DeBrincat, Lankinen lift Chicago to win
CHICAGO – Alex DeBrincat scored his 41st goal in the third period and Kevin Lankinen made 33 saves, helping the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1 on Monday night in a matchup of disappointing teams.
Jonathan Toews had a goal and an assist as Chicago (27-42-11) won for just the fifth time in its last 20 games. Erik Gustafsson also scored, and Dominik Kubalik picked up an assist in his 200th NHL game.
Philadelphia lost for the 12th time in its last 16 games. Kevin Hayes scored for the Flyers (25-44-11), and Felix Sandstrom made 30 stops in his fourth NHL start.
Chicago was clinging to a 2-1 lead when DeBrincat converted a one-timer off a cross-ice pass from Patrick Kane at 7:45. DeBrincat matched his career high for goals, set during the 2018-19 season.
Blackhawks defenseman Jake McCabe was sent off for tripping with 1:23 left, and Philadelphia’s Bobby
Brink shot the puck off the inside of the right post. It nearly went off Lankinen and in, but defenseman Riley Stillman swept it off the line.
The Flyers went 0 for 4 on the power play, continuing their season-long special teams issues, and the Blackhawks went 0 for 5 with the man advantage.
Back at home after a sluggish threegame trip, Chicago put together a fast start behind Toews.
The veteran center set up a trailing Gustafsson for a wrist shot from the high slot that made it 1-0 at 1:44. It was Gustafsson’s first goal since Jan. 28 and his third of the season.
Toews was sent off for slashing at 4:08, but he got out of the box, got a nice stretch pass from Sam Lafferty and beat Sandstrom for his 12th goal in 69 games this season. The captain missed all of last year with what he described as chronic immune response syndrome.
The Flyers then got one back when Hayes finished a 2-on-1 with Scott Laughton for his 10th goal at 8:03. Laughton got loose for a breakaway with about two minutes left in the first, but he was denied by Lankinen.