Toews' late goal lifts Blackhawks past Canucks
CHICAGO -- Jonathan Toews scored a goal and had three assists and scored with 1:18 remaining to lift the Chicago Blackhawks to a 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night at the United Center.
Toews scored the game-winner after he rebounded a Richard Panik shot that ricocheted off the back boards and found its way to Toews, who fired a shot into an empty net. Toews then tallied his final assist on Marian Hossa's empty-net goal that finished off the victory, the Blackhawks' third straight.
Corey Crawford made 26 saves for Chicago (30-14-5) and earned his 200th career victory.
Toews scored after the Canucks (22-20-6) knotted the game at two in in the third period with a pair of goals in a span of 46 seconds. Troy Stecher got Vancouver on the board with a power-play goal that came just 10 seconds after Michal Kempny was called for a holding penalty. Stecher fired a shot through traffic and the puck glazed Crawford's glove before finding the net.
Bo Horvat drew the Canucks even when he rebounded his own shot that Crawford knocked down in front of the net, but couldn't secure. Horvat grabbed the puck and slid it past Crawford for the equalizer with just more than 14 minutes to play.
Ryan Miller finished with 31 saves for the Canucks.
The Blackhawks led 2-0 after the first period. Panik collected a pass from Brian Campbell and fired a one-timer past Miller to give Chicago an early lead. Campbell, who joined the Blackhawks in the offseason, notched his 500th career point on the assist.
Patrick Kane extended the advantage later in the first when he fired a shot over Miller's shoulder and just under the crossbar after Toews -- who had the secondary assist on Panik's goal -- found Kane in the slot.
NOTES: Canucks C Bo Horvat played Sunday two nights after being hit in the back of the head by a slapshot on Friday. Horvat told reporters at Sunday's morning skate that he's still sore and may explore playing with a bigger helmet. ... C Reid Boucher and D Jordan Subban were scratched. ... Blackhawks G Corey Crawford returned to the starting lineup after Scott Darling made 30 saves in a 1-0 win over the Boston Bruins Friday. Coach Joel Quenneville told reporters at Sunday's morning skate he wanted to get Crawford -- who entered Sunday one victory shy of his 200th career win -- back to get back to the form he displayed before struggling in his last six starts. ... C Marcus Kruger skated Sunday morning for the first time since sustaining a hand injury Dec. 30 against the Carolina Hurricanes. ... RW Jordin Tootoo and D Michal Rozsival were scratched.