Brandon Hagel and Patrick Kane each scored as the Chicago Blackhawks coasted to a 3-0 shutout win against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday at the United Center.
The win was the Hawks’ fourth straight, and Marc-André Fleury made 37 saves to pick up his third shutout of the season.
On a day Brett Connolly entered COVID-19 protocols, Hagel underscored how much they’ve missed certain contributors during this month’s outbreak. Hagel opened the scoring in his second game since returning from protocols, and he has had a point in each game.
Erik Gustafsson and Hagel entered protocols Jan. 6 and were activated Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. The pair teamed up to put the finishing touch on a wild sequence in the second period.
Fleury stopped four straight shots and helped kill a penalty — with the aid of Riley Stillman and Jakub Galvas. Stillman chopped away a dangerous puck in front of the net and sent it up ice.
Gustafsson chased it down at the goal line and centered it back to Hagel, who ripped it through defenseman Jamie Drysdale and goalie Luká Dostál.
Then early in the third period, Stillman drew a cross-checking penalty by Kevin Shattenkirk, and Patrick Kane made the Ducks pay with a power-play goal.
Alex DeBrincat sprung Dominik Kubalik for an empty-netter with 3:21 left in the game.
The Hawks managed this recent run of success despite dealing with a carousel of players because of the coronavirus.
Connolly was placed in COVID-19 protocols before Saturday’s game, making him the fifth player currently in quarantine. Forwards Kirby Dach and Dylan Strome were added to the list Thursday.
The Hawks lost four team members before Tuesday’s game in Columbus, Ohio: defensemen Seth Jones and Jake McCabe, head equipment manager Troy Parchman and head athletic trainer Mike Gapski.
Ten members of the team have entered the protocols in the last 10 days, though three have returned.
“It’s spreading pretty good here lately,” forward Alex DeBrincat said. “It’s tough to see guys dropping like flies, pretty much.
“Everyone’s doing as much as they can to stay safe, but it goes around quick. So just try to stay healthy and hopefully guys aren’t having any symptoms and can come back and be ready to play.”
Five players remain in protocols since the beginning of this month’s outbreak: Jones, McCabe, Strome, Dach and Connolly.
“Obviously you miss those guys,” coach Derek King said. “We have five good hockey players sitting out. Insert those guys in our lineup, that’s when the challenge is: Who do you pull out?”
On Jan. 6, forwards Hagel, Gustafsson and Sam Lafferty were shelved by COVID-19.
Gustafsson and goaltender Kevin Lankinen, both of whom entered protocols Dec. 31, were removed from the list Wednesday, and Hagel and Sam Lafferty were activated Thursday.
All three skaters played in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens, and Lankinen backed up Fleury. Hagel and Gustafsson assisted on Philipp Kurashev’s winning goal.
Gustafsson said he spent an uneventful five days off at home during his time on the COVID-19 list.
“I didn’t have any symptoms or anything,” Gustafsson said. “Was just home trying to stay away from everyone. It’s hard when you have a family and three kids, but it wasn’t bad.
“But it was a quick five days, so good to be back.”
