Toews missed last season with chronic immune response syndrome. The 33-year-old center helped set up Dominik Kubalik's goal to tie the game 1-1 at 16:50 of the first period and played 22:48.
"It was a bit of a road coming back to get to this point," Toews told NBC Sports Chicago during the first intermission. "Pretty happy, grateful to be out here. Obviously, that first period, I've got some [defensive] zone video to watch or something; a little lost out there."
Bobby Ryan scored the deciding goal in the fourth round of the shootout after he tied the game 3-3 with 1:51 remaining and goalie Calvin Pickard pulled for an extra skater.
Michael Rasmussen (6:27 of first period) and Mitchell Stevens (4:13 of the second period) scored for Detroit. Thomas Greiss allowed three goals on 15 shots, and Pickard made the save on all 24 shots he faced in relief.
Brandon Hagel (2:08) and Jujhar Khaira (3:45) scored in the second period for Chicago, and Kevin Lankinen made 30 saves on 33 shots. Forward Patrick Kane did not play.
