Saad steers Blackhawks past Ducks

[October 24, 2018]  Brandon Saad scored twice for his 14th career multiple-goal performance, and the Chicago Blackhawks held on for a 3-1 win over the visiting Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.

Patrick Kane also scored for the Blackhawks, who earned at least one point for the seventh time in nine games this season. Chicago limited Anaheim to 25 shots on goal two nights after giving up 55 shots against the Tampa Bay Lightning, including a modern-day record 33 shots in a single period.

Rickard Rakell scored the lone goal for Anaheim, which has lost three contests in a row.

Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford made 24 saves to improve to 2-1-0. He has stopped 61 of 63 shots in his past two starts.

On the opposite end of the rink, Ducks goaltender John Gibson turned aside 35 shots but dropped to 4-3-1.

Chicago opened the scoring on the power play 5:24 into the first period. Alex DeBrincat zipped a pass to Saad, who was parked in front of the net. Saad's first shot was denied, but his second attempt crossed the goal line.

The sequence marked Saad's first goal since March 29. The highly talented 25-year-old already has three seasons with 20-plus goals, but he struggled badly to start the season and received a brief demotion to the fourth line.

Anaheim evened the score at 1 midway through the second period. Rakell intercepted a pass from Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews and raced in on a breakaway for his second goal of the season.

Blackhawks left wing Brandon Saad (20) celebrates his goal against the Anaheim Ducks during the first period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The Blackhawks regained a 2-1 lead on a nifty play with 12:13 remaining in the third period. Defenseman Erik Gustafsson raised his stick as if he were about to blast a slap shot from near the blue line. However, Gustafsson instead slapped a hard pass to Kane, fooling the goaltender, and Kane converted on a one-timer for his team-leading eighth goal in nine games.

Saad capped the scoring with an empty-net goal with 33.8 seconds to go.

Blackhawks forward Luke Johnson was called up from Rockford of the AHL before the game and did not register a point in 11:30 of ice time. In a corresponding move, the team sent down goaltender Anton Forsberg, who cleared waivers.

--Field Level Media

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