Chicago: Simon Despres netted the decisive goal late in the second period on Thursday as the Anaheim Ducks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 to take the lead in the NHL’s Western Conference finals.
Goaltender Frederik Andersen stopped 27 shots for the Ducks, who took a two-games-to-one lead over the Blackhawks in the best-of-seven series.
The winners advance to the NHL’s Stanley Cup finals against the Eastern Conference champions, either the New York Rangers or Tampa Bay Lightning.
Left winger Patrick Maroon scored the other goal for the Ducks and Ryan Getzlaf added assists on both scores.
Right winger Patrick Kane produced the lone goal for the Blackhawks, while goalie Corey Crawford made 25 stops in the setback, the first home defeat for Chicago in this post-season.
The Blackhawks went 0-for-5 on the power play.
It was a power-play goal by Maroon that gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead with 7:05 remaining in the first period.
Defenceman Hampus Lindholm unleashed a shot from the blue line and Maroon redirected the puck from the high slot into the net.
The Blackhawks pulled level on a backhand shot by Kane with less than a minute remaining in the first period.
Despres scored what proved to be the game-winner with 54.2 seconds left in the second period. Getzlaf fed a pass to the right circle for Despres, whose slap shot flew past Crawford’s pad.
The Blackhawks will try to bounce back on Saturday when they host game four.
—AFP
