NHL Game Summary - Carolina at Chicago
Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Jonathan Toews posted two goals and an assist to lead the Chicago Blackhawks in a 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday.
Marcus Kruger, Brandon Saad and Marian Hossa all scored for the Blackhawks, who have won three of their last four. Corey Crawford stopped 27 shots in the win.
"We took advantage of our chances and got rewarded for it," said Toews. "I think when you're able to distance yourself in a game like that you're able to play with a little more confidence."
Chicago debuted its two recent acquisitions as defenseman Kimmo Timonen and forward Antoine Vermette were on the ice with the team for the first time. Timonen was acquired from the Flyers on Friday and was on the ice for the first time this season, while Vermette came to the team from Arizona.
John-Michael Liles and Alexander Semin scored for the Hurricanes, who had a three-game winning streak snapped.
Cam Ward was pulled after the second period as he allowed four goals on 18 shots. Anton Khudobin stopped 7-of-8 shots in relief.
The only goal of the first period went to Chicago as Toews was sprung for a breakaway by Michal Rozsival down the middle and buried his shot past the glove of Ward at 8:07.
Skating shorthanded early in the second, it was Toews again on another break that saw him snap in a wrister for his 21st of the season 44 seconds in.
The Blackhawks made it a 3-0 game nine minutes later as Saad's first shot from the left circle was blocked, but it came back to him and he buried his second chance for his 20th of the season.
Chicago took a 4-0 lead into the third period as a turnover saw Andrew Shaw throw a shot on net from the slot and Kruger stuff home the rebound with 4:18 left.
Carolina got on the board at 4:29 of the third when Liles finished off a nice play with his second goal of the year.
"I don't think we were on our best play in the first period," said Liles. "They had us on our heels and then they get that shorthanded goal in the second period and we weren't able to recover."
Hossa, though, got the goal back at 7:55 on a simple wrister from the slot that beat Khudobin over the glove, while Semin scored with 1:10 to play to account for the final score.