Sharp's dagger gets it done
Quenneville says goal with 4:10 to play could be 'biggest of season'
The Blackhawks washed away the bad taste of a shutout loss at Nashville in a hurry. They concluded the first month of the season with a rousing 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in one of those rare matchups of NHL Original Six franchises Friday night at the United Center.
Patrick Sharp's blast with 4:10 left in the third period decided this one with Patrick Kane his setup man. Kane slipped Sharp a pass from the right boards and Sharp one-timed it past goaltender Carey Price.
(Scott Stewart/Sun-Times)
''He really put that one home with some force,'' teammate Kris Versteeg said. ''And it got the monkey off his back somewhat because he hadn't scored in a few games.''
Sharp had gone six games without a goal before Friday's game-winner.
''Sharpie always finds a way to get open, and to put the puck in his wheelhouse was great,'' Kane said.
Coach Joel Quenneville suggested it might be ''the biggest goal of the season,'' given that it provided a victory to savor through a five-day stretch until the next game, which is Thursday in Phoenix.
There was more to this game than the one big shot, though. Cristobal Huet was rewarded a start against the team that traded him following three strong performances, and he earned the win despite a somewhat shaky second period.
''Every time the coach tells me to play I'm ready for it,'' Huet said. ''But it was great to play against that jersey.''
Then there was the thunderous hit by Andrew Ladd on Montreal's Matt D'Agostini that set the tone just 3:48 into the game. Ladd wound up getting a game misconduct, but he earned respect.
''He's a tough guy. He can really fight and really hit,'' Versteeg said. ''It was nice to see him run someone over.''
''It looked like a clean hit, and it pumped up the crowd and pumped up the team,'' Kane said.
The Hawks staked Huet to the early lead on Versteeg's power-play goal 11:57 into the game.
Versteeg banked the puck off a Montreal defenseman while trying a centering pass to Sharp from behind the net.
The lead grew to 2-0 midway through the second on another goal with the man advantage. Cam Barker scored from the left circle on a play that started with Kane getting the puck along the right boards and passing to Versteeg behind the net.
Huet wasn't so sharp in the latter stages of the second, however, as the Canadiens came back to tie the game. Mike Cammalleri cut the lead in half, slipping the puck between Huet and the near post from close range 15:55 into the period. Former Hawk Travis Moen got the equalizer with just three seconds left in the period.
Sharp's goal, though, made everything right, and left the injured Jonathan Toews and Adam Burish to lead the victory celebration for a sellout crowd of 20,807.
Toews and Burish were dressed for celebrating, each wearing Halloween outfits that couldn't be missed. Burish was dressed in a baby blue suit while Toews' suit was apricot.
''We needed that after a tough loss last night,'' Versteeg said.
Giving up a two-goal lead wasn't what the Hawks wanted, but the end result was.
''We don't see Montreal too much,'' Kane said. ''We want to enjoy this as much as we can.''
BLACKHAWKS 3, CANADIENS 2