CHICAGO – The Chicago Blackhawks set an NHL record for the best start to a season, beating the San Jose Sharks 2-1 on Friday night to give them at least one point in their first 17 games.
Blackhawks rookie Brandon Saad scored a short-handed goal early in the third period to snap a 1-1 tie. Chicago (14-0-3) won its fourth straight game to break a mark set by the 2006-07 Anaheim Ducks, who earned points in their first 16 games.
The Blackhawks equaled that run Tuesday with a shootout win over Vancouver.
Saad closed in on the left wing one-on-one with San Jose defenseman Brent Burns. After a quick fake, Saad fired a shot from the circle that beat San Jose’s Antti Niemi just under the glove 2:24 into the period.
Viktor Stalberg also scored for league-leading Chicago, which has captured a total of 31 of 34 possible points.
Blackhawks goalie Ray Emery made 26 saves to win his fourth straight start and improve to 7-0. Chicago killed all four San Jose power plays, all of which occurred in a span of under 14 minutes late in the second and early in the third periods.
Patrick Marleau scored for the Sharks, getting only his second goal in 11 games after getting nine in San Jose’s first five games.
Both Emery and Niemi were sharp throughout most of the game. But a misplay by Niemi led to Stalberg’s goal at 16:40 of the second period, and he seemed fooled on Saad’s score. Niemi stopped 32 shots.
Niemi, who was the goalie when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010, also let in a couple of soft goals in a 4-1 loss to the Blackhawks at the United Center last Friday.
Chicago and San Jose faced each other for the third time in 17 days. The Blackhawks defeated the Sharks 4-1 last Friday and 5-3 in San Jose on Feb. 5.
The Blackhawks had a full lineup for the first time since their season opener at Los Angeles.
Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook, forward Daniel Carcillo and goalie Corey Crawford returned from injuries. Seabrook missed Tuesday’s game with a lower-body injury and Carcillo sat out 15 games since suffering a knee injury in the season opener.
Crawford, who sat out three games with a upper-body injury, backed up Emery.
Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa was back after being hit in the back of the head by Vancouver forward Jannik Hansen on Tuesday and leaving early in the third period. Hansen was suspended for one game by the NHL.
Marleau broke the scoreless tie late in the first period. He connected with 14.2 seconds left to give San Jose a 1-0 lead.
Canucks 1, Predators 0
In Nashville, Dale Weise broke a scoreless tie at 9:14 of the third period and Roberto Luongo made 23 saves for the shutout and Vancouver defeated the Predators.
The Canucks have won consecutive games on their four-game road trip after losing three straight.
Nashville has lost three of its past four.
With the game still scoreless in the third period, Maxim Lapierre had the puck behind the Predators goal line and carried it up to the right circle.
He then spun and sent a shot toward Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne. Rinne kicked the puck away with his right pad, but Weise was there to put away the rebound for his first goal of the season.
Penguins 3, Panthers 1
In Pittsburgh, Matt Niskanen and Dustin Jeffrey scored third-period goals to send the Penguins over Florida.
Panthers goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 37 saves in his first NHL start this season.
Niskanen took a pass from Kris Letang and scored on a one-timer from the left side at 7:49.
Jeffrey then scored his first goal since Feb. 18, 2012, when he redirected a shot from Matt Cooke at 15:15 to give Pittsburgh a 3-1 lead.
Chris Kunitz also scored for Pittsburgh and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 22 saves in his first start in five days.
Penguins center Evgeni Malkin left the game in the third period after he took an off-balance check from Erik Gudbranson while driving to the net and slid back-first into the end boards.
Malkin remained down on the ice for several moments, but skated off the ice on his own.
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