Sports

Keith Scores In OT To Lift Blackhawks Over Avalanche 2-1

March 24, 2019 / 10:30 PM CDT / CBS Chicago

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CHICAGO (AP) — Duncan Keith scored 1:23 into overtime to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night.

The defenseman took a feed from Brandon Saad, bulled his way down left wing, shrugged off a check from Nathan MacKinnon and beat goaltender Phillipp Grubauer between the legs to snap the Blackhawks' three-game losing streak. Chicago pulled within five points of Colorado for the second Western Conference wild card.

Artem Anisimov had a power-play goal for the Blackhawks, tying it 1-all early in the third period. Corey Crawford made 19 saves.

Alexander Kerfoot scored on a 5-on-3 power play for the Avalanche, who had won four straight.

Kerfoot opened the scoring with Colorado's second 5-on-3 goal in two games. He deflected Tyson Barrie's slap shot past Crawford with 4:34 left in the second period while Marcus Kruger and Jonathan Toews were in the penalty box.

Chicago tied it on Anisimov's goal 1:44 into the third. Anisimov moved to the slot after winning the faceoff from Carl Soderberg and deflected Brent Seabrook's slap shot from the point past Grubauer. It was Chicago's second power-play goal in 11 games.

The Avalanche controlled play early, with Sven Andrighetto hitting the post 65 seconds in, but the Blackhawks gradually took over. They forced Grubauer to make 40 stops, including a brilliant glove save on Toews with 3:26 remaining in regulation.

Colorado didn't get a shot in overtime. The Avalanche controlled play for the first 50 seconds, but Chicago took control of the puck after a battle on the boards and it eventually came to Saad, who found Keith open on the left side.

NOTES: Colorado is 11-5-2 in its last 18 games. ... Chicago is 9-7-1 in its past 17 after going 10-2 to climb into the playoff race. ... Colorado LW Gabriel Landeskog (upper body) missed his eighth straight game. ... Chicago C Drake Caggiula (concussion) missed his 11th consecutive game. ... Chicago juggled its line combinations, putting a slumping Alex DeBrincat back with Toews and Patrick Kane.