CHICAGO _ Dominik Kubalik scored twice, and Drake Caggiula added a goal to give the Blackhawks hope with their season teetering on the brink, but the Rangers made life miserable Wednesday for goaltender Robin Lehner � whose rough night wasn't helped by defensive breakdowns.
The Hawks allowed five goals in a disastrous third period in a 6-3 loss at the United Center.
Pavel Buchnevich led off the barrage 2 minutes, 33 seconds into the period, and by the time Mika Zibanejad poked in his 26th goal of the season, the Rangers had scored five goals in the span of 11 minutes. Chris Kreider's and and ex-Hawk Artemi Panarin's goals came less than a minute apart.
With the Hawks trying to make the case to general manager Stan Bowman that he should keep the roster intact after Monday's trade deadline, their unraveling Wednesday didn't speak well for their playoff hopes.
The Rangers and Hawks entered the game under similar circumstances: in seventh place in their divisions and eight points out of a wild-card spot.
The Hawks' season was likely was riding on their last three games before the deadline, starting Wednesday. They quickly found themselves in a hole when Rangers center Filip Chytil scored an unassisted goal 1:58 into the game.
The Hawks bounced back 2{ minutes into the second period, when Kubalik scored on Duncan Keith's assist.
It was the first of two Kubalik goals on the night, putting the rookie at 25 for the season, two behind Patrick Kane for the team lead.
Kane passed to Keith as Jonathan Toews skated into crease and crossed in front of Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin. Keith instead looked to Kubalik, who poked the puck into the corner to Shesterkin's left side.
Kubalik took a breakaway single-handedly through a double team for his second goal, which came about six minutes into the third.
Lehner had his worst outing since allowing six goals to the Canucks on Jan. 2 in Vancouver.
The Hawks had been intent on defending home ice in just their second of three games at the United Center this month and the first of a two-game homestand.
