Kane has NHL career-high six points in Blackhawks win against Ducks

CHICAGO --Patrick Kane scored an NHL career-high six points (one goal, five assists), and the Chicago Blackhawks used a five-goal first period to defeat the Anaheim Ducks 8-3 at United Center on Tuesday.

"Fun night," Kane said. "Sometimes it's good to see those games, have a couple breaks. It was a good night overall. Nice to score some goals here at home and get the crowd into it, get out early and feel good about ourselves.
"I knew I had five (points) in one game. But with like three minutes left in the third, you don't think you're getting another one. But nice to get that one."
Dylan Strome had a hat trick and an assist, and Alex DeBrincat had a goal and three assists for Chicago (21-29-8), which had lost two straight. Marc-Andre Fleury made 29 saves.

Anaheim (27-23-9) was coming off a win but is 2-6-1 in its past nine games. John Gibson allowed five goals on 13 shots before being replaced at the start of the second period by Anthony Stolarz, who made 16 saves.
"Absolutely unacceptable," Ducks forward Derek Grant said. "It's probably the worst we've played all season. We left 'Gibby' out to dry. He made probably four or five incredible saves. It could have been 10-0 in the first. It's just unacceptable at this level."
Strome gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead at 1:38 of the first period, scoring on a one-timer from near the right hash marks after Kane chipped a cross-ice pass to him.
"I got some great passes," Strome said. "Started out pretty good and playing with some good players. Whenever you're on the ice with those guys (DeBrincat, Kane), you got to be ready … got to be ready for the puck at all times, and sometimes it finds you. Other games it doesn't, but it felt good tonight."
DeBrincat made it 2-0 at 7:05, and Kane extended the lead to 3-0 at 13:53 when he shot five-hole from the high slot shortly after a Ducks power play expired.
Ryan Carpenter pushed it to 4-0 at 17:14, redirecting a shot from Kane near the right post over the shoulder of Gibson.
Jonathan Toews made it 5-0 at 19:32 with a shorthanded goal off a 2-on-1 with Brandon Hagel, who scored 19 seconds into the second period to make it 6-0.

"It was bad play and bad luck," Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said. "When those two combine, it comes up for a very ugly period. Our best guys, the guys that we rely on each and every night and who have done a wonderful job to get us into a playoff race, they had rough nights. They have to lead us.
"The game plan was simple. We really wanted to manage the puck, not turn it over. And we wanted to close hard and fast on their forwards, especially 88 (Kane), because the more time you give him, the more he will ding you. For whatever reason, we chose not to manage the puck, and we chose to give 88 lots of room. That led to a disastrous first period."
Jakob Silfverberg scored for the Ducks to make it 6-1 at 4:31, quickly shooting five-hole from the edge of the crease.
Trevor Zegras scored a power-play goal to make it 6-2 at 7:19, and Adam Henrique scored 38 seconds later on a deflection of Cam Fowler's point shot to cut it to 6-3.
Strome scored his second of the game to make it 7-3 at 14:50, redirecting a centering pass from Kane. He then completed his second NHL hat trick after receiving another pass from Kane at 17:16 of the third period for the 8-3 final.
"[Strome's] just playing with confidence," Chicago coach Derek King said. "He's working when he doesn't have the puck, and that's the stuff we worked on at the start of the year when I had him on the bottom six, make sure he's working without the puck and playing the right way, and he has been. And moving him with 'Kaner' has helped him a lot."
NOTES:Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf (lower body) took part in morning skate but left midway through and did not play. … Kane is the first Blackhawks player to record six points in a game since Bernie Nicholls (Feb. 5, 1995). Only Grant Mulvey (five goals, two assists on Feb. 3, 1982) and Max Bentley (four goals, three assists on Jan. 28, 1943) have recorded more points in a game in their history. … Strome's first NHL hat trick came on Jan. 26 against the Detroit Red Wings.