In a 10-second span of overtime, captain Jonathan Toews evolved from an aging player mired in a season-opening slump to the hero of the Hawks’ second victory of the season.
Toews blocked a dangerous shot in the defensive zone, sprung a two-on-one the other way, drove to the net and knocked in the rebound of a shot off his body to give the Hawks the victory.
For the first few seconds, he couldn’t help but smile and laugh after getting the figurative monkey off his back. Minutes later, he was all business again.
‘‘I wouldn’t say we’re super-satisfied with our play these first five games,’’ Toews said. ‘‘There are some positives there that we can build on. Given the fact that we’ve strung a couple of games together here, found a way to win these [last two] games at home, it’s a good sign.’’
The Hawks looked sluggish and sloppy throughout the first two periods, with only a goal by wing Drake Caggiula and plenty of spectacular saves by goalie Robin Lehner keeping them in the game. When they fell behind 2-1 early in the third, Toews had zero shots to his name.
But then Patrick Kane found fellow wing Alex DeBrincat for the tying power-play goal and the Hawks’ penalty kill, which went four-for-four and looked as staunch as it has in years, staved off a late Blue Jackets opportunity before Toews scored his first goal of the season.
‘‘We’ve just got to find that consistent level,’’ coach Jeremy Colliton said. ‘‘The Winnipeg game and the Edmonton game, that was a good stretch. It wasn’t a perfect six periods, but we did a lot of things right.
‘‘Tonight was not like that, I don’t think. But the opportunity to build on some points and a little bit of success . . . that’s a good thing.”
