Game report: Blackhawks 3, Ducks 2 (OT)

The defending Stanley Cup champions (13-8-2) were less than two minutes from their third loss in four games when they nullified a 2-0 deficit.

After Anaheim’s season ended one victory shy of the Stanley Cup Final last spring, the clubs revived their rivalry last month in Chicago. It was their lone trip to California and they will play seven of their next nine games at the Madhouse on West Madison…. Before the game was even a minute old, Patrick Kane had a great scoring chance after a nice feed from Artemi Panarin, but was foiled by Kings goalie Jonathan Quick. Defenseman Duncan Keith won a puck battle deep in the offensive zone then found Hjalmarsson drifting in from the left point and his slap shot from 50 feet where Hjalmarsson’s slap shot eluded Quick.

Kronwall was stripped in front of his net 10 seconds into the extra period, but Henrik Zetterberg and Dylan Larkin were able to tie up the play without allowing a shot.

The Kings remain in Los Angeles where they will hos the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night at Staples Center. The Kings narrowed the margin to 2-1 in the first minute of the final period. The Ducks came out slowly that night, fell behind 2-0 and never recovered. “We definitely need them throughout the season”.

The icing on the cake, was the thrill ride that is the 3-on-3 overtime format.

The overtime period was, in a word, exciting.

Both teams were aggressive and both goaltenders were stellar.

Marian Gaborik celebrates his OT victor against the Blackhawks.

490: Shifts Kane has played. If he continues to play as he has recently, he shouldn’t have a problem getting there. “It’s exciting. I don’t want to think about it too much, just try and enjoy it”. Patrick Kane is red-hot for Chicago, as he leads the league in points with 34 and assists with 23. As if things hadn’t been going well enough.

It was the first time the Blackhawks were back at the arena since winning Game 7 of the Western Conference finals.

Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau kept center Ryan Kesler on Jonathan Toews throughout after being criticized for putting Ryan Getzlaf on the Blackhawks’ captain last spring.

This is the Blackhawks’ first loss when leading after two periods in a long, long time.

“You knew they were going to come eventually”, said Gibson, who got within moments of his second shutout of the Blackhawks in two seasons.

Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy (88), of Russian Federation, stops the puck against Washington Capitals left wing Jason Chimera (25) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday in Washington.