Blackhawks Extend Historic Point Streak to 22 Straight Games with Shootout Win

The streak lives on. The Chicago Blackhawks extended their historic 22-game points streak with a 2-1 shootout win against the Detroit Red Wings Sunday.

It took a Patrick Kane goal with 2:02 left in the third period to tie it, but the Blackhawks sent the game into overtime and eventually won on (you guessed it) Kane's goal in the shootout.

The Blackhawks' 22 games without losing in regulation to start a season has easily smashed the previous record of 16 games by the Anaheim Ducks to start the 2006-07 season.

This matchup was all about the goalies, as both Corey Crawford of the Blackhawks and Jimmy Howard of the Red Wings registered 33 saves for the game.

Crawford would get the better of Howard on this day, however, stoning Pavel Datsyuk, Damien Brunner and Henrik Zetterberg in the shootout to earn the extra point for Chicago.

Neither team could solve the opposing goalie in the first two periods. Finally, Tomas Tatar opened the scoring early in the third period.

But Chicago wasn't ready to end its points streak Sunday afternoon. On the power play, Kane took a nice pass from Viktor Stalberg and fired one past Howard.

The Blackhawks now have 41 points on the season, nine points clear of the second-place Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference.

The question that remains is how long the Blackhawks can keep this up. In a lockout-shortened season, the team has virtually guaranteed itself a playoff spot already. Can the team build on the momentum generated from this points streak and turn it into a Stanley Cup berth?

Based on the way the Blackhawks are playing right now, I wouldn't bet against them.