The Chicago Blackhawks were able to keep their historic streak intact thanks to Patrick Kane's late-game heroics combined with Corey Crawford's superb goaltending.
Kane scored the tying goal with 2:02 remaining in regulation and supplied the winner in the shootout, as the Blackhawks rallied to beat the Detroit Red Wings, 2-1, at Joe Louis Arena.
Chicago stretched their NHL-record season-opening point streak to 22 games (19-0-3).
"It's just pretty amazing. We've talked about the resiliency with this team...and it seems like we just keep finding ways to either keep ourselves in the game or find a way to win it at the end," Kane said.
The Red Wings were poised to deal the Blackhawks that elusive 60-minute defeat.
Tomas Tatar put Detroit on the board early in the third, and Jimmy Howard looked to make the lead hold up with some stellar goaltending of his own.
But with 2:25 left in the frame, defenseman Jonathan Ericsson flipped the puck over the glass from the Detroit zone, resulting in a delay-of-game penalty.
On the ensuing power play, Kyle Quincey made a good defensive play by blocking a shot. The puck got tied up in the defenseman's skates, however, and Viktor Stalberg was able to move it over Kane. The Chicago forward wasted little time whipping a shot that beat Howard high on the short side.
Detroit rearguard Niklas Kronwall went off for another delay-of-game penalty 39 seconds after Kane lit the lamp, but the hosts survived.
Kane followed up his late tally by supplying the lone shootout goal, slowing up in the slot before firing a shot past the blocker of Howard.
Crawford, back between the pipes after leaving his previous start with what the team called an upper-body injury, made 32 saves for the Blackhawks, who have won nine straight for the first time since Dec. 7-28, 2008.
Howard also stopped 32 shots for Detroit, which has dropped five in a row -- all by one goal -- to its Central Division rival. In fact, the last nine meetings have been decided by a goal.
"They were way better than us at the start. I thought we were cautious and too respectful," Detroit head coach Mike Babcock said.
The Red Wings shook off a slow start -- they were outshot 9-3 in the first period -- to grab the lead.
Patrick Eaves won a race to a puck below the goal line and Joakim Andersson made a quick pass out front to Tatar, who buried the puck behind Crawford at the 2:43 mark of the third.
Game Notes
