Ryan Dittrick 9y

Rapid Reaction: Blackhawks 4, Flames 3

 

CALGARY, Alberta – Here’s a quick look at the Chicago Blackhawks' 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night at Scotiabank Saddledome.

How it happened: The Flames -- as they’ve been known to do this season, surprising many as one of the league’s hottest and most consistent teams -- didn’t quit, but the Hawks were one better. Adam Clendening scored his first NHL goal with a power-play marker at the four-minute mark of the opening period, and Daniel Carcillo extended the margin with a wiry shot off the rush, beating Jonas Hiller off the far-side post, but the two-goal lead didn’t last. In arrears to the tune of an 8-0 count in shots, Calgary countered with a spirited stretch, netting back-to-back power-play goals in a 52-second span (Paul Byron and Dennis Wideman). The teams traded goals in the middle frame -- Brent Seabrook for the Hawks and Sean Monahan for the Flames -- before Patrick Kane delivered the dagger, capitalizing on a Flames turnover and beating Hiller through the wickets with 10:47 to play in the third period.

What it means: With the victory, the Blackhawks improve to .500 on the road this season (4-4-0) and are now 11-7-1 overall (23 points), putting them back in a Central Division playoff spot.

Player of the game: Kris Versteeg continues to roll for the Blackhawks. The 28-year-old quietly registered a pair of assists in 14:18 of ice time. Versteeg has now recorded five points in his past two games on a line with Brad Richards and Kane. Honorable mention to Clendening who, nine hours earlier, said he was “shocked” to be getting second-unit power-play time in his NHL debut. Just four minutes into the game, the rookie realized a dream 16 years in the making, scoring his first NHL goal on his very first shot, 1:56 into the Hawks’ first advantage of the evening. Clendening played 10:41 and was a plus-2 on the night.

Stat of the game: The Flames came into the night as the league’s best team in the third period, scoring 27 goals and only allowing 12 in 20 games -- including a 6-0 mark in goals for and against when the teams are tied. Kane's winner bucked that trend.

What’s next: The Blackhawks’ six-game road trip (longest of the season) continues with a back-to-back set Saturday and Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks, respectively. The Hawks will then head to Denver to take on the struggling Avalanche on Wednesday before wrapping up their annual circus trip with another back-to-back set against the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings on Nov. 28-29 in Southern California.

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