Bickell Lifts Blackhawks Over Avalanche, 3-2

DENVER (AP) — Bryan Bickell scored late in the third period and the Chicago Blackhawks overcame strong goaltending from Calvin Pickard to beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 Wednesday night.

Corey Crawford made 27 saves, and Jonathan Toews and Andrew Shaw also scored for Chicago. Patrick Kane had three assists.

Pickard, making his first start after winning two games in relief of Reto Berra, kept Colorado in the game with a career-high 42 saves. He left for an extra skater with 2:15 remaining, but Colorado couldn't tie it.

Ryan O'Reilly and Max Talbot scored for the Avalanche, who had won two consecutive games.

Colorado tied it 2-all on O'Reilly's third goal of the season at 3:36 of the third. Chicago stepped up the pressure but Pickard kept it a tie game until Bickell's go-ahead goal at 14:43.

Up until then it appeared Pickard might steal a win for Colorado. He kept the Blackhawks off the board in the first period and made four of his 13 saves in the first 20 minutes on Marian Hossa, who had several chances.

Hossa finished with a game-high nine shots.

Pickard's strong play continued into the second. Chicago went on the power play early in the period and put a lot of pressure on Pickard but couldn't beat him.

The Avalanche capitalized when Talbot scored less than two minutes later to give Colorado a 1-0 lead. It was Talbot's second of the season.

The Blackhawks finally broke through when Brent Seabrook's shot from the point trickled through Pickard's legs and Toews knocked it into an empty net to tie it.

It was Toews' 10th goal of the season.

That ended Pickard's scoreless streak at 149 minutes, 24 seconds. Less than three minutes later, Shaw made it 2-1 on another power play when he beat Pickard with a one-timer from the left circle. It was his fourth of the season.

NOTES: Avalanche D Erik Johnson was scratched with a head injury sustained in Tuesday's win at Arizona. Karl Stollery was recalled from Lake Erie of the AHL and played in his place. ... Shaw returned to the lineup after missing three games with an upper-body injury. ... Colorado LW Alex Tanguay was back in the lineup after missing two games with a facial fracture.

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