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Alexeev's shootout goal gives Blackhawks victory over Kings

Mar 16, 2007 - 7:13 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Rookie Nikita Alexeev gave the Chicago Blackhawks a good start and a better ending.

Alexeev scored the game's first goal and later scored the decisive goal in the shootout as the Blackhawks posted a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.

The victory was a nice bounce-back effort for the Blackhawks, who were pounded, 7-1, by the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

"It's difficult to win any place on the road," Chicago coach Denis Savard said. "We played pretty well. Alexeev played very well. Overall, I'm pleased with everybody."

Alexeev scored the winner when he snapped a shot over goaltender Sean Burke's blocker in the top of the seventh round of the bonus format.

"It was my first time ever in one and I felt some pressure to score because it was sudden death," Alexeev said. "I knew from the beginning I was going to go low on his blocker side."

"Alexeev's shot handcuffed me a little and it got through," Burke said. "It was a good shot."

Netminder Nikolai Khabibulin preserved the triumph with a glove save on Brian Willsie.

"On Willsie's shot, there's really no strategy," Khabibulin said. "It's all pure reaction to his first move."

Playing in just his sixth game with Chicago after being acquired from Tampa Bay on February 27, Alexeev gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead at 4:54 of the first period, blasting a shot from the left faceoff dot over Burke's glove for his first goal with the team.

"On my first goal, it was a good pass from (Denis) Arkhipov from behind the net," Alexeev said. "No one covered me and I saw the high corner was open, and I shot it hard."

Scott Thornton snapped a 16-game goalless drought to give the Kings a 3-2 lead at 15:36 of the second period when he took a pass on a 2-on-1 from Tom Kostopoulos and beat Khabibulin.

"We had just finished up a power play, so we had an odd-man rush," Thornton said. "It was a great pass by Kostopoulos and I had most of the net to shoot at. You really can't afford to miss those chances."

Chicago's Tuomo Ruutu tied the game, 3-3, when he worked his way in front of the net and jammed a backhander past Burke at 11:53 of the third period.

"I had a tough period and I'm glad Denis Savard put me back to give me a chance," Ruutu said. "I got the puck behind the net and (Los Angeles defenseman Rob) Blake let me go to the front of the net. I just went hard to the net and it went in."

Khabibulin made 24 saves and improved to 17-7-1 in 25 career starts against the Kings.

Los Angeles has lost four of its last seven games either in overtime or in a shootout.

"Three of the last five games we've had a one-goal lead going into the third period and lost the game so we've got to get that killer instinct," Kings defenseman Aaron Miller said. "We're played pretty well but there is a difference between being close and winning games and we have to try and figure that out."