Stars Lose In Chicago
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CHICAGO — If at first you don’t succeed, try again. With a playoff berth on the line, there is no other choice.
Such was the case for the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night at the United Center. When left winger Brandon Bollig’s empty-net goal was disallowed with a minute to play, veteran right winger Marian Hossa completed what Bollig started 33 seconds later, scoring into the empty net to seal the Chicago Blackhawks’ 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars.
Hossa’s 26th goal of the season helped the Blackhawks (42-16-15) remain three points ahead of the Colorado Avalanche for second place in the Central Division.
Bollig’s goal was waved off because officials ruled he deflected a shot with his stick above his shoulder. Video replays showed the referees were correct in their call.
While Hossa picked up the team seconds later, Bollig was still ticked about the call, getting into a late fight with Dallas left winger Antoine Roussel. Both players were sent to the penalty box for the final 22 seconds of the game.
Center Andrew Shaw put the Blackhawks on the scoreboard first with 18 seconds
remaining in the first period. His 19th goal of the season came on the power play. Left winger Patrick Sharp took a slap shot from near the blue line. The puck bounced off Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen, and Shaw was there to backhand the rebound into the net.
At 4:12 of the second period, right wing Kris Versteeg tipped a shot by defenseman Duncan Keith past Lehtonen for his 12th goal of the season, giving Chicago a 2-0 advantage. The goal had originally been credited to Hossa but was changed after the second period ended.
Any hopes that the Blackhawks and goalie Corey Crawford had of a shutout were dashed at 10:56 of the middle period when center Ryan Garbutt drove through the crease and slipped a backhander past Crawford, closing Chicago’s lead to 2-1. Garbutt registered his 13th goal of the season.
The Blackhawks quickly got their two-goal edge back at 14:15 when Keith’s slap shot from just outside the left circle slid past Lehtonen, whose view was blocked by a number of players in front of the net. It was Keith’s sixth goal of the season and third in the past five games. He added an assist, his team-leading 51st.
Fighting to stay in the playoff hunt with 10 more games after Tuesday, Dallas (34-27-11) didn’t give up in the third period. Garbutt scored his second goal of the night at 14:20, threatening to send the Blackhawks off on a three-game road trip on the wrong foot.
Crawford stopped 25 of Dallas’ 27 shots to improve to 29-13-10. Lehtonen stopped 38 of Chicago’s 42 shots, and his record fell to 27-18-10.
The Blackhawks won the season series with Dallas, four games to one.
Tuesday marked the Blackhawks debut of 19-year-old forward Teuvo Teravainen, who was called up from Jokerit in his native Finland. In 49 games with Jokerit, Teravainen had nine goals and 35 assists.
Teravainen played just over 11 minutes but did not record any stats.
