After trading momentum and goals through two periods, it only made sense that the Blackhawks and Penguins did the same in the third period and overtime before deciding the game in a shootout.
Bryan Bickell scored a freakish goal 1:09 into the third period, just throwing it towards the net. The shot caught Marc-Andre Fleury by surprise and beat him over the shoulder to give Chicago a 2-1 lead. The Blackhawks would hang on to that lead until late in the period when Pittsburgh newcomer due to injury Brett Sterling scored stuffing home a Jordan Staal rebound with 3:28 left in regulation.
Chicago and Pittsburgh traded off power play opportunities at the end of the third and into overtime resulting in some fantastic chances for both teams highlighted by a spectacular save for Marc-Andre Fleury on Michal Frolik and the Penguins making Corey Crawford stand on his head during the 4-on-3 power play in overtime. Nothing would get decided there as the game headed to the shootout.
In the shootout, Patrick Kane would score the only goal in the event while Pittsburgh’s Pascal Dupuis was denied by the post on his attempt. Even in spite of the loss in the shootout, Fleury’s play was brilliant throughout making 29 saves. Without his effort today, the Penguins likely don’t even get to go to the shootout. Corey Crawford was brilliant on his own in stopping 24 shots during the game and all three shots in the shootout.
One injury note from the game, however, as Pittsburgh’s Jordan Staal left the game during overtime after being struck in the face by a shot. Staal went right to the locker room after the shot and did not return. After the game, coach Dan Bylsma said he assumes that Staal is OK. If there’s anything the Penguins don’t need now it’s to have their best center to go out of the lineup at all with Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby out already.
The win is huge for Chicago as it gets them closer to the pack in the hunt for the playoffs in the Western Conference. Dropping a couple more in a row would’ve made things a bit tougher to handle in the ultra competitive West. For Pittsburgh, they’ll slip back a little bit behind Philadelphia in the East as the Flyers picked up a win earlier over the Rangers. The Pens have now lost five of their last seven games.