ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Chicago Blackhawks will be headed home to the Windy City with a strong gust behind them, albeit on tired legs.

They struck back to even the Western Conference finals 1-1 with the Anaheim Ducks, winning a war of attrition to emerge with a 3-2 triple overtime victory at the Honda Center on Tuesday.

Center Marcus Kruger mercifully ended the game with 3:48 left in triple overtime, knocking down a point shot by defenseman Brent Seabrook with his hand before getting a stick on it to break the tape on Tuesday's icy marathon.

"It was as intense a game as I have ever been a part of, unbelievable game and pace. Both teams had some excellent chances to win the game," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "Krugs gets a big goal, he's one of those guys that's a warrior."

Center Andrew Shaw and right winger Marian Hossa scored for Chicago in regulation while left winger Andrew Cogliano and right winger Corey Perry tallied for Anaheim.

Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford stopped 60 shots while Frederik Andersen made 53 saves in a losing effort, including 47 straight before giving up the winner.

"(Crawford) made some huge saves, he was our best player," said Shaw, who also spoke highly of Andersen's performance at the other end.

The game lasted 116 minutes, 12 seconds. It was the longest in Honda Center history and the longest in Blackhawks franchise history, breaking a mark set 84 years ago in a triple overtime game against Montreal.

An early boarding minor gave Chicago a power play that led to their first lead of the series 2:14 into the game. Center Jonathan Toews and defenseman Duncan Keith played catch along the left-wing wall, moving the puck back, forth and back again before Keith let fly with a long shot that was deflected home by Shaw.

Anaheim would take another penalty, this time a cross check, and pay again. The Ducks won a defensive-zone faceoff, but a failed clearing attempt led to a quick exchange between the point men and a shot attempt that generated a tip-in goal for Hossa at 6:19.

The Ducks cut their deficit in half 9:14 into the first period when a broken play ended up in the Chicago net. After an attack stalled on the stick of defenseman Cam Fowler, center Nate Thompson chipped the loose puck toward the net, where it deflected in off Cogliano's skate. The goal was upheld upon review.

With 2:30 to play in the second period, the Ducks drew even as their big guns linked up on the score sheet. Their top-scoring defenseman, Sami Vatanen, dished to top playmaker Ryan Getzlaf, who faked, hesitated and chucked the puck toward the net where it was deflected in by Perry, the Ducks' top goal-scorer.

A fast-paced third period saw 17 total shots between the teams, but none were able to find the back of the net as the game went to overtime tied at 2.

The first overtime saw Perry hit the crossbar and Vatanen ding the post with shots. Right winger Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp had solid chances for Chicago, but couldn't beat Anderson.

The second overtime had a bevy of chances, but both goalies came up big to keep the game knotted.

Vatanen hit another post and soon after, the Ducks took a penalty for too many men on the ice. During the ensuing power play, Shaw appeared to bat a Kane rebound into the net, but he headed it in soccer-style. The goal was ruled to be illegal and play continued.

"That's his strength in two-touch before the game, using his head," Blackhawks left winger Bryan Bickell said. "He had a big celebration, I know that. I'm like 'I don't think it's gonna count,' and we just had to bounce back."

Perry had another sterling chance but Crawford denied his wrist shot from in tight with 8:08 to play. He nearly tipped in the winner near the two-minute mark, but his deflection careened wide of a half-open net.

"It's tough to lose like that," Cogliano said. "We had 65 shots, we hit crossbars and our best player had a chance in the slot and Crawford makes a good save. It sucks, but it is what it is."

Chicago center Antoine Vermette would have an outstanding opportunity with a minute left, only to be rejected by Andersen from deep in his net.

After all the big hits and oh-so-near misses, Kruger, a penalty-kill specialist who scored seven goals in 81 games this year, became the hero.

"It's a great feeling, we almost played two games out there," Kruger said. "To put it in and get a big win here, leaving California 1-1, we're pretty psyched by the win to go back to Chicago."

NOTES: Anaheim made no lineup changes from their victorious Game 1. ... Ducks C Ryan Kesler missed practice Monday but played in the game Tuesday after what coach Bruce Boudreau called a maintenance day. ... The Blackhawks were without D Trevor van Riemsdyk (knee) and D Michal Rozsival (ankle). The absence of Rozsival has proven challenging, as the Blackhawks went with D David Runblad in Game 1 but scratched him for Game 2, going instead with D Kyle Cumiskey and shuffling their defensive pairings yet again.