Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Martin Havlat recorded a goal and an assist, and the Chicago Blackhawks returned to their winning ways with a 5-2 rout of the Calgary Flames.
Playing without star forward Patrick Kane because of a high ankle sprain suffered in the Winter Classic game against Detroit, the Blackhawks managed to end their brief two-game slide. Chicago also found out Saturday that three of its players -- Kane, center Jonathan Toews and defenseman Brian Campbell -- will start in the NHL's All-Star game, to be played in Montreal, January 25.
Andrew Ladd and Patrick Sharp also recorded a goal and an assist, while Kris Versteeg and Dustin Byfuglien also tallied for Chicago, which has now won 10 of 12 overall. Nikolai Khabibulin made 34 saves in the win for the Blackhawks.
"It's a big two points for us. We came out hard and that's what we needed to do after dropping two games to Detroit," Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith said of the home-and-home setback. "We used our speed against them -- we have a lot of character and we know a lot of their players from western Canada, so we don't want to be embarrassed."
Todd Bertuzzi and Daymond Langkow scored for the Flames, who came into the game riding a five-game winning streak. Miikka Kiprusoff allowed four goals on 28 shots before being pulled after the second period in taking the loss, only Calgary's third in its last 10 road games. Curtis McElhinney stopped all seven shots he faced in the third.
"You always hope wins will carry over, (but) we'll work hard to rebound from this one, stay positive and believe the next game will bring good things," said Flames captain Jarome Iginla. "They can score goals quickly, and you have to give them a lot of credit."
The Blackhawks got on the board first. Some nifty passing from Ladd and Keith allowed Havlat to score on a wide open net just 3 1/2 minutes into the contest.
Sports
Calgary knotted the game early in the second period. A little over a minute into the frame, Bertuzzi's tip-in equalized the game. But Chicago went back in front with 5:53 left in the period, as Ladd took a loose puck in front of the net and lifted it over Kiprusoff's left shoulder for the tally.
The Blackhawks took a two-goal lead on Versteeg's shorthanded breakaway tally at the 15:26 mark of the second. Byfuglien added a power-play goal on a wrister over Kiprusoff's shoulder with just 1.1 seconds remaining in the period to make it 4-1.
Langkow added a power-play goal for the Flames at the 6:23 mark of the third, but Sharp scored an empty-net goal with 1:41 left to seal the victory.
