Chicago strike swiftly and down the Oilers

Chicago Blackhawks vs Edmonton Oilers 5-2 (3-1, 0-1, 2-0)

With seven games to go, the Blackhawks were tracking Edmonton with vigor, having won three in a row, sitting at a 36-31-8 record. The Oilers closed out their home stand by injecting scorer Patrick O'Sullivan into the lineup, forcing Anton Axelsson out - leaving him, Krysanov and Yonkman in the press box.

The Blackhawks started the game appropriate to their name by using a hit-and-run offense to rout Jonas Hiller by scoring on their first two shots. Edmonton looked bewildered as to how they would contain their opponents, and though they put up a power play goal - Penner's 30th of the season - Marian Hossa kept the Oilers on the run by scoring a third on the 18:58 mark. All the Hawks' goals had been scored unassisted from stealing the puck and going in alone on the netminder.

Chicago began the second more offensively, abandoning the selective rushes for a broader offensive approach. Former Hawk Nik Khabibulin was impressive as he kept the puck out over an extended barrage in which Chicago released eightteen shots in twelve minutes. Ironically, the tables were turned as Edmonton took advantage of a turnover to bring them within one late in the period.

Nonetheless, Chicago put the game out of reach quickly in the third, capitalizing on two rushes.

Post game: The Oilers strangled themselves by turning the puck over far too often. Chicago looked quite energized, with particularly good performances from Bolland, Sharp and Versteeg.


Scoreboard
1st Period:
CHI - Bolland (-)
CHI - Sharp (-) PP
EDM - Penner (Laich, O'Sullivan)
CHI - Hossa (-)

2nd Period:
EDM - Penner (Grebeshkov, Hemsky)

3rd Period:
CHI - Arnason (Barker)
CHI - Bolland (Sharp, Ladd) PP


Injuries/Misconducts/Etc.
-

Lines:
Tangradi - Laich - Brule
Penner - Gagner - Hemsky
O'Sullivan - Cogliano - Moore
Moreau - Falardeau - O'Marra

Babchuk - Visnovsky
Smid - Gilbert
Grebeshkov - Petry

Hiller
(Khabibulin)