ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) There was symmetry in the way the Chicago Blackhawks picked up their first road victory of the season Sunday, with a near-perfect balance of youth and veterans.
Rookie Adam Boqvist scored his first NHL goal in the first period and the veteran duo of Patrick Toews and Patrick Kane finished things off in overtime to give the Blackhawks a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks.
During a night-long recognition of the 1,000th game in the career of Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf, it was the Blackhawks who celebrated last with Kane’s goal 24 seconds into overtime, off a pass from Toews.
”We have some young players who are extremely promising and they’re getting better and better, and we’re feeling confident that they can play in the league and contribute to the team,” Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton said. ”And that, in the end, is how we’re going to turn this – the combination of the old guys getting it done and the young guys taking more and more responsibility.”
Alex DeBrincat also scored for the Blackhawks on a two-man advantage in the first period.
Sam Steel and Nick Ritchie scored for Anaheim. Ryan Miller had 34 saves.
Toews stopped in traffic shortly after overtime began, spun around and slipped a cross-ice pass to Kane, who lifted the puck over the shoulder of Miller for the winner. It was the veteran’s fourth goal of the season.
Blackhawks goalie Robin Lehner made 36 saves in the victory as Chicago won for just the second time in eight games. The Blackhawks also became the last Western Conference team to win a game on the road.
Steel had a second-period goal and Ritchie tied the game 2-2 at the 6:17 mark of the third period on a power-play goal, with an assist from Steel. Getzlaf had an assist and a sense of relief as the Ducks at least came away with a point on a night when he was being honored.
”I was happier with our start tonight, although we came away down two (goals),” Getzlaf said. ”We took some penalties and stuff again in the first which doesn’t allow you to get any rhythm in the hockey game, but we did a good job of battling back and getting that point.”
Boqvist, who made his NHL debut Saturday night against the Los Angeles Kings, scored through traffic in front of the goal at 9:21 of the first period on a shot that hit off the right post and deflected into the net.
”You always looked to scoring (your) first goal and playing in the NHL, so it happened,” said Boqvist, who called the goal a dream. ”I didn’t see where it went in, but I did see it went by the post, so yeah, it was good (it went) in.”
Boqvist, the No. 8 overall selection in the 2018 draft, played 14 minutes, 44 seconds on Sunday after playing 15:38 a day earlier.
”I don’t think so much out there,” Boqvist said. ”It’s happened so quick and everything. There’s so much in my head right now. I got called up four days ago, so I’m just going to go with the flow.”
It was just the second loss at home in eight games for the Ducks, who entered with three victories in their last four games.
Just over six minutes after Boqvist scored for the first time, DeBrincat took a cross-ice pass from Kane and scored his fourth of the season on a deflection off Miller’s right pad.
Getzlaf’s milestone game came two days after he scored the winner in overtime against the Vancouver Canucks.
”He has been given much by the organization and he has given everything that he has back,” Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins said of Getzlaf. ”To play 1,000 games in one jersey is a very hard things to do and we are all very, very proud of his accomplishment.”
NOTES: In addition to Getzlaf’s 1,000th game, it was the 2,000th game in the history of the Ducks franchise. … Getzlaf received a video board tribute midway through the first period that drew appreciation from both benches, as well as a standing ovation from the crowd. … Blackhawks D Erik Gustafsson was back in the lineup after he was a healthy scratch Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings.
UP NEXT
Blackhawks: At San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.
Ducks: Host Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.
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