Amazing.
Andrei Trefilov, playing in just his second game as a Blackhawk, stopped a penalty shot by Mats Sundin with 54.3 seconds left to preserve a 4-3 victory Saturday night over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Sundin had tied the game at 10:37 of the third period with his 250th career goal, but Trefilov wouldn’t have any part of No. 251.
Alex Zhamnov scored the game-winner at 15:15 of the third after the Hawks had blown a 3-1 lead. It was his 10th of the season and sixth in the last seven games as the Hawks (16-19-9) ran their road unbeaten streak to five (4-0-1).
Tony Amonte got the Hawks going late in the first period when he sent a turnaround slapper past Felix Potvin at 18:21. Sundin answered for Toronto (14-22-7) with 42.7 seconds left in the period, wristing a shot past Trefilov on a 2-on-1 break.
Eric Daze put the Hawks back in front at 4:55 of the second period with his team-best fourth power-play tally.
Perhaps the most important goal then came from Steve Dubinsky. Craig Mills put a big hit on the Leafs’ Dimitri Yushkevich in the corner, raced to the front of the net and deflected Gary Suter’s shot right to Dubinsky, who netted his third goal at 5:46.
Derek King cut it to 3-2 at 15:55 on a shot Trefilov (33 saves) didn’t see, and after Trefilov stoned Tie Domi with 11:13 remaining in regulation, Sundin tied it at 10:37.
The Hawks are now 9-8-3 on the road, 6-1-3 in their last 10 away from the United Center.
SATURDAY’S SUMMARY
BLACKHAWKS 1 2 1–5
Toronto 1 1 1–3
First period: 1, BLACKHAWKS, Amonte 15 (Laflamme), 18:21. 2, Toronto, Sundin 17 (D.King), 19:17. Penalties: Weinrich, Chi (hooking), 9:39; Simpson, Chi, major (fighting), 15:02; Domi, Tor, major (fighting), 15:02; Cummins, Chi (holding), 15:28.
Second period: 3, BLACKHAWKS, Daze 16 (Black, Chelios), 4:55 (pp). 4, BLACKHAWKS, Dubinsky 3 (Mills, Suter), 5:46. 5, Toronto, D.King 10 (Sundin), 15:55. Penalties: Baker, Tor (interference), 3:13; Cummins, Chi, major (fighting), 5:24; K. King, Tor, major (fighting), 5:24; Zhamnov, Chi (slashing), 7:42; Johnson, Chi (hooking), 17:42.
Third period: 6, Toronto, Sundin 18 (Prochazka, Berezin), 10:37. 7, BLACKHAWKS, Zhamnov 10 (Amonte, Laflamme), 15:15. Penalties: Chelios, Chi (roughing), 13:33; Modin, Tor (roughing), 13:33; Suter, Chi, (roughing), 16:43; Modin, Tor (roughing), 16:43.
Shots on goal:
BLACKHAWKS 7 11 7–25
Toronto 12 6 18–36
Missed penalty shot: Sundin Tor, 19:05 third. Power-play Opportunities: BLACKHAWKS 1 of 1; Toronto 0 of 4. Goalies: BLACKHAWKS, Trefilov 1-1-0 (36 shots-33 saves). Toronto, Potvin 13-16-5 (25-20). A: 15,726. Referee: Don Van Massenhoven. Linesmen: Brad Kovachik, Ray Scapinello.
