Turco Shines As Hawks Snap Losing Streak
NOTE: Marian Hossa left the game with an undisclosed "upper-body injury", stay tuned to 670 The Score for further developments.
(WSCR) - After days of rest, the Blackhawks were ready for the LA Kings. Marty Turco made 33 saves and the Blackhawks snapped their losing streak with a 3-1 victory.
CHICAGO (AP) - Marty Turco made 33 saves, and Viktor Stalberg scored the deciding goal to help the Chicago Blackhawks snap a two-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over Los Angeles on Wednesday night.
Turco, signed to a one-year contract to replace Antti Niemi in the offseason, allowed only Justin Williams' first-period goal. The Kings outshot the Blackhawks 15-8 in the third period, pressuring Chicago until Patrick Sharp scored his NHL-leading ninth goal of the season with 2:05 remaining.
Jake Dowell also scored for Chicago.
Chicago improved to 6-4-1. Los Angeles dropped to 6-3-0 after winning five of its previous six.
Stalberg made it 2-1 at 1:18 of the second period, backhanding the puck over goalie Jonathan Bernier's left shoulder off a rebound in the slot.
The teams traded goals in the first period. Dowell, Chicago's fourth-line center, beat Bernier with a backhander from the crease at 5:16. Williams answered by one-timing a pass from defenseman Davis Drewiske past Turco at 9:34. Drewiske's feed caromed off the boards behind the net.
Turco stopped Ryan Smyth's deft poke of the puck in the slot, and a pair of chances by Alexei Ponikarovsky in the third period. Turco also made difficult saves on Smyth and Brad Richardson 18 seconds apart late in the second period. Richardson also missed a half-open net from 10 feet midway through the second.
Chicago's best opportunity following Stalberg's goal didn't even result in a shot on goal. Sharp missed from 10 feet in front of Bernier 7:10 into the third period.
NOTES: Tomas Kopecky returned to the Chicago lineup after missing a game because of an upper-body injury. ... Chicago defenseman Brian Campbell, on injured because of a sprained right knee since early in the preseason, might play as early as Saturday night at Minnesota. ... Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty missed his fourth game because of a concussion.
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