Panik hat trick carries Blackhawks past Predators
CHICAGO -- Richard Panik registered his first career hat trick and Scott Darling made 33 saves as the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Nashville Predators 5-3 on Saturday night at the United Center.
Panik's third goal came with 90 seconds remaining after teammate Patrick Kane froze Nashville goalie Marek Mazanec and then delivered the puck to a wide-open Panik, who closed out Chicago's first victory of the season.
Panik's second goal came at the 4:56 mark of the third period and gave Chicago (1-2) a 4-2 lead after the Predators (1-1) had closed the gap to one goal after the Blackhawks jumped out to an early advantage in the first period.
But after Panik's second goal, Nashville again got to within a goal midway through the third period when Viktor Arvidsson snapped a wrist shot past Darling, who made a handful of impressive and sprawling saves to keep Chicago on top.
The Blackhawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and scored three goals on five shots in just over four minutes. Nick Schmaltz scored his first career NHL goal to begin the scoring barrage on Mazanec, who made his first start since 2015.
Brent Seabrook then scored just six seconds into a Chicago power play to extend the Blackhawks' lead before Panik beat Mazanec to give the Blackhawks the three-goal advantage.
Nashville, which doubled up Chicago on shots on goal 16-8 in the first period, scored with 1:29 remaining in the period when Colin Wilson tapped in a rebound after Blackhawks' goalie Scott Darling turned away James Neal's initial shot.
The Predators used another late goal in the second period to trim the deficit to 3-2 with 1:16 remaining. Craig Smith tallied a power-play goal that sailed over Darling's shoulder and into the upper corner of the net to get Nashville to within a goal.
NOTES: Predators G Marek Mazanec got the nod in net for Nashville, making his first start since Jan. 30, 2015. Nashville scratched D Anthony Bitetto and C Cody Bass. ... Blackhawks F Ryan Hartman missed Saturday night's game with a lower-body injury he sustained in Friday night's loss to the Predators. After saying Hartman would "miss some time" on Friday, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said on Saturday that Hartman had been upgraded to day-to-day and that a recall would not be needed. C Dennis Rasmussen replaced Hartman in the lineup Saturday. ... Chicago scratched D Trevor van Riemsdyk and D Michal Rozsival. Van Riemsdyk struggled with penalties in the season opener against St. Louis.