CHICAGO _ Behind Richard Panik's first career hat trick, the Blackhawks defeated the Predators, 5-3, Saturday night at the united Center.
The Hawks continued their strong play from the third period of Friday's game into Saturday and got three early goals on the board. The first came from Nick Schmaltz, who snapped a wrist shot into the top of the net from the left circle at 6:36. It was Schmaltz's first NHL goal.
Then after the Predators committed a delay of game penalty, the Hawks scored six seconds into the ensuing power play when Brent Seabrook blasted a shot past Predators goaltender Marek Mazanec with a little help from a Jonathan Toews screen.
The Hawks went ahead 3-0 thanks to a strong individual play from Panik, who made a slick spin move and got the puck past Mazanec at 10:19. The Predators got a goal back at 18:19 when Colin Wilson stuffed in a rebound after a 3-on-1.
The Hawks' penalty kill has been a problem for it this season and so it was again Saturday, when the Predators struck early into an Artem Anisimov penalty to cut the lead to 3-2. Craig Smith fired a slap shot from the left circle that made it past Scott Darling, who was making his first start of the season.
But Panik wasn't done on the night. Early in the third, Panik took a feed from Marian Hossa and scored his second goal of the night on a power play at 4:56. The Predators made things tight when Viktor Arvidsson made it 4-3 at 10:06. Panik completed the hat trick after cleaning up a loose puck after Patrick Kane crashed the net.
After playing 82 games a season ago, Trevor van Riemsdyk was a scratch for the second consecutive game. Both Gustav Forsling and Michal Kempny played ahead of van Riemsdyk.
For the third consecutive game, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville shook up his lines, pairing Toews with Panik and Vincent Hinostroza. Hossa played on the fourth line with Tyler Motte and Nick Schmaltz.
