Big Second Period Leads To Blackhawks' Victory
The Chicago Blackhawks trailed the St. Louis Blues 2-0 after the first period. But four Blackhawks goals in the second period led to a big victory for the defending Stanley Cup Champions.
Patrick Kane (G, A), Jonathan Toews (G, A), Marian Hossa (G, A), Ryan Johnson (2A) and Brent Seabrook (2A) all had multi-point games as the Blackhawks won 5-3.
Goalie Corey Crawford had 31 saves on 34 shots.
Andy McDonald scored his third goal in two games for the Blues, who couldn't hold a two-goal first-period lead to end a three-game winning streak. Ben Bishop made his fourth career start and first since Dec. 18, 2008, but was yanked after surrendering four goals on eight shots in the second period.
Crawford's 31 saves came a day after thwarting Pittsburgh in a shootout. Toews has seven multi-point games in his last 11.
Hossa added an empty-goal with less than a second to go for the Blackhawks. Chicago is 3-1 without ailing coach Joel Quenneville, recovering from gastrointestinal bleeding caused by an ulcer.
The Blues built on momentum from a 9-3 rout over Anaheim in the first period with McDonald's 13th of the season giving them four power-play goals in six chances and Brad Boyes adding his 12th at 16:49.
Goals one minute apart by Victor Stalberg and Dave Bolland tied it early in the second and Kane's 20th rang off the far post and in for the lead at 6:29. Toews scored his 20th at 12:40, poking a rebound past Bishop on a power play only 25 seconds after David Backes was whistled for slashing.
Alex Pietrangelo cut the gap to one midway through the third for St. Louis, giving him seven points the last four games. T.J. Oshie and Patrik Berglund each earned their second assist on the play.
Assistant coach Mike Haviland again filled in for Quenneville as the Blackhawks ended a three-game losing streak in St. Louis, took a 3-2 season series lead and moved five points ahead of the Blues and among a group of Western Conference playoff contenders.
NOTES: The Blackhawks are the last team to shut out the Blues on Dec. 16, 2009. St. Louis' 108-game streak without being blanked since then is the NHL's longest current run. ... Toews has 43 points this month on 16 goals and 27 assists, and has seven points in five games vs. St. Louis this season. ... Bolland's 13th ended a seven-game goal drought, but he has seven points the last five games.
