HAWKS AVOIDING ROCK BOTTOM

Kyle Calder broke a tie with a third-period goal and Nikolai Khabibulin made 33 saves to lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night.

Calder deked and connected from just outside the crease at 9:55 of the third after taking a pass from Patrick Sharp, who was behind the net.

Mark Bell and Mark Cullen also scored for Chicago, which won for just the third time in 11 games.

Rick Nash had a goal and an assist for Columbus, which came back from a 2-0 first-period deficit to tie it 2 in the third. Jody Shelley also scored for the Blue Jackets.

Khabibulin started despite being pulled in the Blackhawks' two previous games. He earned his first victory in four contests since coming back from a sprained left knee that sidelined him for 12 games.

Columbus goalie Marc Denis made 26 saves.

Goals 26 seconds apart midway through the first period staked Chicago to a 2-0 lead.

Bell opened the scoring at 8:46 when he drove up the slot and knocked in a rebound of Rene Bourque's shot from the left wing.

Cullen made it 2-0 at 9:12 in the first. After picking up a loose puck in the neutral zone, he skated into the Columbus end and beat Denis with a high shot from the slot.

Dan Fritsche was awarded a penalty shot at 6:06 of the second after being pulled down from behind by Chicago's Michal Barinka. Khabibulin snared Fritsche shot toward the upper right corner with his glove.

The Blue Jackets continued to pressure the Blackhawks and cut Chicago's lead to 2-1 when Shelley scored at 7:52 of the second.

Nash's power-play goal at 7:40 of the third tied it at 2. Planted at the edge of the crease, he swatted in Nikolai Zherdev's centering pass.

HOME