Four of the Blackhawks Jersey on the ice for the national anthem before Sunday night's game at the United Center are headed to the NHL All-Star Game.
Less than a minute after the opening faceoff against the Stars, a fifth All-Star jumped over the boards during a Hawks line change.
All those All-Stars — with a little help from their friends — combined forces to help the Hawks rally from deficits four times during a 5-4 victory over the Stars in overtime. Patrick Sharp scored the winner in OT to send the Hawks to their third win in their last five games.
"A couple of times this year we've been down late in the game and found a way to tie it up," said Sharp, who also had an assist. "It speaks to really a total team effort. We have a number of guys who want to score that goal and a good team system that allows us to get those chances. Big goal (by Brad Richards) to tie it up and we stole the two points."
All five Hawks voted into the All-Star Game that will be held Jan. 25 in Columbus played roles in the victory. Patrick Kane Jersey had a goal, Duncan Keith had two assists, Brent Seabrook Jersey and Jonathan Toews Jersey each added assists and goalie Corey Crawford made 30 saves to pull the Hawks into a tie with the Predators for first place in the Central Division.
For Kane, Toews and Keith, this All-Star thing is nothing new as they have been honored multiple times. For Seabrook and Crawford, however, being two of the first six players voted into the game marks a special moment in their careers.
"It means a lot — it's the first one for me," said Crawford, who improved to 15-7-2. "It's nice to be voted in too. A lot of (Hawks) are going so it should be a great experience."
Blackhawks winger Patrick Sharp on his game-winning goal against the Stars.
Added Seabrook: "It's nice to be able to share the experience with a few teammates. I'm truly honored to have been voted in by the fans. It's probably the only way I'd get in with the amount of talent and All-Stars on this team. I'm looking forward to getting out there and having some fun."
While fan voting isn't the most scientific way to choose the first six All-Stars — the Sabres' Zemgus Girgensons was the top vote-getter thanks to a surge of votes from his native Latvia — few can argue against Seabrook and Crawford. The veterans are having perhaps their finest seasons.
Seabrook has seven goals and 15 assists and has paired with Keith to be the Hawks' shutdown defensive pairing.
"Yeah, I think I'm having a good year," Seabrook said. "I'm enjoying playing on the power play and getting some opportunities to get some good shots through. But when a team is going the way we're going right now, a lot of players are reaping the rewards."
Crawford is among the league leaders in goals-against average and save percentage and was off to the best start of his career before missing eight games with a left ankle injury.
"Before I got hurt, definitely I was playing the best I've felt in my career other than the playoff run (in 2013)," Crawford said. "It's probably the best I've felt reading plays, patience, just overall, everything in my game felt like it needed to be where it was at."
The remaining All-Stars will be selected by the NHL and are to be revealed Saturday. It's likely that no other Hawks will be joining the five Hawks who already got the nod.
"It's good to see guys like 'Crow' and 'Seabs' get their chance because sometimes guys like them fly under the radar and people don't realize how good they really are," Toews said.
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