Blackhawks’ Emery steals the show against Flames

Playing their third game in four nights, the Chicago Blackhawks relied on an unlikely source to provide the heroics.

Goalie Ray Emery, making his second start of the season and first since Jan. 20, stopped 45 of the 47 shots he faced – and then made three more stops in the shootout – as the Blackhawks pulled out a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames.

“It was criminal,” Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville told the Chicago Sun-Times of Emery’s performance.

“You’ve got to call the cops after that performance. We stole two points. He was spectacular. I’ve never ever been out-chanced, outplayed like that in my life. It was a special performance, and it continued in the shootout.”

Patrick Kane scored the shootout winner, thanks to a swift deke to the backhand that went through the five-hole of Miikka Kiprusoff.

Kane also opened the scoring in the third period, then assisted on Marian Hossa‘s tying goal with three seconds remaining in regulation.

The Hossa equalizer came 32 seconds after Jay Bouwmeester gave the Flames a 2-1 lead.

Tim Jackman and Brandon Bollig added early energy with a lengthy scrap that saw both pugilists each land some heavy punches.

For the Flames, it was their first fighting major of the season, which got the attention of Don Cherry, the star of Hockey Night in Canada’s Coach’s Corner.

A lack of fights isn’t the reason for the Flames’ struggles – they are last in the Western Conference with one win in six games – it’s scoring, wrote the Calgary Sun’s Randy Sportak.

The Hawks were playing without David Bolland, who is out day-to-day with a right leg injury after getting slashed by the Canucks’ Jannik Hansen Friday.