The Chicago Blackhawks might be best characterized as playing to the opposition. The Hawks needed two goals from Jonathan Toews with less than two minutes left in regulation to edge the Sabres, 4-3.
“One play where we got it back to the point, and it landed on our stick and ended up in the back of the net,” Toews said. “Big goal for us to tie it. I don’t think we expected to score two that quickly. I think at that point any team would’ve been thinking about going to overtime. Glad to have salvaged a point for a so-so effort in the third.”
The two goals came 47 seconds apart with goalie Scott Darling pulled for the sixth attacker.
Duncan Keith set up the first of Toews’ goals with a shot from the point that ended with a rebound try for the game-tying goal.
“It was a nice play, a nice drop pass by [Saad] and a great shot by [Toews],” Keith said. “I think everybody in this room has that hunger to come out and try and be a difference. Obviously, [Toews] leads the way, and Toews and [Patrick] Kane lead the way in that regard. … We got a couple bounces and a couple nice goals for a pretty good player.”
Brandon Saad set up the game-winner and neat drop pass to Toews.
“He’s *Toews) had a big, big week,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “He scored some big goals this week, started in his hometown (Winnipeg) and ended up here tonight with two big ones. So yeah, a special player, and the bigger the stage, the bigger the response is, so he’s one of those guys that he’s driven in a different manner than a lot of players. Big-time week for him this week.”
It was tough loss for the Sabres who seemed on the verge of winning a fourth straight.
“They’ve got Toews out there. He’s won almost every championship that there is to win,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. “Going against a guy (Johan Larsson) who’s played 30, 40 games in the National Hockey League with a big draw, he wins it, he battles his way, he beats him to the net, he scores a big goal. That’s why those guys are big players.”
Game narrative by PHN staff
