Blackhawks stop Isles' streak with shootout win

[January 23, 2019]  Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane scored on Chicago's only two attempts of a shootout Tuesday night, and the host Blackhawks edged the New York Islanders 3-2 in the final game for both teams before the NHL All-Star break.

Toews scored the final goal of regulation late in the second period for the Blackhawks, who have won two straight. Dylan Strome scored earlier in the second period. Goalie Cam Ward made 34 saves in regulation and overtime before turning back both Islanders attempts in the shootout.

Valtteri Filppula and Mathew Barzal scored for the Islanders, who had their five-game winning streak snapped but will still end the first half of the season atop the Metropolitan Division. New York is 15-3-1 since Dec. 15.

Islanders goalie Robin Lehner recorded 38 saves.

Filppula singlehandedly put the Islanders ahead just 2:19 into the game. The Islanders center faced off with Artem Anisimov deep in the Blackhawks zone, after which the puck briefly bounced to Chicago defenseman Henri Jokiharju. But Jokiharju could not control the puck, and Filppula swooped in and backhanded a shot past Ward.

The Blackhawks took advantage of a five-on-three opportunity -- generated when Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck were whistled for roughing and slashing, respectively, for the visitors -- to finally snap the Islanders' shutout streak early in the second period.

Strome took a feed from Kane and beat Lehner from point-blank range for the first goal against New York in a span of 158:58 dating back to last Thursday against the New Jersey Devils.

Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) scores against New York Islanders goaltender Robin Lehner (40) during the shootout at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Islanders needed just 88 seconds to retake the lead thanks to another unassisted goal. Barzal picked off the puck from Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy near center ice, went in on Ward untouched and beat the goalie with a backhand over his stick hand.

The Blackhawks tied the score with another power-play goal in the final minute of the second. Lehner turned away a shot by Alex DeBrincat, but as the puck remained in the air, Toews split a trio of Islanders and batted the rebound past Lehner with 22 seconds left.

--Field Level Media

[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.