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Havlat stays hot as Blackhawks down Oilers

Dec 11, 2006 - 2:51 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Martin Havlat continues to make up for lost time.

Havlat scored a goal and assisted on another as the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Edmonton Oilers, 4-1.

The left wing, who missed 19 games after suffering a sprained ankle on October 20, has three goals and two assists in his two games since returning from the injury. Havlat had two goals and an assist in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.

"I am surprised, but that is not bad because I am trying to help the team by scoring, and I am, so that is important," Havlat said.

The Blackhawks went 6-9-4 while Havlat was injured and finished a rough stretch.

"They did a great job in playing three games in four nights," Chicago coach Denis Savard said of his club. "Against some quick teams that takes a toll on you, and the guys came to play."

"We got away from all the things we have been doing well," Edmonton coach Craig MacTavish said. "You wonder why? Tonight they (referees) were calling everything. We needed to adjust and we couldn't, and we just kept taking penalties. We were OK in penalty killing, but we did not do much else right."

Bryan Smolinski scored the decisive goal when took a pass from Havlat and slid the puck past Edmonton goaltender Dwayne Roloson to give the Blackhawks a 2-0 lead at 13:10 of the first period.

Smolinski, who has six goals this season, entered with only one goal in his last 12 games.

Havlat netted an insurance tally when he picked up a loose puck at center ice, streaked down the right side and roofed a backhander past Roloson for a 3-1 lead at 4:23 of the third period.

"I just tried to make a move before I shot and then just put it upstairs," Havlat said. "I scored, so that was good."

"He (Havlat) is in game shape," Savard said. "He is a great player. The goal he scored tonight, only exceptional players can score those. To wait like he did until the last second is difficult, and to go to his backhand and put it where he did is tough."

Edmonton's only goal came when Jarret Stoll scored on a penalty shot, beating Nikolai Khabibulin between the pads to cut the deficit to 2-1 at 4:34 of the second period.

"The penalty shot doesn't matter, as long as we get two points," Khabibulin said.

Khabibulin recorded 18 saves for the Blackhawks, who were blanked in 10 power-play opportunities but snapped a three-game losing streak. Two of the losses were in shootouts.

Roloson, who entered with two consecutive shutouts, finished with 23 saves for the Oilers, who had a three-game win streak snapped.