Give Up Seven, Score Seven
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - Jonathan Toews, Troy Brouwer, Brent Seabrook and Patrick Sharp scored quick second-period goals to chase goalie Roberto Luongo and spark the Chicago Blackhawks' 7-1 romp over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.
Fernando Pisani scored twice early in the third, and Patrick Kane added a goal with 8:31 left, after posting two assists, as Chicago bounced back from a 7-2 loss at Calgary on Friday. Corey Crawford lost his shutout bid when Mikael Samuelsson netted a power-play goal with 6:33 left.
Marian Hossa had three assists for the Blackhawks, who are 2-1 halfway through a six-game road trip.
The Canucks were coming off a five-game trip of their own, and looked as though they left their legs on the road. Luongo was pulled after Sharp made it 4-0 with 4:25 left in the second. He finished with just 16 saves as Vancouver lost at home in regulation for the first time this season (6-1-1).
It was reminiscent of the end of last season, when Chicago knocked the Canucks out in the second round of the playoffs for a second straight time.
After a sloppy, mistake filled first period for both teams, the Blackhawks took over in the second. Chicago picked apart the defense and Luongo before the Canucks, as they did in the playoffs, unraveled with a string of penalties.
Crawford got the start after No. 1 goalie Marty Turco stayed in for all seven goals in Friday's loss. He made 27 saves and nearly had his second NHL shutout, and first since 2008, but Samuelsson ended those hopes with a late rebound goal.
Crawford made his best save on a 3-on-1, short-handed rush early in the second period. He patiently waited for Alex Burrows to get his right elbow up on the high shot. Toews sparked the rout four minutes later, driving hard to the net to deflect Hossa's long shot through Luongo's pads at 4:49.
Brouwer blew past Christian Ehrhoff 2{ minutes later and cut around Luongo before tucking the puck in the far side.
Seabrook fired in a screened point shot with 6:12 left, and Sharp took a nice backdoor feed all alone and had enough time to cut through the crease to his forehand to make it 4-0 1:47 later. That ended Luongo's night in net.
Rookie backup Cory Schneider didn't fare much better. Pisani was left alone in the slot for two straight goals early in the third before Kane blew a shot over Schneider's glove from the right circle with 8:31 left.
NOTES: The Blackhawks were scheduled to fly to Las Vegas on Saturday night to spend a couple of days there before continuing the trip at San Jose on Wednesday. ... Schneider made 18 saves. ... Canucks D Keith Ballard was a late scratch and replaced by Aaron Rome. RW Peter Schaefer replaced Rick Rypien after being scratched the previous four games.
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