Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews each had a goal with two assists as the Chicago Blackhawks snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.
Max Domi recorded a goal with an assist while Andreas Athanasiou and Taylor Raddysh each scored for the Blackhawks in their first win since they beat the New York Rangers on Dec. 3. Kane’s second assist on Toews’ power-play score with 7:44 remaining in regulation marked the 300th time Chicago’s superstar pair teamed up for a goal.
After missing 21 games due to a concussion sustained on Nov. 1, Chicago’s Alex Stalock returned to make 27 saves. He helped keep Columbus at arms’ length after Chicago built a 4-0 lead, and the Blackhawks ended an 0-10-1 home slide.
Marcus Bjork had a goal after assisting on rookie Kirill Marchenko’s score for the Blue Jackets, who have dropped six straight overall and lost their past six road games.
Columbus goalie Daniil Tarasov was pulled 3:24 into the second period after allowing four goals on 20 shots. Joonas Korpisalo then stopped 16 shots in his return after missing six games due to a lower-body injury.
Chicago, which totaled nine goals during its eight-game skid, opened the scoring for the first time since its most recent win. At 13:29 of the first period, Kane, who had two points in the previous eight contests, skated to the circle and beat Tarasov. Roughly 2 1/2 minutes later, Kane slipped a pass to ex-Blue Jacket Domi for a successful one-timer.
The Blackhawks made it 3-0 at 2:31 of the second when they won a neutral-zone battle that led to Athanasiou’s goal. Less than a minute later, Toews sent a backhanded cross-slot pass for Raddysh to convert. That tallied led to Tarasov’s exit.
Columbus finally answered, on the power play, at 13:48 of the middle frame, when Marchenko’s shot went under Stalock’s arm. The Blue Jackets made things interesting 3:21 into the third, as Bjork sent a wrister that Stalock didn’t appear to see.
Chicago won for just the second time in 18 games (2-15-1).
–Field Level Media
