Blackhawks on verge of record start

Jonathan Toews, Brent Seabrook and Patrick Sharp scored to spark the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-2 win over defending National Hockey League champion Los Angeles on Monday and on the brink of NHL history. The Blackhawks improved to 12-0 with three over-time losses, each worth one point as a regulation-time draw, to open an NHL season that began only last month as a result of a money dispute between club owners and players. If Chicago can avoid a regulation-time loss against Vancouver on Tuesday, the Blackhawks will match the 2006-2007 Anaheim Ducks for the NHL's all-time record of going 16 games into a season without a regulation defeat. The only three prior teams to avoid a regulation-time loss in their first 14 NHL games to open a season went on to capture the Stanley Cup, as the Blackhawks did most recently in 2010. Ray Emery made 25 saves for the Blackhawks in their victory over the Kings, who had two goals from Mike Richards in a losing cause. From AFP