Blackhawks Cage Coyotes In Shootout
The Blackhawks scored twice in the first period to take an early lead. The Phoenix Coyotes came back in the second period before the Hawks tied it in the second period. Neither team could score in either the third period or overtime. The Blackhawks finished it in the shootout to take home another win.
Jonathan Toews scored twice in regulation and had the lone goal in the shootout to lead the Chicago Blackhawks over the Phoenix Coyotes 4-3 on Sunday night for their fourth straight victory.
Marian Hossa also scored for Chicago, 6-1-2 in its last nine games.
Adrian Aucoin, Keith Yandle and Martin Hanzal scored in the second for the Coyotes, who came back to tie it 3-all late in the period after trailing by two goals twice. The Coyotes are 0-2-1 following an eight-game winning streak.
Chicago's Corey Crawford made 26 saves, while Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 38 shots for Phoenix.
The Blackhawks agreed to a five-year contract extension with defenseman Brent Seabrook earlier in the day. The deal reportedly will pay $5.8 million annually to the 25-year-old, Chicago's No. 2 defenseman behind Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith.
Toews scored twice in the first period as Chicago dominated the first 20 minutes. His shot from a sharp angle off the right wing boards slipped through several players and past Bryzgalov just 2:52 in to open the scoring.
Toews deflected in Seabrook's screened shot from the right point during a 5-on-3 Chicago power play with 3:05 left in the period to make it 2-0.
Aucoin cut it to 2-1 at 2:13 of the second on a low shot from the top of the slot following a faceoff in the Chicago zone.
Hossa's power-play score at 8:14 made it 3-1. Bryzgalov made a pad save on Hossa's initial shot from the slot, then the rebound popped out to Patrick Kane at the right side of the crease. Kane lost control of the puck, but Hossa swept in and scored.
Phoenix responded with two power-play goals from faceoffs late in the second to tie it at 3.
Yandle's quick shot through traffic from the top of the slot landed in the lower right corner of the net with 8:49 remaining in the period to cut it to 3-2.
Hanzal tied it with just under 3 minutes left in the second when he batted in a rebound from the crease.
Both teams had several prime chances in the scoreless third.
Notes: Chicago D Jordan Hendry left early in the third after being hit by Shane Doan along the boards. ... Seabrook has played his entire career with the Blackhawks, and was their first-round draft pick (14th overall) in 2003. ... Phoenix LW Scottie Upshall returned after serving a two-game suspension for an illegal hit on Philadelphia's Oskars Bartulis. ... Coyotes LW Ray Whitney returned after missing three games with a lower-body injury. ... Aucoin returned after missing five games with a lower-body injury.
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