Sharp Lifts Blackhawks To 2-1 Shootout Win Over Penguins
CHICAGO (AP) — Patrick Sharp scored the decisive goal in the shootout, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on Sunday.
Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane also scored in the tiebreaker as the Blackhawks earned their second straight win. They have captured six of a possible eight points through the first half of a season-high eight-game homestand.
Nick Spaling scored in the third period for Pittsburgh, which had won four of five. Marc-Andre Fleury made 31 saves through overtime, but was unable to stop any of Chicago's shootout attempts.
Thanks to David Perron and Sidney Crosby, the Penguins still had a chance for a big road win before Sharp skated in and beat Fleury into the right side for the victory. Fleury slammed his stick into the post in disgust after the final play.
Niklas Hjalmarsson scored in the second period for Chicago, and Corey Crawford finished with 36 stops in a terrific performance.
Chicago jumped in front when Hjalmarsson beat Fleury with a long slap shot early in the second. Following a faceoff in the Pittsburgh zone, Brandon Saad played the puck back to Hjalmarsson to set up the second goal of the season for the steady defenseman.
The Blackhawks had a chance for a 2-0 lead, but Sharp hit the post during a power play.
The Penguins responded in the third period. Beau Bennett got free for a shot that was stopped by Crawford, but Spaling sent the rebound into the upper left corner for his ninth of the season.
Perron was stopped by Crawford on a prime opportunity midway through overtime, and Fleury made a nice save on Marian Hossa to help the send the game to the shootout.
Crosby was shut out after he had two goals in Thursday night's 5-4 shootout victory at Ottawa. The captain also was a part of a strange sequence at the end of the second period.
Crosby was sent off for tripping Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya, drawing loud cheers from the crowd of 22,169. But replays showed Oduya went down on his own and the officials conferred before rescinding the penalty, allowing Crosby to leave the box.
The All-Star center was whistled for tripping Toews in the third, leading to more cheers from the sellout crowd. But the Penguins killed off the ensuing power play.
NOTES: Penguins D Christian Ehrhoff (concussion protocol) skated Sunday morning. He was injured Jan. 28 at Washington and has missed the last eight games. ... Blackhawks F Ben Smith returned to the lineup after he was a healthy scratch for Friday night's win over New Jersey for the first time this season. D Michal Rozsival also played after missing the game against the Devils with an upper body injury. ... Hossa had scored seven goals in the previous four games. ... Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin attended the game. ... Former Blackhawks defenseman Steve Montador was found unconscious in his home early Sunday morning and was later pronounced dead, according to police in Canada. Montador, 35, made his NHL debut in 2001 with Calgary and played for six teams in parts of 10 seasons.
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