SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Blackhawks are attempting to hold round so long as attainable within the Western Conference wild-card race to see in the event that they someway can catch sufficient breaks to sneak into the playoffs, they usually purchased themselves somewhat extra time with a feisty efficiency in opposition to the Sharks.
The Hawks scored 3 times within the first interval and held on for a 5-Four victory Thursday to maintain themselves in play as a protracted shot. They path the Avalanche by 5 factors for the ultimate playoff spot with 5 video games left.
The Coyotes are two factors behind the Avalanche and might pull even when the groups play Friday in Denver. The Wild are also within the combine, some extent forward of the Hawks, they usually go to the Golden Knights on Friday. The Hawks have a day without work earlier than going through the last-place Kings on Saturday.
“Every game’s big right now,” Jonathan Toews stated. “It’s a big win for us to stay alive and keep that morale up and keep heading toward the end of the season in the right direction, regardless of what happens in the standings.”
Blackhawks left wing Alex DeBrincat celebrates after scoring in opposition to the Sharks within the second interval Thursday. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
The Sharks sport was a pointy change from the tight, low-scoring battles the Hawks have had the final two weeks. It was the primary time they scored greater than twice since beating the Maple Leafs on March 13.
They opened a 3-Zero lead within the first 9 minutes, however the Sharks got here to life and tied the rating 4-Four late within the second interval. The Hawks went up 5-Four on a protracted shot by Patrick Kane that Chris Kunitz chopped into the web.
That was a key component of the offense Thursday after coach Jeremy Colliton referred to as out his gamers for not wanting to combine it up on the web on offense and get ‘‘dirty goals’’ from deflections and rebounds. The Hawks had a presence across the crease from the outset, and it made a distinction.
The Hawks had been additionally higher on the ability play after scoring solely 4 instances in 36 tries within the earlier 14 video games. Alex DeBrincat gave them a power-play aim 4 minutes into the sport.
They even have been unhealthy on penalty kills, and that drawback persevered. The Hawks dedicated 5 penalties, together with three by Brent Seabrook within the first 25 minutes, and gave up two targets.
The Hawks took their 5-Four lead into the third interval and made it final. They held the Sharks to 9 pictures on aim within the ultimate interval.
“We started making a few more hard, direct, forward plays,” Colliton stated. “Thought our D-zone was fairly good. That’s what it’s best to do on the highway.
“I believe one of many issues as a staff we will get higher at is, OK, you’re up 3-1, the sport ought to be over. Find a option to shut it down. We battle with that somewhat bit. But 5-Four on the highway in opposition to that staff… I believed we did an actual good job within the third.”
DeBrincat broke out of his droop with two targets, boosting his season whole to 40. With Kane at 41, the Hawks have two 40-goal scorers for the primary time since Steve Larmer and Jeremy Roenick in 1990-91.
“You just worry about getting to the NHL, not about how many goals you’re gonna score,” stated DeBrincat, who by no means imagined potting 40. “It’s a cool accomplishment for me. It’s fun to do, fun to score. Glad it happened.”
At 21 years, 100 days outdated, he additionally took over Larmer’s spot because the youngest participant in franchise historical past to achieve 40 targets in a season.
Toews assisted on DeBrincat’s first aim and scored his 33rd to push his level whole to 76, matching the profession excessive he set in 2010-11. He is one aim away from tying his profession excessive in that class, as properly.