NHL Recap: Chicago Blackhawks defeat Nashville Predators 4-1
Jack Skille tickled the twine twice, rookie Corey Crawford turned aside 24 of 25 shots as Chicago Blackhawks beat Nashville Predators 4-1 at United Centre on Wednesday night for their third consecutive win.
Skating again without Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa, Blackhawks paid attention on keeping the Predators off the score sheet and then pounced on turnovers.
"We controlled rebounds and stuff, but the key is we've been really disciplined," Crawford said.
"We played smart," added Skille. "When we're playing this way, we do a pretty good job. We're not trying to make the pretty play."
Dave Bolland and Bryan Bickell scored for Chicago, who allowed just two Predators power plays. Defenseman Duncan Keith had two assists in the win.
"To get these three wins before the long rest is big," said Bickell. "We play at home after the break and hopefully we can keep this momentum going. We play the way we've been playing we'll have success."
Sergei Kostitsyn notched the lone goal for Nashville while goaltender Anders Lindback finished with 31 saves of 35 shots in his 9th straight start. Nashville suffered their second straight regulation loss after winning five consecutive games.
"That was not one of our better performances this year," Predators' coach Barry Trotz said. "We had a lot of first effort, but not the second effort you need to win battles, to win pucks and keep plays alive.
"They checked really well today, give them credit. But we didn't force them to break down a whole lot."
With 7:31 remaining in the first period, Bolland got the first goal and gave Blackhawks a 1-0 lead. He was harassing a retreating Nashville player, who sent the puck back to his goaltender. Lindback quickly tried to fire up the right wing boards to Kevin
Klein, but Fernando Pisani took it and passed it to Bolland who slipped it past Lindback.
Chicago took a 2-0 lead with Skille’s power-play goal nearly midway through the second period. Skille accepted a feed at the right wing and snapped a wrister by Lindback.
Corey Crawford made several best saves in the second period. Among them was a block of centre man Cal O'Reilly’s drive from the slot and a pad stop on Joel Ward.
At 9:14 mark of the third period, Blackhawks got a 3-0 lead when Skille blew a snapshot into the net.
Crawford made 20 tough stops through the first two periods, but Kostitsyn ended Crawford’s shutout bid by deflecting in Martin Erat’s low shot with 8:47 to play.
Bickell completed the scoring and steal the win with 2:32 to play. Skating down the left wing, he beat Lindback with a wrester from the left circle.
Tags: