Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Duncan Keith and Andrew Shaw scored within a
39-second span, fueling a five-goal second-period outburst which sent Chicago
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 Chicago
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 Chicago
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