CALGARY, Alberta – Marian Hossa has had a tremendous career that’s included a lot of goals, including 79 game-winners entering Friday night.
Make that 80.
Hossa scored with 2:23 remaining in regulation and Corey Crawford stopped 28 of 30 shots as the Blackhawks edged the Calgary Flames 3-2 on Friday. The Blackhawks, who weren’t happy with their flat 4-0 loss against Winnipeg on Tuesday, played a more complete game on their second stop of this trip.
And considering how well Hossa has played this season, coupled with his ability to come through in big games, it wasn’t a big surprise to see him factoring in this one late.
“Hoss has been around the net lately, scoring some big goals. That’s another big one for us after a tough loss,” Crawford said. “To come back with a big win, that’s important for us right now.”
Ryan Hartman scored his third of the season and Brent Seabrook scored on the Blackhawks’ lone power play of the night. The Blackhawks’ penalty kill was also stellar, nixing five Flames power plays (the last came with 9.1 seconds remaining in regulation).
Still, these two teams were tied 2-2 with less than three minutes left in the game. Artemi Panarin had the initial shot and Hossa, sneaking in behind Calgary goaltender Chad Johnson, knocked the puck down and into the goal. Just when it looked like the Flames would challenge it was realized they couldn’t; they had already used their timeout.
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For Hossa, the renaissance season continues. He has 10 goals through his first 17 games this season; he had 13 in 64 games last season.
“When you have a hot stick good things happen and you just try to put the puck in the net,” Hossa said. “When you feel like the puck’s going in for you, you try to be there around the net or try to shoot pucks to the net and try to make plays.”
Hartman got the Blackhawks on the board early, taking a long pass from Artem Anisimov, holding off Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman and finishing with the pretty goal.
“He made a great play from our own end, Arty with the great pass and off [Hartman] went,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “What a great shot. Nice to see him score. I thought he did some other good things in the game as well.”
The Blackhawks did a few good things in this one, from Seabrook’s timely power-play goal to the strong penalty kill to another good night of goaltending. But once again it was Hossa, who’s showing that he still has more left than we thought he did.
“Another big goal by him, very timely as well,” Quenneville said. “He’s scored some goals around the net this year to get us a point or two, and tonight was a great illustration of how important he’s been for us.”