Toews scores short-handed goal in OT to give Blackhawks 2-1 win over Predators

CHICAGO - Jonathan Toews scored a short-handed breakaway goal at 3:26 of overtime to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.

With Patrick Sharp off for tripping, Toews stole the puck from Nashville's Roman Josi just inside the Chicago blue line. He raced down left wing, cut to the slot and was stopped by Carter Hutton on his first shot, but Toews managed to push the rebound under Hutton's pads.

Johnny Oduya got his first goal of the season in the first period for Chicago and Corey Crawford had 19 saves.

Shea Weber scored his third goal for Nashville and Hutton finished with 35 saves. Hutton was making his first start of the season in place of Pekka Rinne, who started the Predators' first four games.

The Blackhawks outshot the Predators 37-20, finishing with a shooting advantage against an opponent for the second straight game. Chicago outshot Calgary 50-18 on Wednesday in a 3-2 overtime loss.

In this one, the Predators took control of the game for much of the third period with up-tempo skating and persistent forechecking after being dominated through the first two periods and outshot 23-6 after 40 minutes.

It was tied 1-all after one period despite Chicago holding a 12-2 advantage on shots.

Both teams scored on their first shots of the game.

Oduya connected just 1:49 in when he skated in from the left point and leaned into a low shot from the top of the circle that beat Hutton between the pads.

Weber tied it with a power-play goal at 11:17 shortly after serving a cross-checking call and exiting the penalty box. His drive from the left circle appeared to strike Chicago defenceman Michal Rozsival, then deflected upward and over Crawford's shoulder.

Chicago outshot Nashville 11-4 in the second, and Hutton made several tough in-close saves late in the period to keep it tied.

The Predators picked up the pace in the third, forcing the Blackhawks into turnovers in the Chicago zone and tested Crawford. He made a point-blank pad save on Craig Smith 4:45 into the period when both Smith and Colin Wilson were alone in front of the net following a Chicago giveaway.

NOTES: Rozsival played his first game after suffering a upper-body injury in training camp last month. ... Chicago LW Kris Versteeg, who sustained a lower-body injury in practice two days before the season opener, has resumed skating. ... Hutton started his career in the Blackhawks' organization, but appeared in only one NHL contest with Chicago before signing with the Predators as a free agent in 2013. He was 20-11-4 with Nashville last season. ... The Predators didn't arrive at their Chicago hotel until about 2:30 a.m. Saturday following their 2-0 win at Winnipeg on Friday.