CALGARY — After a slow start, Chicago right-winger Patrick Kane is heating up offensively, which is good news for the Blackhawks and not-so-good news for everyone else.
Kane made it goals in three straight games Thursday night, scoring the winner in the Chicago Blackhawks’ 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames.
With the game tied 3-3, Kane’s unassisted goal at 9:12 of the third period came after Flames goaltender Jonas Hiller turned the puck over behind his net.
After straying out of his net to stop the puck, Hiller’s attempted backhand pass to Dennis Wideman took a sharp carom off the end boards allowing Kane to intercept it.
After he tucked the puck through the skates of Sven Baertschi, Kane slipped a quick shot through Hiller’s pads.
“Lucky scoring a goal like that. I’m sure Hiller probably didn’t expect me coming off the boards. I think a couple guys swiped at it and it bounced right to me,” said Kane.
It was the seventh goal of the season for Kane, who appears to be heating up for Chicago after scoring just four times in the club’s first 16 games.
“Sometimes you just have to get the puck and skate with it. I feel like I can make plays on the ice,” said Kane. “Obviously when you’re moving well and trying to make those plays, things are going to develop. But I’m playing with two very skilled players right now with (Kris Versteeg) and (Brad Richards) and they’re finding me in good areas and good spots and it seems like we’ve had a couple good games in a row.”
Joel Quenneville likes what he is seeing from Kane.
“He was great tonight. A lot of puck possession, a lot of zone time, dangerous. Obviously a huge goal for us,” said the Blackhawks coach. “The last couple games, he’s been as good as he can be and that line, in back-to-back games, has been very good.”
Calgary had a chance to tie it when Johnny Gaudreau drew a penalty with 3:32 left in the game.
However, the Flames — having scored twice already on the NHL’s No. 1 ranked penalty killing team — could not score a third.
“Our PK has been very good all year long and it needed to be at the end because their power play was working tonight,” said Quenneville.
Curtis Glencross had two of Calgary’s most dangerous chances during that late man advantage.
“We had a couple of turnovers and a couple mental breakdowns, that’s how they got a couple goals, but, at the same time, we have to take a lot of positives out of that game, too,” said Glencross. “They’re probably one of the best teams in the league and we had a game with them all night. The game could have gone either way.”
Adam Clendening, with his first NHL goal, Daniel Carcillo and Brent Seabrook also scored for Chicago (11-7-1). With the circus having arrived at the United Center, the Blackhawks kicked off a six-game road trip, which continues on Saturday night in Edmonton.
Paul Byron, Wideman and Sean Monahan scored for Calgary (12-7-2). The Flames had entered the night red hot, having won seven of their last nine.
“As much as we worked hard tonight, I felt that the goals that they got, without taking anything away from the talent that they have on their team, we were not sharp,” said Flames coach Bob Hartley. “On every goal, there’s a huge mistake. As we know, this is a game of mistakes and they have the talent to make you pay.”
Corey Crawford made 24 saves for the win, improving to 8-4-1.
Hiller had 18 saves. His record falls to 9-5-1.
In their first matchup earlier this season, Chicago — despite losing 2-1 — outshot the Flames 50-18 and it looked early on like this game would follow a similar script.
The Blackhawks opened the scoring four minutes into the game when Glendening, on his second NHL shift, scored on a power play. After getting a pass from Marian Hossa, his shot from the blue-line beat Hiller just inside the goal post.