Rapid Recap: Blackhawks 5, Avalanche 3

The Chicago Blackhawks scored four goals in the third period to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 on Saturday night at Pepsi Center.
Patrick Kane and Kirby Dach scored in a 28-second span midway through the final frame to help the Blackhawks erase a 3-1 deficit, and Dominik Kubalik scored with 3:17 remaining to give Chicago its first lead of the night. Connor Murphy added an empty-netter.

Kane and Kubalik also added assists in the game, while Jonathan Toews finished with a three-point outing (one goal and two assists).
The Avalanche received markers from Ryan Graves and Matt Calvert, the latter of whom found the back of the net twice in the second period to give the club a two-goal lead. Graves added an assist in the contest as well, and Tyson Jost also finished with a multi-point game (two assists).
It was Chicago's first win of the season against Colorado, which had won each of the first three matchups.
Statistics
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Photo Gallery
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Highlights
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Notes & Quotes
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Watch: Coach Bednar Postgame

THE GOALS

1st Period
6:01 COL (1-0) - Ryan Graves tallied on a one-time shot from the right point after taking a pass from Joonas Donskoi.
2nd Period
0:21 CHI (1-1) - After Chicago forced a turnover in the Avs' zone, Jonathan Toews knocked the puck into the net at the front of the crease.
2:40 COL (2-1) - Matt Calvert scored on his own rebound in front.
19:09 COL (3-1) - After being denied on his original shot, Matt Calvert chased after the puck in the corner and then tossed a shot that banked off Robin Lehner and into the net.
3rd Period
11:22 CHI (3-2) - Patrick Kane found the back of the net on a wrist shot that found its way through traffic from the left circle.
11:50 CHI (3-3) - Kirby Dach scored from a tough angle for Chicago's second goal in a matter of 28 seconds to tie the game.
16:43 CHI (3-4) - Dominik Kubalik tallied from the slot after taking a behind-the-net pass from Jonathan Toews.
19:21 CHI (3-5) - ENG, Connor Murphy's long shot found the back of the empty cage
Final: Blackhawks - 5 | Avalanche - 3

3 STARS

Selected by Colorado Hockey Coach of the Game: Wade Backus (DU Jr. Pioneers)

POWER PLAYS

Colorado: 0 for 3
Chicago: 0 for 3

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Colorado: Philipp Grubauer stopped 27-of-31 shots
Chicago: Robin Lehner made 28-of-31 saves, including all nine in the third period

STAT OF THE NIGHT

Erik Johnson played in his 539th game with the Avalanche, taking sole possession of ninth place all-time in team history (since 1995-96). Johnson has played the second-most contests among Avs defenseman all-time (Adam Foote, 760) and fourth-most in franchise history.
Johnson finished with a season-high six hits, his most in a game since Oct. 20, 2016 at Tampa Bay (also six).

NOTEBOOK

The NHL announced prior to the game that Nathan MacKinnon was named the captain of the Central Division for the 2020 All-Star Game… Matt Calvert registered his second multi-goal game of the season (Oct. 25 vs. Vegas) and fifth of his career… Ryan Graves (goal and assist) and Tyson Jost (two assists) each recorded their third multi-point outings of the year... Jost's two assists equaled his career high… MacKinnon had his seven-game point streak come to an end (three goals, six assists) (3g/6a)… The Avalanche wrapped up the season series with the Blackhawks by posting a 3-1-0 record. All four games occurred in a 23-day span.

QUOTABLE

Colorado head coach Jared Bednar on the Chicago's comeback: "The other night we get caught three deep. Tonight we had four guys above the puck, but we only did the job to the red line or to our blue line and we didn't finish the job all the way to our net. So they just finished their routes and there it is. The D-zone coverage at the end, we have five guys standing in the house and they put it right in the one guy that is in there, and no one gets a stick on it."

BIG HIGHLIGHT

IMAGE OF THE GAME

Yep, that was me. I got my own rebound and banked it off the goale. I meant to do that.

ROSTER REPORT

Goaltender Philipp Grubauer started for the second straight game… Mark Barberio and Vladislav Kamenev were the healthy scratches.

INJURY UPDATE

Cale Makar took part in morning skate wearing a red, non-contact jersey, but head coach Jared Bednar said there is a possibility that the defenseman plays in the team's next game on Monday. Makar has missed the last seven games with an upper-body injury suffered on Dec. 7 at the Boston Bruins… Colin Wilson (lower body) is out indefinitely after having surgery.

UP NEXT

The Avalanche heads to Las Vegas for a one-game trip against the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night. It's Colorado's final game before the NHL's three-day holiday break.

LINE COMBINATIONS

Based on start of the game
Forwards
92 Gabriel Landeskog - 29 Nathan MacKinnon - 96 Mikko Rantanen
95 Andre Burakovsky - 91 Nazem Kadri - 72 Joonas Donskoi
83 Matt Nieto - 41 Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - 11 Matt Calvert
17 Tyson Jost - 37 J.T. Compher - 13 Valeri Nichushkin
Defensemen
16 Nikita Zadorov - 49 Samuel Girard
27 Ryan Graves - 6 Erik Johnson
54 Anton Lindholm - 28 Ian Cole
Goaltenders
31 Philipp Grubauer
39 Pavel Francouz