CHICAGO (AP) -The Chicago Blackhawks got key goals from Robert Lang and big saves from Nikolai Khabibulin to win their season-high fourth straight game.
Lang scored two goals in the third period and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Nashville Predators 5-2 on Wednesday night.
"Everyone knows that Nick was the first star tonight on both sides of the red line," Jonathan Toews said. "He won the game for us.
"All in all, I don't think we played as well as could tonight. But we came away with two points and we're happy about it."
Both of Lang's goals restored two-goal leads for the Blackhawks, who held on for a season-high fourth straight win.
Patrick Sharp, Toews and Patrick Kane each had a goal and assist for the Blackhawks.
Khabibulin was sharp and made 30 saves. Among them were numerous point-blank chances, including several on odd-man breaks, that kept Nashville from tying the game.
The Blackhawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, but struggled to stay ahead.
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| Chicago Blackhawks players celebrate their season-high fourth straight win. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) |
"We had a decent start, but again got ourselves in trouble with turnovers," Chicago coach Denis Savard said. "They put a lot of pressure on us."
But the Blackhawks didn't collapse before a season-high crowd of 20,511.
"I don't think about that (the crowd)," Khabibulin said. "I just step out on the ice and do the best I can. I'm just happy we've won four straight."
Alexander Radulov and Marek Zidlicky scored for Nashville, which had won its previous two games. The Predators went 0-for 6 on the power-play.
Sharp's goal, which opened the scoring in the first period, was his league-leading seventh short-handed. As a team, the Blackhawks lead the NHL with 12 short-handed goals.
"We had our chances, but we didn't bury them," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "We had three power play chances in the first period.
"Every time we come in here they seem to score a short-handed goal," he added. "That can be pretty deflating."
Dan Ellis started in goal for Nashville. He was replaced by Chris Mason late in the first period after allowing two goals on the Chicago's first three shots.
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| The Blackhawks Robert Lang Lang scored two goals in the third period as Chicago defeated the Nashville Predators, 5-2, in Chicago on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) |
Mason permitted two goals on 18 shots
"Khabibulin made some great saves when he had to," Mason said. 'We need to get some gritty goals on deflection and screens. We don't have the same kind of skilled goal-scoring we in previous years."
Chicago defenseman Brent Sopel suffered a broken finger in the first period and, according Savard, will miss two-to-four weeks.
Blackhawks blueliner James Wisniewski sustained an injury to the medial collateral ligament in his knee in a fight at the end of the game with Nashville's Jordin Tootoo. Savard expects Wisniewski, who will undergo an MRI, to be sidelined for at least four-to-six weeks.
Notes: The Blackhawks placed three players - RW Martin Havlat (groin), C Dave Bolland (broken finger) and LW Ben Eager (concussion) on injured reserve on Wednesday. Havlat, one of the league's top offensive talents, was injured Saturday in Ottawa and will miss at least a week. Havlat sat out 22 games earlier this season with a shoulder injury. In 12 games, he has five goals and six assists. ... Nashville D Shea Weber missed his second game with an ankle injury.
