RECAP: Blackhawks Fall Short to Ducks

CHICAGO – Alex Killorn had a goal and an assist in the third period for the Anaheim Ducks, who rallied for a 3-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Tuesday.

Leo Carlsson also scored, and Trevor Zegras had two assists for the Ducks (8-8-2), who defeated the Dallas Stars 4-2 on the road Monday and have won three in a row. John Gibson made 18 saves.

"It was good,” Killorn said. “In my career, it's one of the tougher back-to-backs we've played in just from the travel standpoint. Great win to come back. We're showing some resiliency in these wins. We've had two comeback wins in the last couple in the past couple of games. It's great. You know what? Our team is starting to jell. We're starting to get some chemistry within the lines. We're not scoring a ton of goals, but we're not allowing a ton to go in. Our defensive play has been great."

Jason Dickinson scored twice, and Connor Bedard had two assists for the Blackhawks (6-12-1), who have lost three in a row and five of six. Arvid Soderblom made 21 saves.

“I think it’s just a lack of execution on little plays,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. “That’s what I talked about this morning, the one little play on each game that’s kind of hurting us. We kill off a penalty, but we can’t kill the play and get it out of the zone, so really it’s still kind of a result of being short-handed. We have to find a way to end that. You have to find the inner strength and be strong. I just thought our stick battles weren’t good enough tonight.”

Killorn tied it 2-2 at 5:10 of the third period. Zegras got the puck behind the net and passed to Killorn in front, who slipped a backhand under Soderblom’s left pad.

The goal came 21 seconds after the Blackhawks killed a penalty.

“It was great,” Ducks coach Greg Cronin said. “I’ve said it for years: The power play may not score a goal, but it generates a lot of positive energy offensively. We weren’t getting that earlier this year, and now we’re getting that.”

Carlsson then gave Anaheim its first lead of the game at 9:38. Killorn took a pass as he entered the offensive zone, stopped at the top of the right circle, and fired a seam pass to Carlsson for a tap-in at the left post to make it 3-2.

“I really love it when he gets to go to the net,” Killorn said of Carlsson. “He’s such a talented player. He can score a lot of goals going to the net. I’m so happy he got that one.”

Dickinson put the Blackhawks ahead 1-0 at 17:03 of the first period, taking a cross-ice pass from Bedard and scoring with a one-timer from the right circle over Gibson’s left shoulder.

Pavel Mintyukov tied the game 1-1 at 19:05 with a snap shot from the bottom of the left circle off a pass from Brett Leason from the right side of the goal line.

Dickinson answered to put Chicago back ahead 2-1 at 3:54 of the second period. Bedard skated behind the net with the puck and passed to Dickinson, who scored on a one-timer from the slot.

“Kid’s a heck of a player,” Dickinson said of Bedard. “He can make those plays that seem like they're not there. So I try to find open ice for him. I try to just get inside his head and see what he's seeing. And fortunately enough, for a couple of goals, it connected.”

Bedard has gone 10 straight games without a goal, but Richardson praised his playmaking.

“We know he can make those plays, obviously,” Richardson said. “And I think the other guys read off him well, and they got open. I think at the end of the game, he had a couple shots, and he tried to shoot it on the fly. I think he hit one guy, one went down right on the shoulder, and just unfortunately didn't get to the net, 6-on-5.

“We didn't have, again, much time on the power play, so we're not going to see it there because we didn't have much opportunity. But I think that's still the thing. I think a guy like that, that can shoot like that, we will still always ask him to shoot more, even though he makes good plays.”

NOTES: Ducks forward Brock McGinn missed the game after sustaining a lower-body injury on Monday. Cronin said he did not know how long McGinn would be out. Sam Colangelo, recalled Sunday from San Diego of the American Hockey League, replaced McGinn in the lineup and had three shots on goal in 10:12 during his season debut. … Blackhawks goalie Petr Mrazek was scratched from the lineup for personal reasons. Drew Commesso was recalled from Rockford of the AHL and was the backup.