Panarin nets pair to lead Blackhawks past Oilers

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[November 09, 2015]  CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks right winger Patrick Kane heard rumblings during the offseason that rookie left winger Artemi Panarin possessed star potential.

"I never really saw him play, so I didn't know what to expect," Kane said. "But it's been a pleasure and a treat to play with him. Hopefully, we can find that chemistry that gets better and better as the year goes on."

That could be bad news for the rest of the NHL.

Panarin tallied two goals and an assist, and his linemate Kane notched a goal and three assists to lift the Blackhawks to a 4-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night. Center Artem Anisimov also scored for Chicago (8-6-1), which improved to 7-1-1 on home ice.

Kane increased his point streak to 10 games, which is the longest active streak in the NHL. But the bulk of the postgame praise belonged to Panarin, who recorded his first career multi-goal game. The 24-year-old Russian became the first Blackhawks rookie to score twice in a first period since Jonathan Toews in 2008.

Panarin leads all NHL rookies with 11 assists and 15 points in 15 games.

"It feels good," Panarin said via a translator. "I kind of relaxed and trusted myself, and I started scoring."


Right winger Jordan Eberle and defenseman Andrej Sekera scored for Edmonton. The Oilers (5-10-0) lost for the sixth time in the past eight games.

Edmonton coach Todd McLellan said a slow start cost his team. The Oilers fell behind 2-0 during a sloppy first period before strengthening to outshoot Chicago 22-6 in the second period.

"It seems like with our team right now, we have to get the garbage out or fall behind and play from there," McLellan said. "Some of that has to do with our belief system. We've got to believe that we can play against these types of teams. We fall behind, and then we've got nothing to lose, so we go out and we play hard. But that has to happen right off the bat, and I think that's mental."

Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford stopped 34 of 36 shots to improve to 7-4-1.

Edmonton goaltender Cam Talbot turned aside 24 of 28 shots.

Panarin opened the scoring on the Blackhawks' first shot on goal 58 seconds into the game. Kane slid a pass to the rookie, who ripped a one-timer off Talbot's right shoulder and into the net.

Panarin scored again to increase Chicago's lead to 2-0 with 2:25 left in the first period. He carried the puck across center ice and into the offensive zone, where he fired a rising wrist shot past Talbot's glove side.

"The more he gets experience and the more he gets confidence, we're only going to see his game grow," Kane said. "It's scary to see where that could be."

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Edmonton sliced the deficit to 2-1 on Eberle's first goal of the season with 17:04 to go in the third period. Crawford stopped a wrist shot from the right circle by center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but the rebound kicked to Eberle for a one-timer from the left of the crease.

Kane put Chicago ahead 3-1 with 6:32 remaining in the third period. He took a pass from Anisimov and flipped in a backhand shot for his fourth goal in as many games and his 10th of the season.

The Oilers pulled within 2-1 on a slap shot by Sekera with 1:51 remaining in the third period. McLellan pulled Talbot in favor of an extra skater, and Sekera delivered with his first goal of the season.

Anisimov capped the scoring with 5.1 seconds remaining in the game.

Edmonton dropped to 1-6-0 this season when allowing the opposing team to score first.

"We know that these guys come out hard in their own building," Nugent-Hopkins said. "We really bounced back in the second (period). I think if we scored in the second, it would have been a little different. Gives us a little more life. I still think we came out hard in the third, but a goal in the second would have put us back in the game."

NOTES: Blackhawks RW Marian Hossa returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games with a lower-body injury. ... Oilers D Mark Fayne played alongside D Oscar Klefbom after sitting out the previous three games as a healthy scratch. ... Blackhawks D Duncan Keith (knee) participated in the Sunday morning skate but missed his ninth consecutive game. Keith is eligible to come off long-term injured reserve Saturday against the St. Louis Blues. ... Oilers C Connor McDavid missed his second straight game because of a broken clavicle. ... Blackhawks LW Ryan Garbutt and D David Rundblad were scratched. ... Oilers D Andrew Ference, LW Luke Gazdic and C Matt Hendricks were scratched.

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