Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp scored in the shootout to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday.
Troy Brouwer, Sharp and Patrick Kane scored in regulation for Chicago. Antti Niemi stopped 35 shots. Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg and Patrick Eaves scored for Detroit. Pavel Datsyuk had two assists and Jimmy Howard made 26 saves.
Datsyuk and Todd Bertuzzi scored for Detroit in the shootout.
"I thought overtime was pretty exciting," Bertuzzi said. "It was end-to-end rushes, but we've still got to figure out a way to get two points. I still think we're the team to beat."
Kane agreed, adding that the Blackhawks have a lot of respect for the Red Wings.
"It's one of those situations where I still think they're the team to beat until proven otherwise in the playoffs," he said. "They've proven that the last couple of years."
It was a back-and-forth contest between the two storied rivals — both played Saturday — and Detroit rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to tie it. Sharp got the shootout winner in the fourth round.
"It was a mostly even game," Hossa said. "It could have gone both ways and we got lucky and won."
Hossa was booed each time he touched the puck in his second game at Joe Louis Arena since leaving Detroit to sign a 12-year, $62-million US contract with the Blackhawks. Howard stopped him on prime scoring chances three times and Hossa was wide on a 2-on-1 just before the five-minute overtime period ended.
Eaves tied it 3-3 with 9:50 left in regulation on a wrist shot from the top of the left circle. It was Eaves's sixth goal.
Sharp gave Chicago a 3-2 lead with 8:50 left in the second when he tipped in Duncan Keith's pass for his 16th goal. Howard got a piece of the shot.
Zetterberg's power-play goal 8:45 into the second tied the game 2-2. Zetterberg scored from the bottom of the left circle, shooting through Niemi's legs for his 12th goal.
Brouwer opened the scoring 7:55 into the game when his shot from the top of the left circle went in off the inside of Howard's pad.
Brouwer's 14th goal came off a rebound after Niemi stopped Justin Abdelkader and then Brad May on a two-on-none rush.
Kane's power-play goal with 5:15 left in the first made it 2-0. His wrist shot from the high slot went in off of Howard.
Lidstrom put Detroit on the board with 48 seconds left in the first with his third goal. He beat Niemi from the bottom of the left circle.
It was the Red Wings' first goal against the Blackhawks in 148:36, and since Oct. 8. Chicago shut out Detroit by 3-0 scores on Dec. 20, and Dec. 23.
