Kane Leads Blackhawks Past Jets 4-3
CHICAGO (AP) -- After a sluggish start, Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks flew past the Winnipeg Jets.
Kane had a goal and two assists and Chicago overcome a two-goal deficit in a 4-3 victory Thursday night.
Linemate Marian Hossa added a goal and an assist, and Andrew Brunette and Dave Bolland also scored.
Kane, who has moved to center this season, skated between Hossa on right wing and Daniel Carcillo on the left wide. The trio led Chicago's attack after the Blackhawks woke up midway through the first period.
"I thought everyone on that line had outstanding games," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "When Kane's on the ice - whether at center or wing - when he has the puck, so much more materializes."
Kane has skated at right wing most of his career, and said he couldn't remember ever playing with Hossa prior to this season.
"We're getting used to each other and trying to find some chemistry," Kane said. "We play the same (high-skill) game."
Kane definitely never skated with Carcillo before. Best-known as an agitator, Carcillo played his first game as a Blackhawk after signing as a free agent over the summer, and then sitting out Chicago's first two regular-season contests on a suspension.
"(Carcillo) creates a lot of energy," Kane said. "He opens up space for myself and Hoss."
Jim Slater scored twice early in the first for the Jets, and Kyle Wellwood added a goal late in the second.
The Jets, who relocated from Atlanta in the offseason, dropped to 0-2. They lost their home opener to Montreal 5-1 on Sunday night.
"We were a little bit better, but so was the opponent," Winnipeg coach Claude Noel said. "You get up 2-0 and you'd like to think you can hold on to it for a while, but it's like golf. It's 18 holes. It isn't done in the first three holes."
Added Slater: "They're a very good team. I thought we played well with them for most of the game, but they buried their chances."
Chicago backup Ray Emery made his first start since signing as a free agent in July and stopped 27 shots. Chicago's No. 1 goalie, Corey Crawford, was on the bench and available, although he has been nursing a lower-body injury.
Ondrej Pavelec made 28 saves for Winnipeg.
The Jets outshot the Blackhawks 5-0 in the opening 7:29 and grabbed a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals Slater deflected in through Emery's pads.
Slater opened the scoring 4:24 in on a tip of Johnny Oduya's shot from the left point following a failed Chicago clearing attempt. Just more than 3 minutes later, Slater redirected in Ron Hainsey's shot. Chicago coach Joel Quenneville called a timeout after Slater's second goal, and the move paid off.
The Blackhawks dominated the rest of the period and into the second. Brunette knocked in a rebound from a scramble during a power play at 9:45 of the first to cut it to 2-1. Kane knotted it at 2 with 3:10 left in the period, firing in a one-timer from the right circle after taking Hossa's cross-ice feed.
"I think around the 10-minute mark we started turning the puck over," Slater said. "They're a good transition team and they were just hounding us in our own zone."
Hossa gave Chicago a 3-2 lead just 33 seconds into the second on a screened shot from the top of the right circle. Bolland made it 4-2 at 6:45 by beating Pavelec on the short side.
Wellwood cut it to 4-3 on a goal-mouth scramble with 5:26 left in the second. With Emery down and out of position, Wellwood backhanded the puck between his own legs and into the net. Emery had to make a couple of tough saves to preserve the lead, but Chicago had the better chances in the scoreless third.
NOTES: Winnipeg LW Andrew Ladd and D Dustin Byfuglien played their first games in Chicago since winning the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010. Both were traded to Atlanta as part of a salary cap dump shortly after Chicago won the championship. ... Chicago skated without LW Viktor Stalberg (knee) and RW Ben Smith (concussion). ... Chicago D Sean O'Donnell celebrated his 40th birthday. He's the first Blackhawks player 40 or older since Tony Esposito.
