Blackhawks' Toews scores twice, including OT winner, in return
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Players from both teams raced through the wide-open overtime, leaving players gasping for air as they finished out shifts and tried getting to the bench.
Jonathan Toews seemed to have an extra gear in the extra period, swooping in to score his fifth overtime goal of the season.
Seems that extended time off served him well.
Toews scored his second goal of the night in his return from a one-game suspension, lifting the Chicago Blackhawks to a 5-4 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night.
"Both teams had A-plus chances in the overtime and Johnny's been pretty good in those situations, and had a great finish," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said.
Chicago and Arizona played a wild game in their last meeting and again traded scoring flurries in the desert, including a five-goal second period.
Once the teams hit the 3-on-3 overtime, players on both sides were exhausted, struggling even to get shots off.
Toews had not played since Jan. 26 after being suspended for missing the All-Star game and still had a bit of jump for overtime. Chicago's captain skated in with a burst of speed, beating Louis Domingue with a wrister with 29 seconds left.
"When the plays going back and forth like that, somebody's going to score," said Toews, who also scored in the second period. "I'm glad I've been able to cash in on situations like that."
Just like their previous game, there was plenty of scoring before the overtime winner.
Marian Hossa had a goal and an assist in the second period, and Kane followed Toews' goal with his NHL-leading 31st of the season. Michal Rozsival scored his first goal of the season in the third period.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson had a goal in the first period and two assists for the Coyotes. Mikkel Boedker and Jordan Martinook scored two quick goals in the second, and Shane Doan scored in the third to push the game into overtime.
Arizona had a couple of chances in the overtime, but couldn't get the puck past Corey Crawford one last time.
"Entertaining, right down to the 3-on-3 at the end," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. "Lots of people yelling and screaming, and unfortunately we let one slip away."
Chicago beat Arizona 7-5 on Dec. 29 and this one was had a similar feel.
Hossa appeared to score a goal late in the first period on a backhander that bounced off Coyotes defenseman Klas Dahlbeck past Domingue, but it was waved off for goalie interference after a challenge by the Coyotes.
Quenneville nearly climbed over the wall as he screamed at the officials after the call, leading to an unsportsmanlike penalty. He became more incensed when the Coyotes capitalized on the ensuing power play, a goal by Ekman-Larsson on a wrister.
The Blackhawks used the turn of momentum as a spark.
Hossa scored a goal that counted early in the period, flipping a shot past Domingue after skating in from the side of the goal. He celebrated then started yelling at the officials as he raised his hands: "No goal? No goal?"
Hossa had an assist 67 seconds later, feeding a pass across to Toews, who made a quick move to beat Domingue for a shorthanded goal.
"I guess we used the frustration the right way," Toews said
The Coyotes roared back with two goals in 9 seconds.
Boedker had the first, beating Crawford with a wrister on a power play for his first goal in 16 games. Martinook put the Coyotes up 3-2, fighting through a cluster of sticks and skates to punch in Brad Richardson's feed.
Chicago's turn next; Kane tied the game with a wrister from the right circle that squeezed through Domingue's pads for his NHL-leading 75th point.
Rozsival put the Blackhawks back up midway through the third period, redirecting a pass from Artem Anisimov on a 4-on-4.
Doan tied it up again, scoring on a wraparound to help send the game to overtime, but the Coyotes fell short of the second point.
"We were able to battle back and tie it in the third period, but I want that extra point," Doan said.
Notes: Doan played his 1,436th career game, tying John Bucyk for seventh on the NHL's all-time list for most with one team. ... Chicago D Jarred Tinordi missed his second straight game for undisclosed reasons. ... Ekman-Larsson's goal was his first in 16 career regular-season games against Chicago. ... Arizona has allowed a league-high 10 shorthanded goals.
