Crawford returns, Blackhawks lose to Coyotes

CHICAGO -- Corey Crawford made 27 saves on 30 shots in his first game since December, but the Chicago Blackhawks lost 4-1 to the Arizona Coyotes at United Center on Thursday.

It was Chicago's first loss in regulation in six games this season.
"I think I felt better in the second and third (period)," said Crawford, who missed the final 47 games last season after sustaining a concussion in a 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 23, 2017. "But they really didn't get that many opportunities early. It was nice. I think they flipped one in for the first one, so that was kind of good just to get in it and feel one early, and I mean, we were close in that one all game and we created a lot."
WATCH: [All Coyotes vs. Blackhawks highlights]
Vinnie Hinostroza scored two goals in his first game back in Chicago since being traded by the Blackhawks to the Coyotes on July 12, and Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist to help Arizona (2-4-0) to its first win in three games.
Antti Raanta made 33 saves. The 29-year-old, who played for the Blackhawks from 2013-2015, improved to 16-0-3 at United Center.
Erik Gustafsson scored for Chicago (3-1-2).
Lawson Crouse gave the Coyotes a 1-0 lead at 11:43 of the first period when he scored off a pass from Keller on a 2-on-1.

"[Crouse] scored a big goal for us there in the first," Hinostroza said. "That was our first 5-on-5 goal of the season, so [Crouse] and [Keller] made a great play there and nice to see them score, and it kind of got our team going."
Gustafsson scored at 4-on-4 to tie it 1-1 at 6:34 of the second period off a pass from Jonathan Toews. Alex DeBrincat also got an assist.
Toews (five goals, five assists) and DeBrincat (six goals, four assists) each extended his point streak to six games. They are one of two sets of teammates in the NHL with each on a point streak of at least six games; Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche each is at seven games.

"I guess when you're not playing in as many games, you've got to do a better job of focusing and getting into your rhythm," Toews said of the Blackhawks having off four days between games. "It's early in the season, but when you get rest, you gotta take advantage of it and do what you gotta do to be mentally ready. Like I said, we didn't do that well enough tonight."
Hinostroza gave the Coyotes a 2-1 lead at 8:37 off a cross-ice pass from Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Keller scored unassisted at 14:22 of the third period to make it 3-1, and Hinostroza scored into an empty net with 2:20 left for the 4-1 final score.

They said it

"Our line was having a great shift. I think we had a lot of [offensive zone] time all night, [Michael] Grabner and [Brad] Richardson. ... We played well tonight, I think. Had a lot of time in the O zone, they got the puck up to the D, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson made a great pass to me, looking at the net, passed it over to me, I timed it, just collected it and put it in." -- Coyotes forward Vinnie Hinostroza on his first goal

"Surprised, happy, good for him. I thought he was in control, he handled the puck around the net well, his movement was excellent, anticipated well, on top of his crease, stopped some real dangerous looks. The first goal, I didn't like how we played it. The other goals, definitely could have been better in those areas. We didn't give up a ton of chances, but the ones they got were A-plus." -- Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville on goalie Corey Crawford's first game since Dec. 23, 2017

Need to know

Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson played in Chicago for the first time since being traded by the Blackhawks to the Coyotes on June 23, 2017. He received a standing ovation after a video tribute was played during the game. "I gave my heart and soul for this club for 10 years and played as hard as I could, and I'm proud of what I accomplished along with my great teammates that I had here for a long time," said Hjalmarsson, who won the Stanley Cup three times with Chicago (2010, 2013, 2015). ... The Coyotes outhit the Blackhawks 21-11 and had 13 more blocked shots (27-14). ... Toews' point streak is his longest since he had at least a point in six straight March 14-23, 2017.

What's next

Coyotes: At the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday (4 p.m. ET; TSN3, FS-A, NHL.TV)
Blackhawks: At the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; FS-O, WGN, NHL.TV)