Kane helps Blackhawks win fifth straight game
DALLAS -- Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist and Corey Crawford made 31 saves as the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Dallas Stars 3-2 at American Airlines Center on Saturday.
The victory extended Chicago's win streak to five games.
The Central Division rivals turn around and play at the United Center in Chicago on Sunday night.
Chicago scored 11 seconds into the game when Richard Panik shoveled home a rebound. Kane stole the puck in the neutral zone to set up the game's first chance and Niemi struggled to hold the rebound. Jonathan Toews and Panik each dug for the rebound.
Dallas tied the game up later in the period when Brett Ritchie scored his third goal of the season after a pass from Antoine Roussel. Radek Faksa didn't get an assist on the play, but the Czech center screened Crawford as Ritchie's shot slipped by at 7:21 off the first period.
The fourth line gave Dallas its first lead at 9:49 of the period. Stephen Johns took a point shot that was initially stopped, but Curtis McKenzie and Gemel Smith each had a rebound chance and the puck slipped past Crawford.
McKenzie got the goal, while Smith picked up his first career assist on the play.
Ryan Hartman tied the game for Chicago with a slap shot on a delayed penalty. Tyler Motte hit the post and the puck rebounded to Hartman, who blasted home his second goal of the season.
Chicago took a 3-2 lead on the power play when Kane easily scored after a pass from Artemi Anisimov. Anismov now has a point in 10 straight games.
Stars center Jason Spezza left the game with a lower body injury in the second period and did not return. Spezza has five points in nine games this season.
NOTES: The Stars scratched Ds Patrik Nemeth and Jamie Oleksiak for the third straight game. The Blackhawks scratched D Michal Rozsival and F Vinnie Hinostroza. Ds Trevor van Riemsdyk (upper body) and Andrew Desjardins (foot) were injury scratches for Chicago. ... Dallas F Jiri Hudler missed the game due to illness. Hudler has missed seven games while fighting a viral infection. ... G Antti Niemi started his third straight game for Dallas, while G Corey Crawford started his fourth consecutive contest for Chicago.