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Keith helps Blackhawks edge Flames in overtime

Dec 20, 2008 - 5:51 AM CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- The Chicago Blackhawks are finding new ways to prove they are a team to be reckoned with.

Defenseman Duncan Keith scored 23 seconds into overtime to lift the Blackhawks to a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Friday.

Dave Bolland tallied, Patrick Kane netted a power-play goal and defenseman Brian Campbell had two assists in regulation for the Blackhawks, who extended their winning streak to six games.

"I think we create our own opportunities and in a lot of ways we earn that luck," Kane said. "We knew this was going to be a dogfight tonight, the Flames are a heck of a team. I think it was a gritty win for us, as long as we keep working we'll keep getting the breaks.

"We're getting goals and contributions from the entire lineup, so you can't shut down just one or two lines because someone is going to make a play for us."

Chicago is enjoying its longest run since winning six in a row from December 26, 2001-January 6, 2002. The Blackhawks' last loss in regulation came on November 29, a 5-2 setback to the Los Angeles Kings.

They are 7-0-1 this month after closing November with a three-game skid.

Rene Bourque had a goal and an assist and David Moss also scored in regulation for the Flames, who saw their two-game winning streak come to an end. Captain Jarome Iginla notched his 800th career point with an assist.

"You never know when you start out how many you're going to get, but I feel very blessed and fortunate," Iginla said of the milestone. "It felt good to get and hopefully I'll get more, but it would have been nice to get the win tonight.

"They're always tough to lose in overtime, they're always hard to lose. It's still an important point. They don't feel any better when you don't walk away with both (points), but unfortunately we weren't able to capitalize."

Keith snapped a 2-2 tie by lifting a backhander into the open net while sitting on the doorstep after captain Jonathan Toews' initial attempt was stopped by a sprawling Calgary netminder Miikka Kiprusoff.

"Toews made a fantastic play, I'm surprised he didn't put it in himself," said Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook, who also had an assist on the play. "But (Keith) likes to move a little bit, he jumped up and made a great play."

The Blackhawks have flourished under coach Joel Quenneville, who took over for the fired Denis Savard after just four games. Since the 1-2-1 start, they have gone 16-4-6.

"That was a heck of a hockey game. What a game," Quenneville said. "I mean the pace was high and both teams played well and it came down to the end and everybody got points. I liked how we played - a heck of a game."

Bourque had opened the scoring 6:44 into the first period, but Bolland beat Kiprusoff 68 seconds into the following session to even the game.

Kane gave Chicago a 2-1 lead by firing a wrister from the right faceoff circle on the power play 6:24 into the second.

"He's (Kane) an unbelievable hockey player," Bourque said. "You saw tonight how creative and how good he is. I think he's going to be one of the best players in the league for a long time."

However, Moss forged a tie with a wrister from the slot just two minutes later.

Kiprusoff made 28 saves in his fourth consecutive start, while Chicago's Nikolai Khabibulin turned aside 32 shots.

"Part of our responsibility is to entertain," Flames coach Mike Keenan said. "That's a nice way of putting it. We had a fairly good effort, I thought we had a very good effort considering we played three games in four nights and had to travel while they're sitting here waiting for us.

"As far as stamina and energy and tempo of the game, I thought that both teams had a good pace and I am particularly happy about the pace we played with because of those circumstances."