Tuesday, December 31, 2019 09:00 PM (ET)

Blackhawks take 4-0 lead, then hold off Flames

Field Level Media
Dec 31, 2019

Patrick Kane collected two goals and four points while Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome and Olli Maatta each netted one goal and one assist to lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 5-3 road victory over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

Goaltender Robin Lehner made 41 saves for the Blackhawks, who have won three straight and five of six games.

Maatta, a healthy scratch the previous outing, opened the scoring with his second goal of the season 4:14 into the first period. Maatta took a pass from Kane as he jumped down from his point position and ripped home a shot from the top of the left circle.

DeBrincat doubled the lead with a power-play goal 81 seconds later when he set up shop in the slot and finished a three-way passing play for his 10th tally of the season. Shots at that point were 10-1 for the Blackhawks.

It didn't get any better for the Flames after, when Kane's goal made it a 3-0 advantage at the 12:44 mark of the first period. Kane led a rush up the ice, crossed the rink to the left circle and found the mark with a wrist shot for his 21st goal of the season.

Strome's ninth goal of the season at 9:41 of the second period made it 4-0 and ended up being the game winner. Seconds after Lehner made the stop on Travis Hamonic's big chance, Strome raced down the ice and ripped a short-side, glove-side, top-corner shot.

Sam Bennett's first goal in nearly two months, an effort from the doorstep during a scramble, put the Flames on the board with six seconds remaining in the second period.

After Michael Frolik's short-handed goal -- converted after Elias Lindholm created a turnover - made it a 4-2 game with 4:30 left in regulation, Sean Monahan brought the Flames within one 78 seconds later by pouncing on a loose puck, but Kane's empty netter in the final second rounded out the scoring.

David Rittich made 28 saves for the Flames, who have dropped two straight and have only two wins in their last eight games (2-5-1).

--Field Level Media

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