Chicago, IL – The Chicago Blackhawks continued their thrilling run on Wednesday with a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche.
Chicago is now 21-0-3 on the season and has not lost a regular season game in regulation since March 25 of last year, a mark of 24-0-6. It's the second- longest streak in NHL history and the team now trails the 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers by five games for the top spot.
Also, the Blackhawks extended their franchise-best winning streak to 11 games thanks to Danny Carcillo's go-ahead goal with 49.3 seconds to play. Andrew Shaw and Jonathan Toews also scored, while Ray Emery made 20 saves in the front end of a home-and-home set.
"You know we don't talk about it, to be honest," said Carcillo. "We just take it day-by-day. We'll enjoy this tonight and then get back at it tomorrow to prepare for Friday."
John Mitchell and Matt Duchene each posted a goal for the Avalanche, who have lost six of their last seven games. Semyon Varlamov gave up all three goals on 31 shots.
These two teams will meet in Colorado on Friday.
Chicago trailed by a goal entering the third period and the team was down a man after Michal Rozsival was called for hooking 1:25 in, but a rush the other way saw Dave Bolland leave a drop pass at the right point for Toews, who then flew around the defender before cutting to the front and slamming the puck in at the 2:19 mark.
With time winding down in the game, Chicago was attacking in the Colorado end and Marcus Kruger sent a pass from the right boards to Viktor Stalberg at the right circle. Stalberg snapped a shot on net that Varlamov stopped, but Carcillo was in front to backhand the puck home for his first of the season with 49.3 showing on the clock and Chicago's streak continued.
The Blackhawks, though, did play the game shorthanded as Marian Hossa sat out the contest with an upper-body injury while Patrick Sharp and Shaw both left the game with injuries.
Chicago got the first goal of the game when a right point shot by Brent Seabrook was deflected into the net by Shaw for a power-play goal at the 9:51 mark of the first period.
Colorado tied the game with 1:40 to play in the first as a little pass from Chuck Kobasew in the slot went to the left side saw Mitchell lift a backhand into the net.
The Avs then took a 2-1 lead with 6:43 to play in the middle stanza when PA Parenteau sent the puck from the left wing to Duchene, who was able to bank the puck in off of Emery from a sharp angle at the left side of the net.
"We did some things well," Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco said. "To come away without any points is disappointing."
Game Notes
Colorado took three of the four games against the Blackhawks the past two seasons ... Chicago was 1-for-3 on the power play, while Colorado went 0-for-2 ... The Blackhawks' last loss came on Feb. 12, a home defeat to Anaheim in a shootout.
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