CHICAGO (AP) — The signature stars came through again for the Chicago Blackhawks.
Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane scored in a shootout to send Chicago to a 3-2 victory over the Islanders that ended New York's five-game winning streak Tuesday night.
Toews scored on a backhander and Kane beat Robin Lehner between the pads after nearly pulling to a stop. Chicago goalie Cam Ward denied Josh Bailey and Mathew Barzal to give the Blackhawks their second straight victory following a five-game slide.
Toews scored a power-play goal in regulation, and Kane had an assist to stretch his point streak to nine games.
The output wasn't as showy as in Sunday's 8-5 win over Washington, when Toews had three goals and two assists and Kane had two goals and three assists. But the duo delivered big-time when needed against surging New York.
"Well, we got our confidence," Toews said. "We're relaxed.
"It's nice for us to be able to make a big difference for our team right now. For a long time it was almost not a great feeling."
Lehner, who stopped 38 shots through overtime, wasn't surprised that Toews and Kane rose to the occasion in the tiebreaker.
"They were really good today," Lehner said. "They're world-class players. They've always been.
"We've played some really good hockey lately and maybe it was a bit of an off night, but we still found a way to get a point."
Chicago's Dylan Strome also had a power-play goal, connecting during a 5-on-3 advantage at 6:05 of the second period to end the Islanders' shutout streak at 158 minutes, 58 seconds.
Ward stopped 34 shots through overtime. Alex DeBrincat had two assists to help Chicago's power play connect for the ninth straight game.
"Guys are making a lot of plays. It's fun, fun to watch," coach Jeremy Colliton said. "They're making great reads and just being clean with the puck."
Valtteri Filppula and Barzal scored in regulation as the Metropolitan Division-leading Islanders lost for just the third time in 15 games.
"We wanted to have a little bit better game," coach Barry Trotz said. "Kane and Toews are playing at the elite level right now."
Lehner was busy in this one as the Islanders, who entered with NHL's lowest goals-against average, allowed more than two for the first time in seven games, since a 4-3 win over the Rangers on Jan. 10.
New York came into the game off two straight shutouts — one by Lehner and one by Thomas Greiss — and hadn't allowed a goal since New Jersey's Andy Greene beat Lehner at 7:07 of the third period in a 4-1 Islanders win last Thursday. New York allowed 40 shots after giving up just 19 in each of its previous two games.
Filppula opened the scoring 2:19 in from a faceoff in the Chicago zone. He beat Artem Anisimov on the draw, drove to the net with puck and flipped it past Ward with a backhand.
Strome tied it at 6:05 of the second. With Cal Clutterbuck off for roughing and Matt Martin for slashing, Strome took Kane's pass at the right side of the net, turned and fired in a shot off the outside edge of Lehner's right pad.
Barzal put New York back ahead 2-1 with a breakaway goal 1:28 later. The reigning Calder Trophy winner jumped on Connor Murphy's turnover in the Islanders zone, raced the length of the ice and beat Ward with a rising backhand on the stick side.
Toews' power-play goal with 21.8 seconds left in the second tied it at 2. After Lehner stopped DeBrincat's shot, Toews batted in the rebound from midair for his 22nd goal and fourth in two games.
New York outshot Chicago 12-10 in the scoreless third and 4-3 in overtime.
NOTES: Chicago rookie D Henri Jokiharju was back in the lineup after sitting out one game. D Carl Dahlstrom was scratched in his place. ... Blackhawks forward Brendan Perlini (concussion protocol) missed his second game. ... The Islanders scratched forward Tom Kuhnhackl, forward Ross Johnston and defenseman Luca Sbisa. ... The Islanders beat the Blackhawks 3-2 in overtime on Jan. 3 at the Nassau Coliseum in the only other regular-season meeting between the teams. ... The announced crowd of 21,330 was the Blackhawks's 482nd straight sellout at the United Center, but there were patches of empty seats on an icy night in Chicago, where travel was treacherous. ... The Blackhawks skated in the black-and-white striped uniforms they wore for the Winter Classic at Notre Dame on New Year's Day.
UP NEXT
Islanders: Host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 1 following the NHL All-Star Game and their bye week.
Blackhawks: At the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 1 to start a three-game road trip following the All-Star break and their bye week. The Blackhawks don't play at home again until Feb. 7 against Vancouver.
