Jonathan Toews scored 51 seconds into overtime, and Chicago beat Anaheim in a rematch of last season’s Western Conference finals.
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“Every time we take a couple strides forward, we give up a goal or something”, Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf told reporters after a 3-0 loss at Minnesota on Saturday.
It was a far more competitive effort put on display by the Ducks (1-5-2) in the first game between the teams since Chicago eliminated the Ducks in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals.
Frederik Andersen will be in-between the pipes against the Blackhawks on Monday, Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register reports.
The Chicago Blackhawks have played a few pretty good hockey with the defense clamping down without their leader on the blue line, and now they will be looking for a little more offense from the team with this being the third straight game with the same lines being played tonight. Their attempt at getting their second win was denied when Toews got the puck in the offensive zone and ripped in a shot over Andersen’s left shoulder. Patrick Kane and Brent Seabrook were credited with the assists Monday. Andersen has a. 938 save percentage and is allowing just 1.86 goals per game, but his team in front of him has been brutal. “They use the posts to give them balance”, Andersen said.
The Blackhawks thought they grabbed a 1-0 lead with 5:35 remaining in the third period, but referees waved off a goal by left winger Artemi Panarin because the net was dislodged before the shot.
The Ducks entered the third period in Chicago scoreless in it’s past 107 minutes, 45 seconds of play.
Penalties and sloppy passing were the hallmarks of the rest of the second period, and the Blackhawks continued to have difficulty in generating chances. The Ducks won’t have to face Conn Smythe Trophy victor Duncan Keith, who is out 4-6 weeks after knee surgery, but Chicago has won both games without the two-time Norris Trophy recipient.
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In reality, both teams are trying to return back to elite status after a less-than-impressive start to the season as they find themselves near the bottom of their respective divisions.
