Patrick Kane propels Blackhawks past Predators

NASHVILLE -- Patrick Kane scored the game-winning goal and had an assist to reach 700 NHL points in a 3-2 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday.
Kane ended a 2-2 tie at 14:48 of the third period for the milestone point. He led the rush and took a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle that beat Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne for his 11th goal.
"It probably means I'm getting older, so that's one thing, and also that I've played with a lot of good players in my time here with the Blackhawks," Kane said. "Pretty cool number. To be honest with you, I didn't even know that was 700. They kind of told me on the bench after but pretty cool to reach those milestones."

WATCH: All Blackhawks vs. Predators highlights
Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews tied the game 2-2 at 11:04 of the third period on the power play. Defenseman Brent Seabrook took the original shot from the point, and Toews redirected the puck past Rinne for his sixth goal.
"I think we had a couple of power plays where the puck movement was good and a couple where we just didn't quite get our setup, but when we get those shots from the top and we get that net presence, I think whether it goes in right away or we get second chances, that's where you're going to create in this League," Toews said. "It was nice to get two big ones for us tonight."
Mike Fisher gave the Predators a 2-1 lead at 6:13 of the third period on the power play. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm skated to the left faceoff circle and passed the puck to Fisher in the slot, and Fisher beat Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford for his 10th goal.
Crawford finished with 36 saves.
Artem Anisimov gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead at 13:19 of the first period on the power play. Defenseman Duncan Keith took the original shot from the point, and Anisimov redirected it past Rinne for his 16th goal.

Rinne has 20 saves.
Predators forward Filip Forsberg tied the game 35 seconds later on a one-timer from above the left faceoff circle. Forward Ryan Johansen got the puck at the point and passed it to Forsberg, who shot it past Crawford for his seventh goal of the season and his fourth in the past five games.
"I thought our guys played a strong game," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "It's difficult to sustain that type of pressure against a good team like Chicago for 60 minutes, but I thought for the most part we had to play defense at some points through the course of the game. The start was good. There was moments in the second period where we had to defend. In the third period, I thought we played a strong game again."
Predators forward James Neal sustained an upper-body injury in the second period and did not return.
Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell was a healthy scratch, breaking his streak of 423 consecutive regular-season games.

Goal of the game

Toews' goal. Kane set up Seabrook for a one-timer at the point, and Toews was all alone next to Rinne.

Save of the game

Crawford made a pad save on Forsberg in the second period off of a one-timer on the rush. Forsberg got off the one-timer from the left faceoff circle, and Crawford got his right pad on the puck to direct it away from the net.

Unsung performance of the game

Crawford drew a tripping penalty against Predators forward Craig Smith in the goal crease in the third period that led to Toews' goal to tie the game 2-2.

Highlight of the game

Kane's goal started in the defensive zone. He waited for the play to develop into a 4-on-2 rush, then took a shot that beat Rinne on the glove side.

They said it

"I was surprised that the defenseman didn't pinch there. The next thing I knew, the bench was yelling '3-on-2' and then '4-on-2,' so you just try to have confidence in yourself there, try and make a good play. Their [defense] kind of backed up so I thought with a couple of guys driving to the net I could take a shot there." -- Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane on his game-winning goal

Need to know

Kane's 700 points (262 goals, 438 assists) have come in 696 NHL games. ... Toews has two goals in his past three games after having gone 13 games without a goal. … The Predators have gone 2-4-3 in their past nine home games after starting the season 8-1-1 at home.

What's next

Blackhawks: At the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET; WGN, FS-CR, NHL.TV)
Predators: At the St. Louis Blues on Friday (8 p.m. ET; TVA Sports, SN1, FS-TN, FS-MW, NHL.TV)