The Chicago Blackhawks are now as infuriating as the New York Rangers have been in the Eastern Conference.
The Blackhawks manage to mix solid performances with dreadful efforts in a ratio that both teases and crushes. It is masterful and maddening.
In Chicago on Friday night, Alex DeBrincat potted his second goal of the game in extra time to give the Hawks a 2-1 win over the visiting Nashville Predators, for a 2-1 win.
The win pushed the Blackhawks to 27-26-8.
“I feel like I’ve had a lot of [hitting] the post and gotten a lot of chances lately, and they went in tonight,” DeBrincat said. “It’s nice.”
Corey Crawford made 42 saves for the win.
“You look at the shots, I kicked out a few and then they kind of stayed around for a little bit and I got a few more,” Crawford said. “I don’t know, the shots aren’t totally, don’t totally show how we played defensively. I mean our guys were pretty solid. The [penalty kill] was good (5-for-5).
“We had plenty of chances too, it was just a tight game and it was nice to come out on top in one of those type of games.”
The Hawks lost to the Rangers this week, 6-3, in a miserable effort and then followed with this solid game.
Mattias Ekholm had the Preds’ lone goal.
“I think we had chances to score more,” Ekholm said. “I think we kind of gave it away a little bit, that’s the feeling right now. It’s kind of sour, but we took a little bit too many penalties that cost us in the third. In the overtime, we make a poor decision and it comes right back at us. We’ve got to learn from it and move on.
“A point is a point, but hopefully we can get this feeling into [Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets] and be better.”
[WATCH:Â All Predators vs. Blackhawks highlights]
Pekka Rinne made 36 saves in the loss.
“I thought I played fine out there tonight, not as effectively offensively,” Nashville’s Ryan Ellis said. “New system I’m trying to learn on the fly. [I] really just wanted to be responsible defensively and limit the chances I give up and chip in when I can.”
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