The Blackhawks’ drive for five was in overdrive Tuesday night.
Beginning the night in seventh place in the Western Conference and with an eye on fifth place by the Feb. 8 Olympic break, the Hawks scored three first-period goals en route to a 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders before 16,228 at the United Center.
The win closed the gap between the Hawks (19-20-9) and fifth-place Phoenix, which lost in Edmonton, to three points. The Hawks’ drive hit a bump early in the third period when goalie Jeff Hackett left the game, but coach Craig Hartsburg said it was just leg cramps and that Hackett should be fine for Thursday’s game against Toronto.
With a win against the Leafs, the Hawks could hit the .500 mark, something they haven’t reached yet this season.
“That would be a big milestone,” said Gary Suter, who had a goal and two assists.
As would reaching fifth place.
“That’s a goal that’s attainable for us,” said Tony Amonte.
It is if Amonte and Suter continue their hot streaks. Amonte’s first-period power-play goal at 5 minutes 13 seconds and his assist on Suter’s third-period goal gave him four goals and nine assists in the last 12 games. Suter has five goals and seven assists in 12 games. His short-handed goal gave the Hawks two on the night; Steve Dubinsky got the other.
Eric Daze’s 19th goal of the season at 14:05 of the first drove Islanders goalie Wade Flaherty from the game. New York’s Todd Bertuzzi ended Hackett’s shutout bid with a breakaway goal at 5:21 of the second. Hackett improved to 8-2-3 in his last 13 decisions with a 1.31 goals-against average.
Dmitri Nabokov closed out the Hawks scoring at 12:50 of the third.
