RECAP: Blackhawks Fall to Penguins, 5-2

The power play found twine for the third straight night on Saturday, but a lopsided first period was too much to overcome as the Blackhawks fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins on the road, 5-2.
Patrick Kane and Kirby Dach scored the goals for Chicago in the loss, while Marc-Andre Fleury and Kevin Lankinen split time in goal in the defeat.

POSTGAME LINKS
GAMECENTER: CHI at PIT
ANALYSIS: Under-Fire First the Difference in Pittsburgh
HIGHLIGHTS: Blackhawks Fall in Pittsburgh
GALLERY: Blackhawks at Penguins
STAT OF THE NIGHT: With his first tally of the season, Patrick Kane pulled just one goal back of Steve Larmer for third all-time in franchise goals with the 405th of his storied carrer.
BLACKHAWK OF THE GAME: With a goal and an assist on the night, Kane was the catalyst to the Blackhawks offense while leading all forwards in ice time.
UP NEXT: The Blackhawks return home for a four-game slate to open their United Center schedule beginning on Tuesday night as the New York Islanders visit town (TICKETS).

GAME RECAP

CHI: 0, PIT: 1

1st - 0:15 - Teddy Blueger (Brock McGinn, John Marino)

For the second straight night, the Blackhawks found themselves down right off the opening draw. On the first rush of the game, Seth Jones sprawled out on the ice to cut off a Teddy Blueger cross-ice pass on a 2-on-1, but the puck deflected off the defenseman's leg and between the pads of an unsuspecting Marc-Andre Fleury for an early Pittsburgh lead, 1-0.

CHI: 0, PIT: 2

1st - 5:33 - Drew O'Connor

The Penguins doubled their lead off a mishap behind the goal a few minutes later. As Marc-Andre Fleury went out to play a puck wrapping around the boards, the puck slowed before it could get to the playable area behind the goal and allowed the Pittsburgh forecheck to get in on the netminder away from his cage. Fleury's attempt to clear it from danger deflected off the side of the cage and right into the oncoming path of Drew O'Connor, who promptly found the open goal.

CHI: 0, PIT: 3

1st - 10:59 - Brock McGinn (Drew O'Connor)

Following a Chicago scoring chance in the offensive end, Pittsburgh quickly transitioned the other way on a 2-on-1 as Drew O'Connor picked up a loose puck and turned on the speed. Inside the Blackhawks blue line, he fed a pass across to Brock McGinn, who powered a one-timer past a sprawled out Marc-Andre Fleury.

CHI: 0, PIT: 4

1st - 11:25 - Danton Heinen (Jake Guentzel, Jeff Carter)

A few seconds later, the Penguins again scored in transition as Chicago struggled to find the trailer off a rush. Jake Guentzel pulled up along the half wall and hit the late-arriving Danton Heinen in the high slot, who put a quick shot just under the crossbar through a pair of bodies blinding Fleury in front. The goal would end Fleury's night in goal as Kevin Lankinen replaced him midway through the first.

CHI: 1, PIT: 4

2nd - 5:00 - Patrick Kane (Seth Jones, Alex DeBrincat) -- PP

The Blackhawks power play converted its opening opportunity early in the second, the third straight game the man advantage has cashed in to open the season. Alex DeBrincat and Seth Jones quickly moved the puck from former in the corner to latter at the point and then to Patrick Kane at the opposite point, where No. 88 buried a one-timer from the top of the circle for his first of the season and 405th career goal, pulling within one of Steve Larmer (406) for third all-time in Blackhawks history.

CHI: 1, PIT: 5

2nd - 17:55 - Jason Zucker (Kasperi Kapanen, Mark Friedman)

Pittsburgh regained their four-goal lead before the end of the middle frame on a delayed penalty call. Kevin Lankinen made the initial stop on a shot from Kasperi Kapanen, but the loose rebound was thrown back into the slot by Jason Zucker and caught the skate of Connor Murphy as it was deflected into the open goal.

CHI: 2, PIT: 5

3rd - 15:57 - Kirby Dach (Brandon Hagel, Patrick Kane)

The Blackhawks pulled one back late as Kirby Dach put a Brandon Hagel feed past Tristen Jarry alone in tight in the final minutes to make it a 5-2 final score.