Chicago Blackhawks slam Vancouver Canucks, 7-2: NHL Play-off Recap
Patrick Sharp lit the lamp twice to lift the defending-champion Chicago Blackhawks to a much needed 7-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks, in Game 4 of this Western Conference quarter-final
series, at the United Centre on Tuesday night.
Dave Bolland tallied a goal and three assists, while Michael Frolik and Duncan Keith also hit the net for Blackhawks, who avoided becoming the third defending Stanley Cup champion to be
swept in four consecutive contests in their opening-round series, but battled back to return the series to Vancouver on Thursday.
Bryan Bickell and Brian Campbell both also added goals, while Corey Crawford turned away 21-of-23 shots in the winning effort.
Sami Salo and Daniel Sedin both found the back of the net for Vancouver, which was looking for its first series sweep since pulling out St. Louis Blues in the opening round. Roberto Luongo
started the game in net and allowed six goals on 28 shots. He was then replaced by Cory Schneider, who finished with giving up one goal on seven shots.
Blackhawks drew the first blood in less than two minutes of the opening period, when Bickell rushed alone from the right wing, beat Kevin Bieksa on a cut into the slot, moved across the
crease and jammed the puck inside the left post for 1-0 lead and his first career play-off goal.
Canucks knotted the game at 1-1 on a power-play about three minutes later. With Alex Burrows and Christopher Higgins screening Crawford, Salo ripped a long slap-shot that deflected off
Campbell’s skate and went in the net.
Chicago went on top, 2-1, again just a little over five minutes into the second period. The play was set up by Patrick Kane, who brought the puck down the right wing and then swept it
to the left wing for Campbell, who unleashed a successful wrist-shot past goalie.
Keith then gave Chicago a two-goal edge, 3-1, just 17 seconds later, as he fired a shot high to the short side from the slot.
The Blackhawks went further ahead by three goal advantage, 4-1, with over five minutes left in the middle session. The goal came when Bolland gathered a loose puck in the left circle,
made a nice fake and jammed the puck home.
Frolik pushed the lead to 5-1 with about one minute to play in the second period, when Bolland slammed a loose puck up ice to Frolik, who then broke in up the slot and beat Luongo with
a fore-handed shot.
"We gotta keep our composure, not get too high or too low," Luongo said. "We'll have to forget about this one, and at least we don't have to sit on it for another five months before we
get to play them again."
Sharp then notched a pair of power-play goals to put Chicago up by 7-1 lead in the third period and Sedin accounted for the final scoring, 7-2, with about 3 ½ minutes left in the game.
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