Blackhawks Edge Rival Wings 3-2
CHICAGO (AP) — Brent Seabrook scored a goal to break a tie early in the third period, and the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on Friday night.
Seabrook scored the game-winner 1:52 into the third when he fired from the blue line and overpowered Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard with a rising shot that sailed over his glove.
Marian Hossa scored and Jonathan Toews connected on a penalty shot for Chicago, which improved to 10-2-1 in its past 13 before a season-high crowd of 22,166 at the United Center.
Justin Abdelkader and Todd Bertuzzi had goals for the Red Wings.
The win gave Chicago 52 points. The Blackhawks, in first place in the Central Division, opened a five-point lead on second-place Detroit.
Toews scored on the first penalty shot attempt by a Blackhawks player this season, and the second of his career. He was stopped on his first career penalty shot in March 2009 against Edmonton.
Chicago's Corey Crawford made 26 saves. Howard stopped 25 shots.
The Blackhawks and Red Wings met for the first time in 2011-12, marking the latest the "Original Six" rivals had faced each other for the first time in a season since 1928-29.
Hossa has points in nine of his past 10 games and has six goals and nine assists during the stretch.
Abdelkader opened the scoring 9:48 in when he plowed to the net and popped in a loose puck before Crawford could dive out and cover it.
Drew Miller's shot hit Blackhawks defenseman Sean O'Donnell, then fell at the edge of the crease to set up the goal.
Toews tied it at 1 on his penalty shot with 5:28 left in period. He skated straight in, delayed an instant and fired a low shot under Howard's right pad.
Toews was awarded the attempt after being hooked lightly from behind by Detroit's defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom on a breakaway.
Bertuzzi was credited with a goal at 5:25 of the second to put Detroit ahead 2-1.
Mike Commodore ripped a slap shot into traffic from the blue line and it glanced in off Bertuzzi, who was in front of the crease.
Hossa tied it at 2 just over two minutes later.
After skating across the top of the Detroit zone, he turned down the left wing and beat Howard from the circle.
Set up by Toews, Hossa fired at an open net with just under six minutes left in the second, but Lidstrom blocked the shot.
Seabrook put Chicago ahead 3-2 with his second goal of the season. In 42 career games against Detroit, he has seven goals 18 assists.
Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg backhanded a close-in shot off the post with 7:40 left.
Notes: Chicago RW Jimmy Hayes made his NHL debut. The Blackhawks recalled the 6-foot-6 22-year-old from Rockford of the AHL on Thursday. ... Blackhawks LW Daniel Carcillo returned after missing six games with an upper-body injury. Chicago C Marcus Kruger (concussion) missed his second straight game. ... Detroit recalled C Gustav Nyquist from Grand Rapids on Thursday to take the roster spot of LW Tomas Holmstrom, who was placed on IR with a groin injury. Red Wings C Darren Helm also sat out Friday with a groin injury. ... Red Wings RW Dan Cleary got his 200th NHL assist on Abdelkader's goal. ... Toews' penalty shot was the first by a Blackhawk since Hossa scored on Jan. 23, 2011.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
