Panarin, Blackhawks Beat Penguins For 2nd Straight Night
CHICAGO (AP) — Rookie Artemi Panarin scored two goals for the second straight night, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat Pittsburgh, 3-1, on Wednesday for their second win against the Penguins in two days.
Panarin broke a 1-1 tie when he jumped on a loose puck after a faceoff and whipped it over the glove of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury at 8:56 of the third. Teuvo Teravainen added an empty-net goal as Chicago earned its season-high fifth straight win in the opener of a four-game homestand.
Panarin also had two goals in Chicago's 3-2 victory at Pittsburgh on Tuesday night, including the winner in overtime. The Russian winger leads all NHL rookies with 15 goals and 38 points.
Scott Darling, filling in for starter Corey Crawford, made 17 saves as the Blackhawks swept the season series against the Penguins for the second straight year.
Evgeni Malkin scored for Pittsburgh, and Fleury finished with 34 stops. The Penguins had won two in a row and four of six before the two losses against the Blackhawks.
With Fleury looking strong and Chicago keeping most of the action away from Darling, the teams exchanged screened goals in the first two periods.
Artem Anisimov was camped out in front when Panarin wristed a shot by Fleury for a 1-0 lead at 15:58 of the first. Panarin's goal capped an extended stretch in Pittsburgh's zone for Chicago's second line.
Malkin tied it with his 19th goal at 7:33 of the second. With Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews in the box for high sticking and Patric Hornqvist making life difficult for Darling in front, Malkin's big drive from the point went off the inside of the crossbar and into the net.
Chicago had a chance to go in front again with 5 1/2 minutes left in the second, but Fleury denied Kane in front, and then made a terrific blocker save on a wide-open Trevor van Riemsdyk. Pittsburgh's Chris Kunitz shot it wide right on a prime opportunity about 4 1/2 minutes into the second.
NOTES: Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said he had no update on forward Richard Panik, who was acquired in a trade with Toronto on Sunday night. Panik was in the minors at the time of the deal but is expected to join the Blackhawks once he resolves a visa issue. "It's not in our hands," Quenneville said. ... Penguins rookie LW Sergei Plotnikov played in his 32nd NHL game, but remains in search of his first goal. "As far as scoring goals, when I look at the type of player that he is, I think he needs to go to the net more," coach Mike Sullivan said. ... Blackhawks D Michal Rozsival returned to the lineup. D Rob Scuderi was scratched.
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