CHICAGO (AP) - Dylan Strome, Alex Nylander and Patrick Kane scored on consecutive shots late in the second period, leading the Chicago Blackhawks to a 6-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.
Strome scored twice and added an assist in the rout. Chicago won its third straight game while chasing a wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference. Drake Caggiula and David Kampf also scored for the Blackhawks.
“We’re a pretty streaky team,” said Strome, who snapped a 14-game goalless streak. “I can’t point to one thing. If we can cut the losing steaks in half, we’ll be in good shape. Lots of time left.”
Danton Heinen and Carter Rowney scored for Anaheim, which lost for the sixth time in eight games (2-5-1).
The three goals in succession in 2:53 late in the second broke open a one-goal game. Strome broke to the net and deflected Kane’s perfect pass by goaltender John Gibson for a 3-1 advantage at 15:29.
Nylander made it 4-1 with 1:53 left in the period with a backhand after a 120-foot 2-on-1 with Jonathan Toews to his right. Fifteen seconds later, Kane beat Gibson between the pads for his 29th goal of the season.
“You give good players like that some looks, they’re going to make you pay,” Heinen said.
Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins replaced Gibson, who made 19 saves on 24 shots, with Ryan Miller for the third period. Miller made 15 saves.
As big a problem for Eakins was losing defenseman Josh Manson to an upper-body injury in the first period.
“After Manson went down early in the first period, that’s four of our top six defensemen out of the lineup,” Eakins said. “That’s a lot of pressure on those guys who are playing right now, especially against a group of skill like that.”
Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford was replaced by Malcolm Subban for 70 seconds in the third period after Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf caught Crawford in the head with his left knee. Crawford sat on the bench rather than go to the room designated for concussion evaluation.
The Blackhawks got off to a quick start. Caggiula slipped into the left slot and deflected Adam Boqvist’s hard pass past goaltender Gibson for Chicago’s first goal 2:07 into the game, after solid board work by Kirby Dach.
Chicago made it 2-0 early in the second, with Strome beating Gibson on the stick side after getting behind the Ducks defense.
Heinen stopped Crawford’s shutout bid 4:20 into the second, capping off a sharp passing play. The Blackhawks killed off a 5-on-3 power play soon after and began to control the flow of the game.
Rowney beat Crawford with a mid-air deflection for Anaheim’s second goal 8:26 into the third. Crawford finished with 37 saves.
NOTES: Anaheim D Hampus Lindholm missed his third straight game with an upper-upper-body injury. D Cam Fowler missed his seventh straight game with a lower-body ailment. Until he replaced starter John Gibson, G Ryan Miller was on the bench after missing one game with flu-like symptoms. … Anaheim’s David Backes was held off the score sheet in his second game since being traded from Boston on Feb. 21. … The Blackhawks’ latest defensive rotation had Lucas Carlsson replacing Nick Seeler on the last pair. Carlsson collected his first NHL point in his fourth NHL game, an assist on Strome’s second goal.
UP NEXT
Ducks: At Colorado on Wednesday night.
Blackhawks: Host Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.
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