NHL Update: Columbus Blue Jackets beat Chicago Blackhawks, 4-3
Anton Stralman scored the game-winning goal in a three-goal middle frame, as Columbus Blue Jackets knocked off Chicago Blackhawks, 4-3, at the United Centre on Friday night.
Derek MacKenzie and Antoine Vermette both also found the net for Columbus, which won a franchise-record sixth consecutive road contests and has won six of its previous eight overall. Matt Calvert had another goal while Steve Mason stopped 37-of-40
shots in the winning effort.
"We're playing with a lot of confidence," Mason said. "We keep it real simple when we're on the road and we stick with our game plan."
Patrick Sharp notched two goals and earned an assist for Chicago, which dropped for the third time in four play-offs. Patrick Kane also netted a goal and assisted twice. Corey Crawford allowed four goals on 36 shots in the loss.
"We have to win games, especially against a team that's fighting for a playoff spot like us," Sharp said.
Columbus got on the board first for 1-0 lead just 5 ½ minutes into the first stanza, when Calvert jammed a shot past Crawford on a breakaway.
Sharp pulled Blackhawks even at 1-1 nearly two minutes later. After a turnover in the neutral zone, Kane sent a breakout pass back to Sharp, who then slipped the puck to his backhand and then carried it to his forehand. He then swiped the puck
past Mason's left skate.
Sharp struck again for his second goal of the game and staked Blackhawks to 2-1 lead about 2 ½ minutes later. This time, Jonathan Toews sent a nice pass into the slot for Sharp's one-timer into the net.
The three-goal rally by Columbus decided game’s run, and it was initiated by Vermette's power-play goal which tied the game at 2-2 just midway through the second period.
The next goal came when MacKenzie kept the puck during a goal-mouth scrum. He finally succeeded to hit the loose puck into the net to give Blue Jackets, 3-2, lead just 7 ½ minutes left in the period.
Stralman doubled the advantage, 4-2, finishing the rally with a power-play slap shot with 4 ½ minutes remaining in the second period. It was his first goal of the season.
However, Blackhawks stopped the bleeding only 21 seconds later when Kane, on a 2-on-1 rush, finished Toews' cross-ice pass to draw Chicago within 4-3.
Mason stopped 10 shots in the third session to secure the win.
"It was pretty simple," Mason said of the third period strategy. "We just had to kill everything off. Our penalty kill did a good job."
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