Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - Marian Hossa scored twice, as the reigning Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks picked up their first win of the season with a 4-3 decision over the Buffalo Sabres at HSBC Arena.
Patrick Kane and Nick Leddy also tallied for the Blackhawks, who suffered an overtime loss to Colorado on Thursday, then dropped their home-opener to Detroit on Saturday. For Leddy, it was his first NHL goal.
Corey Crawford turned aside 32-of-35 shots in the win.
Drew Stafford and Tim Connolly each registered a goal and an assist for Buffalo, which won its season opener last Thursday at Ottawa, but was then dealt a 6-3 setback in its home opener on Saturday by the New York Rangers
Ryan Miller made 26 saves in defeat.
Trailing, 4-3, Buffalo had a great chance to get the equalizer as the Blackhawks were whistled for too many men on the ice with 2:28 remaining. The Sabres elected to pull the goaltender to make it a 6-on-4, but Chicago killed off the minor and held on for the victory.
Buffalo opened the scoring with a pair of goals early in the first. Stafford lit the lamp 14 seconds into the contest on a nice feed from Roy. Then nearly a minute and a half later, Roy put home a rebound after Crawford made the initial save off Jochen Hecht.
Kane's power play marker at 7:44 got the Blackhawks on the board to make it 2-1.
Then with 5:42 left in the period, Niklas Hjalmarsson hit Sabres winger Jason Pominville from behind resulting in a five-minute major and a game misconduct. Pominville was taken off the ice on a stretcher. He suffered a concussion and a cut and did not return.
Leddy's wrister from in close at 4:08 of the second stanza beat Miller to even things at 2-2.
Hossa's breakaway tally on a pass from Bryan Bickell with 1:13 remaining in the middle frame gave Chicago the lead heading into the intermission.
Hossa netted his second of the contest 3:36 into the third when he fired a wrister past Miller on the glove side for a 4-2 game. However, Connolly answered less than two minutes later by jamming a loose put home from in close on the left side of the net.
Game Notes
Buffalo went 0-for-5 on the power play, while Chicago finished 1-for-3 with the man advantage.