Blackhawks 5, Stars 1
DALLAS -- Center Artem Anisimov had a goal and three assists and goaltender Corey Crawford stopped 36 shots for the Chicago Blackhawks in a 5-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday at American Airlines Center.
Chicago (36-16-4), which won its third straight game, also got goals from defensemen Brent Seabrook and Trevor van Riemsdyk, and right wingers Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane.
The Blackhawks finished their four-game road trip at 3-1-0. Chicago led 3-1 after one period and 5-1 after two.
Center Tyler Seguin scored for Dallas (33-15-5), which saw its two-game winning streak end.
Lehtonen stopped 13 of 15 shots in relief of Antti Niemi, who was pulled after allowing three goals in the first period.
Chicago took the lead 34 seconds into the game when defenseman Brent Seabrook scored a power-play goal with a slap shot from the right point that beat Stars goaltender Antti Niemi to his short side. Seabrook's eighth goal of the season came five seconds into a power play resulting from a hooking call on Stars defenseman John Klingberg.
The Blackhawks took a 2-0 lead when defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk scored his third goal of the season off a rebound during a 4-on-4. A wrist shot by left winger Artemi Panarin from the left point struck Niemi in the shoulder. The ensuing carom fell to van Riemsdyk and he beat Niemi with a snap shot to the far post.
Dallas answered with 2:14 remaining in the period when center Tyler Seguin scored his 28th goal of the season off a rebound. Stars left winger and captain Jamie Benn found the left goal post with a wrist shot from the slot. The rebound traveled behind Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford, who didn't see where the puck went, allowing Seguin to pounce at the far post.
Chicago regained its two-goal advantage with 58 seconds remaining in the first period when right winger Marian Hossa scored a shorthanded goal off a rebound. Blackhawks center and captain Jonathan Toews had the initial shot, a wrister from the slot which was denied with a pad save by Niemi after Toews cut inside and evaded Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski.
Hossa made it 3-1 with a wrist shot that trickled over the line through Niemi's five-hole. Toews was credited with his 300th career assist. Chicago had been shorthanded for 14 seconds after Seabrook was called for holding with 1:13 remaining in the first period.
Goaltender Kari Lehtonen replaced Niemi in net to start the second period. Niemi stopped 8 of 11 shots prior to departing.
Anisimov scored Chicago's second shorthanded goal of the evening to make it 4-1 with 7:21 remaining in the second period. Anisimov was able to poke the puck past Goligoski at the Dallas blue line and sent a wrist shot from the slot in over Lehtonen's blocker for his 18th goal of the season.
Chicago added to its lead with 2:36 remaining in the second when center Patrick Kane scored his 32nd goal of the season. Lehtonen denied the initial shot from Anisimov, but Kane tapped in the rebound at the far post to make it 5-1.
NOTES: Blackhawks D Rob Scuderi, LW Jiri Sekac and D Viktor Svedberg were scratched. ... Stars D Jyrki Jokipakka, LW Travis Moen and D Jamie Oleksiak were scratched. ... Dallas was playing at home for the first time since the NHL All-Star break. ... Blackhawks G Corey Crawford was starting a fifth consecutive game. ... Stars G Antti Niemi was starting a sixth consecutive game. ... Blackhawks D Erik Gustafsson was teammates with Stars C Mattias Janmark with Frolunda of Sweden last season. ... Niemi, Stars D Johnny Oduya and LW Patrick Sharp are each former Blackhawks and members of several of Chicago's recent Stanley Cup championship teams. Niemi won one Cup, Oduya won two and Sharp won three. ... Blackhawks RW Andrew Shaw was appearing in his 300th career game. ... Dallas will play six of its next eight games on the road.