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Kane records three points as Blackhawks hold back Avalanche

Oct 20, 2007 - 4:59 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Patrick Kane has arrived for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Kane scored his first career goal and set up two others, including Tuomo Ruutu's game-winner late in the third period, as the Blackhawks squandered an early lead but emerged with a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Friday.

Patrick Sharp also had a tally and two assists and Nikolai Khabibulin made 37 saves for Chicago, which has won three of four.

After watching the Avalanche rally from a three-goal deficit and tie the game, the Blackhawks turned to the 18-year-old Kane, who had collected two points in the first period. Getting the puck behind the net, Kane skated away from a defender and fed Magnus Johansson at the left point.

The 34-year-old Swedish defenseman unleashed a one-timer that Ruutu deflected past goaltender Jose Theodore with 85 seconds remaining in the third, giving Chicago a 4-3 edge.

"It was a pretty good game from us," Ruutu said. "We played well in the first period, but then we gave up a three-goal lead. There's a lot to learn from that."

Robert Lang added an empty-netter in the final minute to seal the victory.

The future of the Blackhawks helped the team build a 3-0 lead in the first period, as former first-round picks Jonathan Toews and Kane sandwiched goals around Sharp's tally.

"Their young guys are skilled, you have to pay attention to them," Colorado captain Joe Sakic said. "They're definitely a better hockey team and they are off to a great start."

Drafted third overall in 2006, Toews scored a highlight-reel goal, entering the offensive zone on the right side and getting past two defenders. The 19-year-old deked blue-liner Brett Clark in the slot and moved to his left before sliding the puck around Theodore at 6:59 for his second career tally and a 1-0 lead.

"You get into situations when you're moving fast and you feel confident with the puck," said Toews, who has recorded a point in each of his first five NHL games. "I gave a couple of head fakes there and got past the first defenseman, and then I decided to take it to the net. Theodore was out, so I just stepped around him and put it in."

After Sharp doubled the advantage 90 seconds later with his second of the season, Kane - who was selected first overall in this past June's draft - beat Theodore to the glove side with a wrist shot at 14:36 after receiving a cross-slot pass from Sharp.

"I thought it was a good chance," Kane said. "Sharp gave me the pass and got the puck for me (afterward). I'll probably give it to my parents.

It was the first official NHL tally for Kane, who netted the decisive goal in a shootout win over Detroit on October 6.

"I feel pretty good," he said. "Every game I seem to get more comfortable. I got that goal out of the way, so now I can play my own game."

The deficit was no problem for Colorado, which allowed Calgary to get out to a 4-0 lead on Tuesday before rallying for a 5-4 shootout victory.

Wojtek Wolski began the comeback in this one, scoring from the right circle with 4:39 remaining in the second period after getting a pass from behind the net by Andrew Brunette.

Marek Svatos cut the deficit to 3-2 just 40 seconds into the third with a nice individual effort. After carrying down the slot, the Slovakian deked a defenseman to the ice and skated to the left side of the net before backhanding the puck past Khabibulin.

The Avalanche cashed in on a power-play opportunity at 7:35 to draw even. With Robert Lang in the penalty box for holding, Brunette spotted Ryan Smyth heading toward the net.

From the right circle, Brunette dished to Smyth, who redirected the puck past Khabibulin from the slot for his third tally of the season.

"The Blackhawks were flying, but we got it back," Sakic said. "Then they came back to bite us. We didn't get any points, and that's unacceptable."

Brunette and Sakic each had two assists and Theodore stopped 22 shots for the Avalanche, who fell to 0-3-0 on the road this campaign.