The three-game sweep starts in Buffalo, where the Chicago Blackhawks might be best characterized as playing to the opposition. The Hawks needed two goals from Jonathan Toews with less than two minutes left in regulation to edge the Sabres, 4-3.
“One play where we got it back to the point, and it landed on our stick and ended up in the back of the net,” Toews said. “Big goal for us to tie it. I don’t think we expected to score two that quickly. I think at that point any team would’ve been thinking about going to overtime. Glad to have salvaged a point for a so-so effort in the third.”
Jonathan Toews’ two goals lift Hawks past Buffalo – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
The two goals came 47 seconds apart with goalie Scott Darling pulled for the sixth attacker.
Duncan Keith set up the first of Toews’ goals with a shot from the point that ended with a rebound try for the game-tying goal.
“It was a nice play, a nice drop pass by [Saad] and a great shot by [Toews],” Keith said. “I think everybody in this room has that hunger to come out and try and be a difference. Obviously, [Toews] leads the way, and Toews and [Patrick] Kane lead the way in that regard. … We got a couple bounces and a couple nice goals for a pretty good player.”
Brandon Saad set up the game-winner and neat drop pass to Toews.
“He’s *Toews) had a big, big week,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “He scored some big goals this week, started in his hometown (Winnipeg) and ended up here tonight with two big ones. So yeah, a special player, and the bigger the stage, the bigger the response is, so he’s one of those guys that he’s driven in a different manner than a lot of players. Big-time week for him this week.”
It was tough loss for the Sabres who seemed on the verge of winning a fourth straight.
“They’ve got Toews out there. He’s won almost every championship that there is to win,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. “Going against a guy (Johan Larsson) who’s played 30, 40 games in the National Hockey League with a big draw, he wins it, he battles his way, he beats him to the net, he scores a big goal. That’s why those guys are big players.”
In Dallas, the St Louis Blues trailed the Stars, 5-4, heading to the third. The issue for the Stars was they forgot to come out of the break.
The Blues posted three third period goals to win, 7-5.
Jaden Schwartz had a hat trick for the Blues.
“It was kind of a crazy game,” Schwartz said. “We kept working, believing in ourselves. Those are always nice wins to be a part of. That goes a long way for belief and character in the locker room.”
Jamie Benn scored twice and Tyler Seguin, Travis Moen and Antoine Roussel also scored for the Stars.
“We didn’t play smart hockey once again. It’s the same old story,” Benn said. “We’re just not playing the right way when you need a lead. You give a good team like that a chance to get back in it, and they’re going to get back in it. Obviously, they took it to us there.”
The third period was neither smart hockey nor good hockey for the Stars who were pushed all over the ice by a patient and determined St Louis club.
“I think we don’t panic. We were mad, we were angry but we don’t panic. We kept playing. I think that’s a good thing,” Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said.
In San Jose, Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski and Matt Nieto helped keep the Sharks’ dim playoff hopes alive by scoring in a 3-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes Friday night.
“You never know what happens,” Couture said. “That’s basically what we’re saying in here. You never know. Give ourselves a chance and you never know.”
Antti Niemi made 20 saves for the Sharks who have four games left on the schedule and need to win out and get help.
“We haven’t really thought about that, that we have to win every game, but that’s pretty much the case,” Niemi said. “It’s more the way we play. We play hard, we hard in the d-zone, you don’t make too many mistakes and I think we start from there.”
Antti Niemi stopped 20 in Sharks’ win over Coyotes – file photo by Jack Lima
The Sharks have the Los Angeles Kings and Winnipeg Jets ahead of them for the final playoff spot.
“We talked a while ago about playing well and putting a string of wins together and see what happens,” Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. “The guys have done a good job. I don’t think they’re getting too far ahead. I don’t think we feel any more comfortable now than we did a week ago. We shouldn’t. We still need a lot of help.”
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