Blackhawks extend win streak to five games

CHICAGO -- Playing for the sixth time in 10 days, the Chicago Blackhawks still found a way to extend their winning streak to five games at United Center on Sunday.
Scott Darling made 33 saves and the Blackhawks scored four unanswered goals after falling behind to defeat the San Jose Sharks 4-1 and sweep a back-to-back set that started with a 6-4 victory at the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.
"I felt good," said Darling, who improved to 5-2-1 in a span of eight straight starts. "Sure, that many games and traveling, all that stuff it catches up to you. But we work hard to be ready for that stuff."

WATCH: All Sharks vs. Blackhawks highlights
Joe Pavelski put the Sharks up 1-0 at 1:13 of the second period, but Duncan Keith tied it 1-1 at 16:49. The Blackhawks (22-8-4) then seized the win on goals in the third from Ryan Hartman, Vinnie Hinostroza and Patrick Kane.
Darling made 13 saves in the third, including nine after Hartman made it 2-1 at 6:59 off a faceoff win by Hinostroza. The Blackhawks made it 3-1 on Hinostroza's goal at 17:40, his second in as many games, and Kane scored his 10th goal into an empty net at 19:13.
"The first two periods it was a pretty even game," Hinostroza said. "Both teams had a lot of chances. [Darling] made some big saves and then [Hartman] made a great play off the faceoff. It's always huge scoring in the third, like we have been recently. It's another huge win for us."

Keith's goal was his first of the season and Artemi Panarin extended his point streak to five games with two assists. Hartman and Hinostroza each had an assist.
The Sharks (19-12-1) had a four-game winning streak end and fell one victory short of sweeping a four-game road trip. Martin Jones made 22 saves for San Jose.
"It's a nice stretch, for sure, but you get the three [wins] … you want the four," Pavelski said. "That's just the way it is. This was the game we were worried about and wanted to win. You'd like to end the road trip with a win, for sure."
Pavelski got his 11th goal by tipping Brent Burns' shot past Darling.
San Jose nearly made it 2-0, but had two shots hit the post and several more stopped by Darling to keep Chicago within a goal.
"I thought the second period was probably the difference in the game, to come out 1-1 after we played the way we did," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "If we find a way to get another one going into the third, maybe it's a different game."

Goal of the game

Hartman scored the game-winner in the third off Hinostroza's faceoff win. Hinostroza battled Mikkel Boedker to a stalemate, which left the puck free for Hartman. He slid in for a quick shot into the far corner of the net.
"I was just trying to pick the guy and leave the puck for him to come in, and he did exactly what I thought he was going to do," Hinostroza said.

Save of the game

Jones kept it 1-1 with 18 seconds left in the second period. Blackhawks forward Tyler Motte sent a pass to center Marcus Kruger in the low slot, but Jones made a chest save to stop it.

Unsung performance of the game

Darling's save against Boedker at 6:04 of the second period left a loose puck in the crease. The Sharks were unable to increase their 1-0 lead off it because Panarin quickly sent the puck to the boards.

Highlight of the game

Keith's goal to tie it 1-1 late in the second period was scored three seconds after he sent a shot wide of the net from almost the same spot. Panarin got the puck and fed it back to Keith for a one-timer past Jones.

They said it

"We had our chances to find that insurance goal. It was right there all night for us … it got away from us there at the end, but it was definitely a game that was there for us." -- Sharks captain Joe Pavelski
"You can see goals come in bunches when he's hitting his stride and when that's happening he's a dangerous player. He's got speed, and he can make a lot of guys look silly out there." -- Blackhawks forward Ryan Hartman on Vinnie Hinostroza

Need to know

Blackhawks center Artem Anisimov didn't play and is day to day with an upper-body injury. … Chicago goalie Corey Crawford (appendectomy), who's missed eight games, hopes to return against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. … Forward Joel Ward returned to the Sharks' lineup after being scratched for the first time this season in San Jose's 4-2 win at the Montreal Canadiens on Friday.

What's next

Sharks: Host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday (10:30 p.m. ET; CSN-CA, SNW, NHL.TV)
Blackhawks: Host the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET; CSN-CH, RDS2, TSN5, NHL.TV)