Jacques Cloutier, who had a season ticket on the Blackhawks` bench before being traded to Quebec last January, revisited the Stadium Thursday night, this time gainfully employed in goal.
He gave the Hawks problems for 2 1/2 periods, but then faltered and the Nordiques fell 4-2 as Brian Noonan scored twice.
Goals by Jocelyn Lemieux and Frantisek Kucera within a 15-second span midway through the final period decided the game.
Lemieux broke away down the right side and scored unassisted on a shot from the middle of the circle to send the Hawks ahead 3-2 at 10:05.
Then the Hawks struck again. This time it was defenseman Kucera getting his first goal of the season on a shot from the right circle. Lemieux assisted.
It was the eighth straight loss for the Nordiques, who are at their worst on the road. The last time the Nordiqes won on alien ice was last March 10 when they eked out a 2-1 victory at Hartford. Since then the record reads 0-21-6.
The Hawks are hoping whatever afflicts the Nordiques isn`t contagious. The Chicagoans hit the road for a seven-game trip that will begin with a Saturday afternoon game in Minnesota.
By virtue of the victory at the expense of their ex-teammate, the Hawks moved to within eight points of Norris Division leader Detroit, a 3-1 loser Thursday at home against Smythe Division leader Vancouver.
The teams went into the third period locked in a 2-2 tie.
Noonan scored his 16th and 17th goals for the Hawks, while Claude Lapointe and Greg Paslawski put the puck in the net for the Nordiques.
Tending goal for the Hawks was Dominik Hasek, trying to stay undefeated since being recalled from the Indianapolis farm team Jan. 1. In his other starts this month, Hasek had three triumphs and a tie.
This time he struggled.
The Hawks dominated the first period, outshooting the Nordiques 13-5. But when intermission arrived the score was 1-1, thanks to the late shorthanded goal by Lapointe.
The center beat the sprawling Hasek with a point-blank backhand shot on a rush to the net.
Chicago`s goal came at 14 minutes on a shot from the immediate left of goal by Noonan after nearby Steve Smith fetched him the puck.
Smith`s hooking penalty at 6:15 produced a Quebec power play that went for naught.
At 7:01 Dirk Graham was rammed from behind by Mikhail Tatarinov when he went one-on-one with Cloutier. The impact send Graham`s head smashing into the goal post. He left the ice bleeding but was back for the second period.
Tatarinov, however, was gone for the night after receiving a game-misconduct penalty in addition to 10 minutes for checking from behind.
Again, the Hawks were unable to come up with a power-play goal.
When they finally managed to get on the scoreboard via the goal by Noonan the teams were at even strength.
A charging call against Kevin Kaminski at 17:35 gave Chicago the power play that backfired and resulted in Lapointe`s shorthanded goal. Randy Velischek and Doug Smail made the prefacing passes.
The Hawks went back ahead 2-1 when Noonan scored a 6:09 of the second period. A jarring check by Lemieux that caused Lapointe and the puck to part company along the boards near center ice instigated the scoring play.
Lemieux relayed the puck to Brent Sutter and he, in turn, sent it to Noonan, who made a nice move before scoring on a shot from the slot on the right side.
The Hawks killed a holding penalty by Rod Buskas at 9:30.
But at 15:19 Paslawski came cruising down the left side and launched a shot from the outer edge of the circle. The puck hit Hawk defenseman and bounced back on Paslawski`s stick at the inner edge of the circle, and this time he propelled it over Hasek`s head.
The fans thought Hasek should have had it, and some began chanting ”Ed-die”, suggesting that the Hawks would be better off with their All-Star goalie, Ed Belfour, in the game.
