Sharks Fall, 4-1, To Streaking Blackhawks
CHICAGO (CBS/AP) -- Ryan Hartman, Vinnie Hinostroza and Patrick Kane scored in the third period, and the streaking Chicago Blackhawks beat the San Jose Sharks 4-1 on Sunday night for their fifth consecutive victory.
The division leaders in the Western Conference were tied at 1 when Hinostroza won a faceoff for Chicago and Hartman whipped the puck right by Martin Jones on the stick side at 6:59. It was Hartman's first goal since Nov. 25 at Anaheim, ending an 11-game drought.
Hinostroza then got his third of the season when he shot it through Jones' legs at 17:40 on a break with Marian Hossa. Hinostroza also scored in Chicago's 6-4 win at St. Louis on Saturday night.
Kane added an empty-netter as Chicago improved to 13-2-3 at home. Duncan Keith scored his first goal of the season in the second, and Scott Darling made 33 saves.
Joe Pavelski scored for San Jose, which had won four in a row. Jones finished with 22 stops.
San Jose jumped in front when Pavelski deflected Brent Burns' long wrist shot past Darling at 1:13 of the second. It looked as if the puck also might have gone off the stick of Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson on its way to the net.
It was Pavelski's third goal in four games and No. 11 on the year.
The Sharks then started buzzing around the Blackhawks' end. Patrick Marleau got open for a tip in front, but Darling was there. Chris Tierney shot it off the left post with about 4:45 left in the period.
Chicago picked up the tying goal when Keith drove a pass from Artemi Panarin past Jones from just inside the blue line at 16:49. Panarin extended his point streak to five games with his 19th assist.
Darling took over from there, improving to 6-2-1 in his ninth straight start since Corey Crawford was sidelined by an emergency appendectomy on Dec. 3. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said they talked about starting rookie Lars Johansson against the Sharks, but they decided to stay with Darling despite signs of fatigue the past couple games.
It worked out quite well for Chicago, which has won six of seven overall.
NOTES: Crawford skated again before the game and could return Friday against Colorado. "He was out there today with some players, so he got some good work again today," Quenneville said. Crawford, who turns 32 on Dec. 31, is 12-6-2 with a 2.27 goals-against average in 20 games this season. ... Blackhawks C Artem Anisimov was sidelined by an upper-body injury. He is day to day. ... Pavelski has 30 points in 34 career games against Chicago.
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Sharks: Host Calgary on Tuesday night.
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