Patrick Kane, Blackhawks fight past Hurricanes to end Carolina’s 5-game winning streak

It would have been interesting to be in the Carolina Hurricanes’ locker room Thursday at the first intermission break.

The Canes had given up three power-play goals to the Chicago Blackhawks. They had five shots in the period. They had been outskated, outhustled and trailed 3-1.

Whatever Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said, it clicked. Nino Niederreiter and Andrei Svechnikov both scored in the first minute of the second period to tie the score. It was a tight game the rest of the way, filled with offensive chances, forcing Canes goalie James Reimer and Chicago’s Kevin Lankinen to make some sparkling saves.

The Blackhawks eventually got in the last punch, winning 6-4 on Alex DeBrincat’s two goals in the third period at the United Center. That ended a five-game winning streak for the Canes (6-2-0).

Patrick Kane had a goal and three assists and Dominik Kubalik a goal and two assists for the Blackhawks (4-4-4). Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho each had a goal and assist for the Canes, who next play two games at Columbus.

On the go-ahead goal, Kane got off a shot, then chased down the puck below the goal line and centered it to an open Pius Suter in front. Reimer got a piece of the puck, but DeBrincat slipped in backdoor to pop in the rebound.

DeBrincat scored an empty-netter to seal it.

Kane’s goal early in the third period gave the Hawks a 4-3 lead but Brock McGinn tied it for the Canes. Kane’s score came not long after the Canes had failed to convert on a power play, Vincent Trocheck banging a shot off the crossbar — a near-miss.

Kane drove the net against defenseman Jaccob Slavin, who was called for a penalty as Kane got off a shot. Reimer stopped the puck but it caromed off Slavin’s skate and leaked through Reimer. After a review it was ruled a good goal.

McGinn then took a pass from Sebastian Aho, ripping a rising shot as he fell in the low slot that beat goalie Kevin Lankinen for a 4-4 tie.

Canes tie score quickly in second

The Canes trailed 3-1 after a poor first period, then tied it up in the first minute of the second and it’s 3-3 after 40 minutes.

Nino Niederreiter and Andrei Svechnikov scored eight seconds apart for a 3-3 tie. Niederreiter collected a loose puck in front of goalie Kevin Lankinen and beat him with a quick backhander for his fourth of the season. That came 42 seconds into the period.

Svechnikov then scored his sixth of the season eight seconds later as Dougie Hamilton earned his second assist of the game. Svechnikov, who jumped on a Hamilton rebound, scored his 50th career goal.

Canes defenseman Brett Pesce was taken to the locker room in the first period after taking a puck to the face but returned for the second period.

Both goalies have made a handful of sparkling saves as both the Canes’ James Reimer and Chicago’s Kevin Lankinen have faced 22 shots. Lankinen kept it a 3-3 game in the final minute with a hustling save on shot by Sebastian Aho, who was set up by Svechnikov.

Hawks score three on power play

Aho scored 75 seconds into the game as the Canes jumped in front quickly but the Blackhawks have taken the 3-1 lead after the first period with power-play goals from Mattias Janmark, Dominik Mattias and Andrew Shaw.

Aho scored his second of the season on a shot from the top of the slot as Brock McGinn screened goalie Kevin Lankinen. Dougie Hamilton and Andrei Svechniov earned assists.

But hooking call against Canes defenseman Haydn Fleury at 1:37 resulted in Chicago’s first power-play score. After the Canes kept the puck in the offensive zone shorthanded, the Blackhawks pushed the puck back down the ice and Janmark scored his fourth off a Kubalik pass.

The Canes also have had a power play in the first but the Hawks killed off a Kubalik penalty. Kubalik then scored on the power-play for a 2-1 lead.

Late in the period, the Blackhawks had 1:18 of a 5-on-3 after penalties by Steven Lorentz and Brady Skjei. The Canes killed off the Lorentz penalty — Pesce hurt on the PK — but Shaw scored on a backhander with 6 seconds left in the period.

NHL adds COVID safeguards

The NHL announced new COVID protocols and preventative measures Thursday that the league believes can help stop the transmission and spread of the coronavirus.

The league said shielding behind the benches would be removed to allow more air flow during games, and the glass behind the benches was gone Thursday night at the United Center in Chicago.

The NHL asked that virtual team meetings be held as much as possible. The league is asking that additional locker room space be provided for both home teams and visiting teams in arenas to increase social distancing, with player stalls six feet apart.

“It’ll be an adjustment tonight, and probably for the next little while, while we work out the kinks on all that,” Brind’Amour said on a Thursday media call. “But at the end of the day when the puck drops we’ve got to go play.”

The Canes have had six players on the NHL COVID-19 protocol list and had a nine-day COVID pause in the season. All now have returned to the team and forward Jesper Fast, the last to be removed from the list, is skating again and should play soon, Brind’Amour said Thursday.

“It’s hard to avoid everywhere,” Brind’Amour said of the virus. “We’re doing the best we can. We try to limit the contact as much as possible as everybody tells you to do, but it’s still hard to avoid.”

The starting lineup

The Canes’ line combinations were expected to have Sebastian Aho centering Svechnikov and Brock McGinn, Vincent Trocheck centering Nino Niederreiter and Martin Necas, Jordan Staal centering Warren Foegele and Teuvo Teravainen, and Steven Lorentz at center with Ryan Dzingel and Jordan Martinook.

The D pairs are expected to be Jaccob Slavin-Dougie Hamilton, Brady Skjei-Brett Pesce and Jake Gardiner-Haydn Fleury.

Of note: Staal has a four-game point streak, the longest for the Canes this season.

Game setup

Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday morning that James Reimer would again be the starting goaltender. Reimer was in net for Carolina’s 4-3 shootout win Tuesday, stopping the Blackhawks’ Alex DeBrincat, Patrick Kane and Dylan Strome to seal it as Andrei Svechnikov scored for the Canes.

It was the eighth straight shootout win by the Canes, who have won nine of 11 since 2018-19.

The Canes were 6-1-0 in the first seven games last season, when their 12 points topped the previous franchise record of 10 points set in 1996-97 by the Hartford Whalers, who were 5-2-0.