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Blackhawks Blast Flyers

Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Duncan Keith and Andrew Shaw scored within a 
39-second  span, fueling a five-goal second-period outburst which sent Chicag
over Philadelphia, 7-2, at United Center. 

Michal  Handzus, Kris  Versteeg and Jonathan Toews also produced red lights in 
the  deciding  period for  the Blackhawks,  who were  coming off  a 6-2 win at 
Dallas on Tuesday and have won three in a row after dropping three straight. 

Antti  Raanta picked up the win with 28 saves, as Chicago boosted its NHL-best 
point total to 51 and its league-high goal total to 129. 

Jakub  Voracek and  Steve Downie tallied for the Flyers, who finished 2-4-0 on 
their six-game road trip. 

In  his return to Chicago, Ray Emery was shelled for six goals on 18 shots in 
just over two periods of work to take the loss. Steve Mason made four stops in 
the third. 

The  barrage  began when Patrick  Sharp fed  Keith for a successful left-point 
blast  in the  middle portion of Chicago's initial power play at the 43-second 
mark. 

Shaw   put  the  'Hawks  ahead  to  stay  39  seconds  later,  fooling  Andrej 
Meszaros behind the Flyers' net and scoring on a wraparound at the right post. 

Handzus  finished  off a 2-on-1  short-handed break with  a shot from the left 
side of the crease which tipped off his skate and stick to make it 3-1 Chicag
at 5:27. 

Philly got it back while up a man 44 seconds later, with Downie being credited 
on  the  final push  in a goalmouth  scramble, only to  see Versteeg convert a 
Brandon  Saad  pass on the doorstep  just after the next advantage expired and 
give the hosts a 4-2 edge just prior to the midway point. 

Emery  did the splits  facing the crease to stop Toews in close minutes later, 
but couldn't stop a screamer from Sharp that caromed off Toews atop the crease 
for a 5-2 game at 14:15. 

Brent Seabrook managed to snap his stick in half on a right-point drive, which 
still  knuckled its  way past Emery for  a 6-2 Blackhawks' edge at 1:05 of the 
third. 

Raanta kept up his end of the bargain despite some shoddy play, as he casually 
gloved down a Brayden Schenn short-handed breakaway, then Michael Raffl failed 
on his chance alone on the Chicago netminder on the following shift. 

Sharp's shot from the left post seconds into a Blackhawks two-man edge boosted 
the hosts to a 7-2 lead and the hosts took their collective foot off the gas. 

Things  were much different for Philadelphia early on. Voracek's low shot from 
the left circle zipped home inside the far post in the early stages of a power 
play with 7:29 remaining in the first period. 

After  a second advantage fell by the wayside, Raanta stood firm in his crease 
to  stop a Downie  breakaway, but the visitors led by one after 20 minutes and 
enjoyed a 10-6 shot margin. 

                                   Game Notes 

Tuesday's  five-goal margin  marked  the  Blackhawks' largest  in  a win  over 
Philadelphia  at home  since a similar 7-2  result on Feb. 11, 1973 at Chicag
Stadium  ... Chicago  hadn't scored at least six goals in three straight games 
since doing so from Jan. 21-24, 1993 -- all 6-2 wins (vs. Washington, Hartford 
and  Vancouver)  ... The Blackhawks  halted a three-game regular-season losing 
streak  to  the Flyers, since a  5-1 decision in Chicago on Dec. 26, 2008 ... 
Philadelphia  fell to 17-28-19 all-time in Chicago, but 7-4-1 since October of 
1993  ...  The Blackhawks entered  play ranked 28th  on the penalty kill (74.7 
percent) and gave up two goals on five chances. 

12/11 23:28:53 ET 

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