Extra time, as usual

Long, nail-biting games have become commonplace when the Blackhawks face the Colorado Avalanche, and Wednesday's meeting at the United Center was typical of that. For the third time in as many meetings the two teams went to a shootout, but at least this one wasn't as long as the others. The Hawks needed just their three shooters to claim a 3-2 win -- their fifth straight victory at the United Center in a game played before 20,879, the 61st home sellout in a row. ''We finished them off real early compared to the other games,'' said captain Jonathan Toews, the first Hawk to convert in the shootout. Patrick Sharp was the other. It was another long night against the Avalanche, who lead the Northwest Division and have squared off against the Hawks three times in the first 17 games of the season. Their fourth and final meeting isn't until April 9. Their first meeting went nine rounds into a shootout -- the longest in Hawks' history -- and the second went eight rounds. Both were decided by 4-3 scores, the Hawks winning the first on Oct. 10 and the Avalanche the second last Friday. ''Just a coincidence,'' Hawks goaltender Cristobal Huet said. ''It's not that often that you go that deep in a shootout against the same team. They were entertaining games for the fans to watch, and shootouts are part of the game now. A point is on the line, so they're very important and fun when you win.'' Wednesday's shootout, though shorter in duration, produced the desired fun result. ''You'd rather get two points in regulation, but it sure is exciting when a game does go to a shootout,'' Hawks' winger Patrick Kane said. Wojtek Wolski, Colorado's first shooter, put a shot off the post -- the third Avalanche shot to strike iron from the final minute of the third period. Toews put the Hawks ahead, then Marek Svatos tied it. Colorado goaltender Craig Anderson, the ex-Hawk, blocked Kane's attempt and Cristobal Huet blocked Darcy Tucker's attempt before Sharp delivered his game-winner. He went high with a forehand shot after faking Anderson off his feet. Sharp had been 0-for-3 in shootouts. ''I had better puck control this time,'' Sharp said. ''These were huge points for us. We've got to take advantage of home ice.'' In regulation, the Avalanche scored first when Kyle Cumiskey banked a shot from beside the goal off Huet and into the net 9:44 into the game. The Hawks tied it on Kane's wrist shot from the right circle five minutes later. Wolski claimed a loose puck in front of the Hawks' net and slipped it past Huet for an unassisted goal 13:10 into the second period. The Hawks tied it 4:58 into the third on a dazzling play by defenseman Cam Barker. He got the puck from teammate Colin Fraser deep in the Hawks' zone and took off along the right board. Barker passed off the boards to himself to shake Colorado defenseman Kyle Quincey before beating Anderson on a breakaway. ''We stuck with it and got a little momentum in the third,'' Barker said. ''Those [shootout] points add up at the end of the season, and we don't want to give those up.'' THE RECAP Colorado 1 1 0 0 -- 2 Blackhawks 1 0 1 0 -- 3 Chicago won shootout 2-1 First Period--1, Colorado, Cumiskey 2 (Hensick, McLeod), 9:44. 2, HAWKS, Kane 5 (Sharp, Toews), 15:20. Penalties--Hendricks, Col, major (fighting), 2:16; Fraser, HAWKS, major (fighting), 2:16; Byfuglien, HAWKS (slashing), 5:50; Barker, HAWKS (tripping), 12:59; McLeod, Col, major (fighting), 18:31; Fraser, HAWKS, major (fighting), 18:31. Second Period--3, Colorado, Wolski 9, 13:10. Penalties--Versteeg, HAWKS (slashing), 2:07; Svatos, Col (holding), 10:06; Versteeg, HAWKS (goaltender interference), 19:33. Third Period--4, HAWKS, Barker 4 (Fraser, Sopel), 4:56. Penalties--None. Overtime--None. Penalties--Wolski, Col (cross-checking), 4:28. Shootout--Colorado 1 (Wolski NG, Svatos G, Tucker NG), HAWKS 2 (Toews G, Kane NG, Sharp G). Shots on Goal--Colorado 12-12-3-0--27. HAWKS 12-8-15-4--39. Power-play opportunities--Colorado 0 of 4; HAWKS 0 of 2. Goalies--Colorado, Anderson 11-4-3 (39 shots-37 saves). HAWKS, Huet 7-4-1 (27-25). Referees--Steve Kozari, Chris Lee. Linesmen--Derek Amell, Andy McElman. A--20,879 (19,717). T--2:31. HAWKS NOTES The Blackhawks resumed their Heritage Night series with Bobby Hull as the honoree. It climaxed a big week for the Golden Jet, who spent 15 of his 16 NHL seasons with the Hawks and is the franchise's all-time leader in goals (604). His son Brett joined him in the Hockey Hall of Fame at ceremonies Monday in Toronto, making them the first father-son team to be inducted. Jeremy Roenick is the next Heritage honoree, on Sunday when his last team -- the San Jose Sharks -- visits. ... General manager Stan Bowman said other teams aren't coming at him with trade offers during league meetings in Toronto since Dave Bolland's back surgery on Tuesday left the Hawks without their second-line center for at least three months. ''It doesn't work that way,'' Bowman said. ''Rather than a lot of discussions, there was more commiserating, because there are a lot of teams with injury trouble. They're feeling for you because they're going through the same thing.'' ... The Hawks wore special camouflage jerseys during warmups for the first time in franchise history. They did it on Veterans Day as part of the Boeing ''Salute to the Military'' event. The jerseys were autographed by the players and will be auctioned online at chicagoblackhawks.com until next Wednesday. All proceeds will benefit the USO of Illinois. ... Marian Hossa is ready for the next step in his recovery from shoulder surgery. He'll participate in contact drills for the first time at either today's practice or Friday's morning skate. ... The Hawks went into Wednesday's game on a four-game streak of not allowing their opponents a power-play goal. The Hawks rank second in the NHL in penalty killing (86.2 percent). ''The guys have been very assertive in our zone, blocking shots, coming up with loose pucks, winning faceoffs,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. ''[Penalty killing] is one area we had to get better at this year, and we've done that. ... The six hits Troy Brouwer delivered in Monday's win over Los Angeles gave him 49, 11th best in the NHL. The physical play also helped him to a three-point night, the second by a Hawk this season. Patrick Kane had the first. ''For me, it all revolves around my hits,'' Brouwer said. ''If you look at games where I have five-six hits, they're my best games of the season. When I'm down to one-two hits I'm not too effective.'' Len Ziehm