Dec. 12--Even as teammates crowded around Patrick Kane on the Blackhawks bench to congratulate the winger for his goal that extended his consecutive points streak to 25 games, he tried to peer around them to get a look at the replay on the video board hanging over the ice.
It was that pretty.
So was the result of the game for the Hawks as they bounced back from a poor effort the previous night to blank the Jets 2-0 Friday night at the United Center.
Kane and Jonathan Toews scored on power plays and goaltender Corey Crawford made 25 saves as the Hawks won a key Central Division battle to improve to 16-10-4, 11-3-1 at home.
The highlight reel continues to fill during Kane's streak. With the Hawks on a power play in the second period he took a no-look, cross-ice pass from Teuvo Teravainen right on his tape and flicked a shot over the shoulder of Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and into the top-left corner of the net.
"That was a great pass," Kane said. "I tried to go cross-ice to (Teravainen) and I thought maybe he was going to shoot it and he put it right back on my tape. It was a great play by him. It was even bigger to extend the lead."
The 25-game Hawks franchise-record streak is just the second of that length in the NHL since 1992-93, matching Sidney Crosby's run with the Penguins in 2010. The all-time mark is Wayne Gretzky's 51 to start the 1983-84 season. During his streak, Kane has 16 goals -- nine on the power play -- and 23 assists.
"When you realize what elite company you're in with these great players who have had these great streaks, it definitely humbles you," Kane said. "I feel honored and very fortunate to be involved with names like those. It's something I'm trying not to think about too much, just go out and play the game."
Kane's efforts weren't the only strong ones for the Hawks as Toews set the tone early on the power play when the captain punched in a rebound of a David Rundblad shot that Andrew Shaw and Marian Hossa also got a piece of as it headed toward Hellebuyck.
Then there was Crawford. The veteran net-minder was brilliant in recording his third shutout of the season and 15th of his career.
"On the power play (the Jets) were moving it around and our guys did a great job of keeping them to the outside and blocking shots," he said. "They had some momentum in the third but we played well. That was a good comeback win after (Thursday night)."
The 5-1 loss against the Predators on Thursday was the Hawks' only one in the four games against Central Division opponents over the last week.
"It's huge, especially when we know how close those teams are to us points-wise," Toews said of the five-team logjam in the middle of the Central. "Those are huge points that can swing either way. It's nice for us to find ways to win those in regulation."
Added coach Joel Quenneville: "We had four tough games, four in six nights and very important points at the end of the day. You take three out of four wins."
ckuc@tribpub.com
Chris Kuc's three stars
1. Jonathan Toews: Set the tone early with a hard-working effort that resulted in the game's first goal.
2. Corey Crawford: Was brilliant when needed as he recorded his third shutout.
3. Patrick Kane: The winger scored the second of the Hawks' two power-play goals.
Up next
Vs. Canucks at 6 p.m. Sunday; WGN-9.
