by Len Ziehm, The Chicago Sun-Times , Chicago Sun Times

''He really put that one home with some force,'' teammate Kris Versteeg said. ''And it got the monkey off his back somewhat because he hadn't scored in a few games.''

Sharp had gone six games without a goal before Friday's game-winner.

''Sharpie always finds a way to get open, and to put the puck in his wheelhouse was great,'' Kane said.

Coach Joel Quenneville suggested it might be ''the biggest goal of the season,'' given that it provided a victory to savor through a five-day stretch until the next game, which is Thursday in Phoenix.

There was more to this game than the one big shot, though. Cristobal Huet was rewarded a start against the team that traded him following three strong performances, and he earned the win despite a somewhat shaky second period.

''Every time the coach tells me to play I'm ready for it,'' Huet said. ''But it was great to play against that jersey.''

Then there was the thunderous hit by Andrew Ladd on Montreal's Matt D'Agostini that set the tone just 3:48 into the game. Ladd wound up getting a game misconduct, but he earned respect.

''He's a tough guy. He can really fight and really hit,'' Versteeg said. ''It was nice to see him run someone over.''

''It looked like a clean hit, and it pumped up the crowd and pumped up the team,'' Kane said.

The Hawks staked Huet to the early lead on Versteeg's power-play goal 11:57 into the game.

Versteeg banked the puck off a Montreal defenseman while trying a centering pass to Sharp from behind the net.

The lead grew to 2-0 midway through the second on another goal with the man advantage. Cam Barker scored from the left circle on a play that started with Kane getting the puck along the right boards and passing to Versteeg behind the net.

Huet wasn't so sharp in the latter stages of the second, however, as the Canadiens came back to tie the game. Mike Cammalleri cut the lead in half, slipping the puck between Huet and the near post from close range 15:55 into the period. Former Hawk Travis Moen got the equalizer with just three seconds left in the period.

Sharp's goal, though, made everything right, and left the injured Jonathan Toews and Adam Burish to lead the victory celebration for a sellout crowd of 20,807.

Toews and Burish were dressed for celebrating, each wearing Halloween outfits that couldn't be missed. Burish was dressed in a baby blue suit while Toews' suit was apricot.

''We needed that after a tough loss last night,'' Versteeg said.

Giving up a two-goal lead wasn't what the Hawks wanted, but the end result was.

''We don't see Montreal too much,'' Kane said. ''We want to enjoy this as much as we can.''

THE RECAP

Montreal 0 2 0--2

Blackhawks 1 1 1--3

First Period--1, HAWKS, Versteeg 3 (Bolland, Hjalmarsson), 13:46. Penalties--Chipchura, Mon, double minor (roughing), 3:48; Ladd, HAWKS, minor-major-game misconduct (roughing, elbowing), 3:48; Gill, Mon (cross-checking), 11:37; Kopecky, HAWKS (slashing), 15:31; Gomez, Mon (holding), 16:01; Lapierre, Mon (roughing), 17:01; Keith, HAWKS (roughing), 17:01.

Second Period--2, HAWKS, Barker 3 (Versteeg, Kane), 9:54 (pp). 3, Montreal, Cammalleri 6 (Spacek, Hamrlik), 15:55. 4, Montreal, Moen 4 (Metropolit, Pacioretty), 19:57. Penalties--Cammalleri, Mon (holding), 1:08; Gill, Mon (hooking), 9:46.

Third Period--5, HAWKS, Sharp 6 (Kane, Barker), 15:50. Penalties--Gorges, Mon (interference), 2:57; Hamrlik, Mon (delay of game), 11:32; Bolland, HAWKS (interference), 12:50.

Shots on Goal--Montreal 7-10-5--22. HAWKS 13-14-9--36.

Power-play opportunities--Montreal 0 of 3; HAWKS 1 of 6.

Goalies--Montreal, Price 2-5-0 (36 shots-33 saves). HAWKS, Huet 5-3-1 (22-20).

Referees--Stephane Auger, Dan O'Halloran. Linesmen--Scott Driscoll, Brad Lazarowich.

A--20,807 (19,717). T--2:17.

HAWKS NOTES

Captain Jonathan Toews missed his fourth straight game while trying to shake off a concussion, but coach Joel Quenneville said Toews has been feeling better and will be on the next road trip. As was the case in Thursday night's 2-0 loss in Nashville, the Hawks went with seven defensemen, with Jordan Hendry again seeing some limited time up front. ... General manager Stan Bowman said the Hawks' move into a new Johnny's Ice House practice facility is at least six weeks away. The under-construction building, about six blocks west of the United Center, will have ice available in about a month, but the Hawks' locker room there won't be available for about two weeks after that. ... The Blackhawks and Canadiens were among the NHL's Original Six teams, but they hardly play each other anymore. Montreal has been to the United Center only three times this decade, the last time being Oct. 18, 2006, when the Hawks posted a 2-1 victory. Only three Hawks who played in that game -- Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Patrick Sharp -- were in the Hawks' lineup Friday. Adam Burish, who is on injured reserve because of knee surgery, also played, and Cristobal Huet was the Canadiens' backup goaltender that night. ... Huet, who started for the second straight night, compiled a 58-39-1 record with 11 shutouts during a three-year stint with the Canadiens. ... Jacques Martin, who took over as Montreal's head coach this season, was a Hawks assistant when Mike Keenan was the head coach. ... The Hawks don't play again at the United Center until Nov. 9, when the Los Angeles Kings visit. The Hawks begin a five-day break today and don't play again until taking on back-to-back games in Phoenix on Thursday and Colorado on Friday. This trip is a special one because the players' fathers have been invited to come along. The travel party will leave for Phoenix early Tuesday, and a golf outing is included in the trip's itinerary. The only longer break on the Hawks' schedule is in February, when they're idle from Feb. 15 to March 1 while the Winter Olympics are in progress in Vancouver.

Len Ziehm

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