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Kane, Hendry help keep alive Blackhawks' hopes

Apr 3, 2008 - 5:55 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- A pair of rookies did their part in helping keep the Chicago Blackhawks' slim playoff hopes from vanishing.

Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists and defenseman Jordan Hendry scored his first career tally and set up another as the Blackhawks hung on for dear life in the Western Conference postseason picture with a 6-2 triumph over the mighty Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.

Blue-liners Cam Barker and Dustin Byfuglien, Robert Lang and Adam Burish also scored for Chicago (39-33-8), which climbed within three points of idle Nashville (40-31-9) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Both teams have two games remaining, while the Vancouver Canucks (39-31-10) sit between them, also with two games to play.

The Predators host the St. Louis Blues on Thursday and could end the Blackhawks' playoff chances with a victory. Nashville then visits Chicago on Friday.

"We are alive still, but we need help," Kane said. "We all watched games last night and we will (on Thursday). I think we are all big St. Louis fans now."

"We need help now from St. Louis," Burish added. "Hopefully, our game on Friday against Nashville will mean something."

All-Star defenseman Duncan Keith added a pair of assists and Nikolai Khabibulin made 26 saves for the Blackhawks, who improved to 5-2-0 against the Red Wings this season. The rivals complete their series in the regular-season finale on April 6.

"They are a great team and they have the best transition in the league," Chicago coach Denis Savard said. "Our guys did a great job. We plugged the neutral zone good and played whistle to whistle. We were physical and disciplined."

Henrik Zetterberg and Kirk Maltby tallied for Detroit (52-21-7), which was kept from clinching its fourth Presidents' Trophy in six seasons. The Red Wings need to earn one point over their last two games or have the San Jose Sharks (49-21-10) fail to win both of their remaining two contests in order to finish with the top spot in the NHL.

"Their best players were their best players," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "They played desperate, we looked like we were uninterested."

Barker opened the scoring at 5:53 of the first period with a power-play goal and Hendry made it 2-0 just 43 seconds later, when his wrist shot from the top of the left circle following a faceoff win by Dave Bolland glanced off the right skate of Detroit's Jiri Hudler and past goaltender Dominik Hasek.

"Bolland did a great job winning the draw and getting the puck to me," Hendry said. "It's a great feeling getting my first goal and (doing it) here."

A former Red Wing, Lang increased the lead to three and chased Hasek when he skated alone down the left wing and converted a cross-ice pass from along the right wing boards by Jason Williams, beating the six-time Vezina Trophy winner to the stick side at 7:52.

"We needed a quick start against a team like Detroit," Kane said. "We can't fall behind them 3-0. It was nice to get rolling early and keep it going."

All-Star Chris Osgood came on to replace Hasek, who stopped just three of the six shots he faced.

"I don't think he had a chance on two of the three goals," Babcock said of Hasek. "But we were down 3-0 early, so I had to do something for a spark."

Zetterberg cashed in on a power play with 5:40 remaining in the first to get Detroit on the board, but Byfuglien answered with a man-advantage goal just 3:13 into the second period.

After Maltby drew the Red Wings within 4-2 at 6:10 following a turnover, Kane restored the three-goal advantage by redirecting a pass from Keith past All-Star netminder Chris Osgood 89 seconds later.

Burish capped the scoring with 4:19 to go in the third, beating Osgood to the glove side with a wrister from the right circle on a 2-on-1 rush.

"I'm a sniper now," joked Burish, who netted his third goal of the season. "Actually, Patrick Kane just gave me a great pass. It's nice to score since I don't get many."

Osgood made 19 saves for Detroit, which had gone 5-0-1 in its previous six games.

"The playoffs are almost here and we can't go into them and lay a couple of quick eggs and fall behind," Osgood said. "We need to start playing the way we are capable of playing."