CHICAGO _ There's no shame in losing to the playoff-bound Bruins on the road. There would have been shame in losing to the cellar-dwelling Devils at home.
In the first game after their seven-game win streak ended in Boston, Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists to help the Blackhawks erase an early two-goal deficit in a 5-2 win against the Devils on Thursday night at the United Center.
The victory pulled the Hawks within two points of the Wild for the second wild-card position in the Western Conference.
After the Hawks sleepwalked through most of the first period, Kane woke them up with his 34th goal with 1 minute, 43 seconds left. The goal extended his point streak to 16 games.
Twenty seconds into the second period, Drake Caggiula scored his third goal in a Hawks uniform and 10th of the season to tie the score at 2. Kane's assist marked his 15th straight game with a helper, breaking Stan Mikita's franchise record.
The Hawks took their first lead with 6:48 remaining in the second on Jonathan Toews' 26th goal.
The Devils threatened throughout the third period, outshooting the Hawks 19-7, but Hawks goalie Cam Ward stopped them all. Ward finished with 41 saves.
Artem Anisimov scored his ninth goal with 6:24 left to provide a two-goal cushion, and Brandon Saad's unassisted, short-handed goal at the 4:45 mark provided the final margin.
