The Morning After: 'Hawks Take Break On Winning Note

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Feb 15, 2010 4:20PM

The Blackhawks head into the two-week Winter Olympic break on a winning note as they edged the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4 in a shoot-out. The Blue Jackets jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first before Patrick Kane cut the deficit with a power-play goal. The 'Hawks scored three more times in the second as Bryan Bickell and Jake Dowell got rare goals and Patrick Sharp finished the four-goal run to give the 'Hawks a nice lead. But the Blue Jackets would score the final two goals of the game to force overtime. After a scoreless overtime period, the teams finished the three round shoot-out tied at 1-1 (Kane scoring the Blackhawks goal), so they went to extra rounds where Troy Brouwer scored the winning 'Hawks goal. At 41-15-5, the Blackhawks enter the two-week break in second place in the Western Conference, just two points behind San Jose (and having played one less game). They also ride a four-game winning streak into the break but they'll have to fight to keep their momentum which they'll need as they'll play 15 games in 31 days in March to help make up for the time off. Still, the 'Hawks are in a nice position to make a run as the top seed in the conference for the playoffs.