CHICAGO _ Fattening up on the worst teams in the NHL is as important to earning a playoff spot as winning on home ice, maybe more so.
Do neither at the same time and you're just asking for trouble.
Sure, it's still October, but the last-place Rangers aren't likely to get any better, and they're definitely not coming to the United Center again this season. This was a game the Blackhawks had to have.
The Rangers kept it unnervingly close, but Alexandre Fortin scored a go-ahead goal in the second period and Patrick Kane added an insurance goal late in the third as the Hawks were able to hang on for a 3-1 victory Thursday night at the United Center.
Alex DeBrincat added an empty-netter, and Jonathan Toews also had a first-period goal, his sixth of the season.
It was the second straight win for the Hawks, who are 6-2-2 after 10 games, including 3-2-1 at home, and off to the kind of strong start they deemed necessary after missing the playoffs last season.
Brent Seabrook played in the 1,014th game of his career, breaking a tie with Eric Nesterenko and moving him into sole possession of third place among franchise leaders. He trails only Stan Mikita (1,396) and Bobby Hull (1,036).
