Here are four takeaways from the Blackhawks' 8-5 win over the Washington Capitals at the United Center on Sunday:
1. Dueling five-point games by 19 and 88
When you play the defending Stanley Cup champions, your top guys need to play like it. And the Blackhawks' did just that.
Reunited on the top line as the nuclear option, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews each registsered five-point outings, with Kane having two goals and three assists and Toews netting a hat trick and two assists.
Toews also became the third active player to score at least 20 goals in his first 12 NHL seasons, joining Kane and Alex Ovechkin.