, Erik Gustafsson saved a goal when Ward tired to freeze a puck but had the puck poked away from his grasp. Gustafsson fell to the ice in the crease, sprawling out in an attempt to save a goal, leaving the game tied.

https://twitter.com/NJviDs/status/1087918764975374339

The Blackhawks’ penalty kill came up huge after Patrick Kane took a hooking on Filpulla, at the 12:14 mark in the period. Chicago looked solid on the penalty kill not allowing much sustained pressure from the Islanders.

The Islanders outshot the Blackhawks 12–10 in the third period, however, at the end of regulation, Chicago lead in shots 37–32.

OVERTIME

The 3-on-3 overtime started with the Islanders controlling most of the first half of the extra period, however, the rest of the period turned into an end-to-end shootout. Both Ward and Lehner made excellent saves on back-to-back rushes. The overtime was about as exciting one can be without either team scoring a goal.

SHOOTOUT LINEUPS
Jonathan Toews – Goal
Josh Bailey – No Goal
Patrick Kane – Goal
Mathew Barzal – No goal

Toews and Kane both buried their chances on Lehner in the shootout. The final attempt by Barzal required a flashy glove save by Ward, securing the Blackhawks victory 3–2.

PLUSES

  • Chicago scored two more power play goals tonight. The Blackhawks have now scored a power play goal in nine consecutive games and 12 of their last 13 games.
  • Dylan Strome scored the Blackhawks first goal of the game and assisted on another. The 21-year old center has seven points in his last six games.
  • Cam Ward stopped 34 of the 36 shots he faced. Ward let in an early “easy” goal but bounced back to help the home team earn a point.

MINUSES

  • The Blackhawks gave up another early first period goal. The home team was able to overcome the deficit tonight, but as we’ve seen, this is not a recipe for success.
  • Chicago was credited with 13 giveaways. Cleaning up their exits from the defensive end is still a work in progress.
  • Chris Kunitz managed a -2 in 8:38 of ice time.

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