One week ago, the Blackhawks played their first game with zero total goals since 2003.
On Friday, they notched two hat tricks in a game for the first time since 2003.
On a chaotic night at the United Center, the Hawks proved just how unpredictable hockey can be, outlasting the Devils 8-5 to snap their seven-game home losing streak.
Patrick Kane and Brandon Hagel scored empty-net goals to seal the back-and-forth game and prompt consecutive cascades of hats from the energetic crowd of 19,343. It was the Hawks’ first dual hat tricks since Eric Daze and Steve Sullivan almost two decades ago.
‘‘I can’t remember the last time we put up eight [goals at home],’’ Kane said. ‘‘It’s a good feeling for the team, as far as offensively. And we know that we have it offensively. It hasn’t been there this year, but we have some pieces that can score, so we’ll keep building on that.’’
With Kevin Lankinen making only his second start in the last two months, the Hawks squandered leads of 1-0 and 4-2, letting the Devils tie the score with 11:24 left.
But Kirby Dach made the kind of selfish play he has needed to learn to make for years, keeping the puck on a two-on-one rush and scoring to put the Hawks ahead for good with 5:56 left.
Regula stepping up
The Hawks’ defensive corps is running extremely thin right now. Jake McCabe and Calvin de Haan missed the game Friday with back and groin injuries, respectively, and Connor Murphy was banged up in the middle of the game before returning.
That has created plenty of playing time for young players. Caleb Jones has played his best hockey of the season lately while developing some chemistry with Murphy, and prospects Alec Regula and Jakub Galvas have re-entered the lineup, too.
The 21-year-old Regula, who played his first three NHL games last May and has played another three this month, has noticed a big difference between those stints.
‘‘I was really nervous last year,’’ he said this week. ‘‘I felt more ready, in general, with the pace of play. Last year, I was just worried about surviving; this year, I can play and help the team and show what I’ve got. The nerves [are] the biggest thing. Being calm has helped my game all around.’’
Despite his 6-4, 208-pound frame, Regula is more of an offensive defenseman, as evidenced by his 17 points in 25 American Hockey League games for Rockford this season. The Hawks even have deployed him occasionally as the quarterback of their second power-play unit, letting him get his feet wet.
Lately, however, he primarily has been focused on improving his defensive game.
‘‘In juniors, when I was playing in London [Ontario], there was a big leash for me, and I could do a lot of stuff freely,’’ he said. ‘‘In pro, it’s not like that at all. You’ve got to be dialed in everywhere. That was something they brought to my attention right when I got here.’’
