Blackhawks defeat Stars in OT for sixth win in row

CHICAGO -- Marian Hossa made up for an uncharacteristic error for the Chicago Blackhawks, who won their sixth straight game Sunday at United Center.
Hossa's giveaway in overtime nearly cost the Blackhawks, but he made amends by scoring with 28.7 seconds left for a 4-3 victory against the Dallas Stars.

Hossa beat goalie Kari Lehtonen with a slap shot from the high slot to win it. It was his 1,100th NHL point and was scored 1:41 after Chicago killed a 4-on-3 power play for Dallas (4-5-3).
WATCH: All Blackhawks vs. Stars highlights
"I had two or three giveaways [that shift]," Hossa said. "That doesn't happen in a whole game. We killed the penalty in overtime, and [I was] getting a little cold sitting on the bench for a little bit longer. I jumped in there and had three giveaways, so definitely I was a little frustrated. But that was nice to end it that way."
Chicago goalie Scott Darling, in his first start since Oct. 22, made four saves in overtime among his 32. Three came during Dallas' final power play, including a lunging right-skate save at 1:37 to rob Patrick Eaves.

"He made a great save on me," Eaves said. "That was the look we wanted, and it just didn't go in. You always want those to go in, especially because it would have given us the extra point, but he made a [heck] of a save, and we've got to live with that."
The Blackhawks (9-3-1), who swept the Stars in a home-and-home set, trailed 2-1 to start the third period. They moved in front with two 4-on-4 goals 56 seconds apart. Jonathan Toews tied it 2-2 at 3:39 with a tip-in goal, and then he assisted on Artem Anisimov's goal at 4:35 to give Chicago its first lead at 3-2.
The goal extended Anisimov's point streak to an NHL career-high 11 games. He also had an assist on Hossa's overtime goal.
Anisimov has eight goals and nine assists during the streak, which is the longest in the NHL this season. His 17 points lead the League, and his eight goals are tied for the lead.
Stars rookie center Gemel Smith scored the first two goals of his NHL career. He tied it 3-3 with 1:20 left in the third period after the Stars had pulled Lehtonen for an extra attacker.
Tyler Seguin also scored for the Stars, and Lehtonen made 29 saves.
Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith had two assists, Toews had a goal and two assists, and Patrick Kane scored a goal to extend his point streak to four games.

Goal of the game

Hossa let out some frustration with his overtime goal. He slapped the puck past Lehtonen after Darling's save on Dallas defenseman Dan Hamhuis 11 seconds earlier negated his turnover at the other end of the ice.

Save of the game

The stakes weren't nearly as high, but Darling's save against Eaves in overtime was reminiscent of his post-to-post save against Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis in the third period of Game 1 in a 2015 Western Conference First Round. Darling's 6-foot-6 frame played a key role in each save. "It took every inch of me to get that one," Darling said. "Whoever passed it, I think it was [Jamie Benn], he had a good fake. I thought he was going to shoot it. He passed it across, and I just tried to get something over there. Luckily it hit me."

Unsung moment of the game

Smith's first NHL goal was scored with a combination of speed and skill, but an unsung play by Hamhuis started it. Hamhuis cleared the puck to the neutral zone during a Blackhawks power play, and Smith chased it down for a breakaway goal.

Highlight of the game

Toews' goal in the third period was a tip-in off a feed from Hossa, who got the puck off Keith's stretch pass. Hossa sent his pass between defenseman John Klingberg's legs right to Toews' stick near the net.

They said it

"I was thinking, 'Stay calm, stay calm, read the goalie, read the goalie.' I kind of lost the puck there and tried to pull it back, and luckily it went in."-- Stars rookie forward Gemel Smith on scoring his first NHL goal on a breakaway
"He probably thought he had a goal no matter what and put it along the ice. Scotty's foot comes out of nowhere. That was a huge one." -- Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews on Scott Darling's overtime save against Patrick Eaves

Need to know

The Stars recalled center Justin Dowling from Texas of the American Hockey League on Saturday and placed forward Jiri Hudler (illness) on injured reserve. Dowling was a healthy scratch. … Dallas played with seven defensemen. Patrik Nemeth, who had been scratched the previous three games, entered the lineup at left wing on the fourth line. … Chicago rookie forward Tyler Motte sustained a lower-body injury crashing into the boards in the second period and didn't return.

What's next

Stars: At the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, FS-SW+, NHL.TV)
Blackhawks: At the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NHL.TV)