Blackhawks Beats The Wings Again
Blackhawks Beats The Wings Again Save Email Print
Posted: 11:34 PM Nov 11, 2007
Last Updated: 11:34 PM Nov 11, 2007
Reporter: Associated Press

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CHICAGO (AP) -- The resurgent Chicago Blackhawks have the NHL's top two rookie scorers -- and the Detroit Red Wings' number.
NHL rookie scoring leader Patrick Kane had a power-play goal and an assist to help Chicago beat Detroit 3-2 on Sunday night, ending the Red Wings' franchise record-tying winning streak at nine games.
Jonathan Toews, second in rookie scoring, also had a power-play goal, Yanic Perreault connected at even strength, and Jason Williams and Robert Lang each had two assists for Chicago in its third straight victory and third of the season over Detroit.
"It's always a confidence builder to beat a team like that," Toews said. "We all knew how big a game this was for our team and our club on and off the ice.
"We just knew if we wanted to win, we had to go out and have a great start and keep doing things we've done the last week or so.
Jiri Hudler and Nicklas Lidstrom scored for the Red Wings, 13-3-1 overall. Anaheim is the only other team to have beaten Detroit so far.
The Blackhawks, who have missed the playoffs in eight of the previous nine seasons, improved to 10-7-0 and show signs of having turned the corner.
"It's exciting," Kane said. "I don't know if we expected it to happen this quick."
"We're a much better team" Chicago coach Denis Savard added. "Our depth is better than we've had in a long time and our special teams came through."
Chicago was 2-for-6 on the power play and killed five Detroit advantages.
The Red Wings' Henrik Zetterberg, the NHL's leading scorer, had an assist to run his season-opening points streak to 17 games.
Chicago's Nikolai Khabibulin made 30 saves. Detroit's Chris Osgood stopped 24 shots.
Detroit coach Mike Babcock took his team's streak-ending loss in stride and said he planned to give his players a day off on Monday.
"We've been on a good stretch and it's hard to win every night in this league," he said. "Sometimes a loss is a good reminder to get you back on track.
"I don't think we had any spunk," Babcock added. "They were outracing us to pucks in one-on-one battles."
The Red Wings players also pointed to the Blackhawks' improved talent as part of the reason for Sunday's outcome.
"They play us well," Lidstrom said. "Their kids play hard and are good with the puck."
Added Osgood: "They're a complete team now. They don't have to just rely on their goaltender anymore"
Perreault opened the scoring with 7:32 left in the first period. He scored on a high shot from the slot after taking Lang's bouncing pass from behind the net.
Kane made it 2-0 with a second left on a 5-on-3 Chicago power-play with 4:51 remaining in the first. He ripped in a one-time shot from the right side of the net after Lang threaded the puck through the crease.
Khabibulin stopped Brian Rafalski on a breakaway and Zetterberg's point-blank backhand shot early in the second.
Hudler cut it to 2-1 with 3:50 left in the second. He connected after driving up the slot and taking Tomas Kopecky's backhand feed from behind the net.
Toews' power-play goal from the right circle with 1:32 left in the period made it 3-1. He fired in a high shot that may have been screened.
Lidstrom trimmed it to 3-2 with 6:15 left in the third. He scored on a screened shot from the point 5 seconds after a Detroit power play ended.

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