CHICAGO – Tomas Tartar scored in regulation and in the shootout, leading Jimmy Howard and the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night.
Gustav Nyquist also scored in the tiebreaker for Detroit, which won for just the third time in 11 shootouts this season. Darren Helm had a goal and an assist, and Howard made 32 saves through overtime.
Jonathan Toews gave Chicago the lead with a goal in the first round of the shootout, but Patrick Kane's backhander went off the crossbar, and Patrick Sharp was stopped by Crawford on the final attempt.
Brandon Saad and Kris Versteeg scored in regulation for Chicago, and Corey Crawford had 26 saves. The Blackhawks dropped to 2-0-3 on their season-high, eight-game homestand.
The Original Six rivals again played a close game that featured a solid performance by each goalie. They exchanged goals in a 39-second span of the second, and then a 43-second stretch of the third.
The Red Wings grabbed the lead for the second time when Helm's persistence in front of the net paid off. Helm's shot from in close was knocked down by Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook, but he stayed with the puck and scored his 13th goal as he was falling with 2:06 left in regulation.
With the crowd of 22,112 still buzzing after Helm's play, the Blackhawks quickly tied it again. Versteeg's slap shot from the top of the left circle went off Howard's glove, over Toews and then off Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall's right shoulder and stick for the dramatic goal at 18:37.
Chicago dominated much of the first period, spending 3 1/2 minutes in the Detroit zone in one stretch. The Red Wings began to play better in the second, but Toews had a prime opportunity for the Blackhawks when he sent a wraparound across the goalmouth, and Saad shot it into the side of the net.
Detroit then used a slick move by Helm to jump in front at 16:10 of the second. Helm sent a no-look backhand pass across the crease to Tartar, who sneaked in behind the defense and poked the puck into the open net for his team-leading 24th goal.
Chicago responded 39 seconds later, with Saad sending a wrist shot past Howard for his 18th of the season. Marian Hossa earned his 26th assist after he barely managed to stay onside before Saad's second goal of the homestand.
Helm had a chance to get the lead back for Detroit with 1:20 to go, but Crawford got over to knock his shot away. Brendan Smith also hit the post for the Red Wings about six minutes into the third.
Chicago center Marcus Kruger got two open looks early in the final period, and Howard turned him away each time.
NOTES: There was a pregame moment of silence for former defenseman Steve Montador, who died last weekend at the age of 35. ... Detroit scratched D Jakub Kindl and Fs Daniel Cleary and Tomas Jurco. ... Ds David Rundblad and Tim Erixon and F Daniel Carcillo were scratched for Chicago.
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Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap
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