• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Blackhawks dominate Blue Jackets

Feb 18, 2012 - 11:24 PM Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Corey Crawford stopped 33 shots while Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews each had a goal and two assists as Chicago pummeled Columbus, 6-1, at Nationwide Arena.

Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist while Marcus Kruger, Sami Lepisto and Viktor Stalberg also scored for the Blackhawks, who have won their past two following a nine-game losing streak.

Chicago went 2-6-1 in its season-high nine-game road trip.

"I thought we got better as the game went on there," said Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville. "We had a rough start to the game, a very ordinary start. But, overall our team game was very efficient."

Derick Brassard scored the lone goal for the Blue Jackets, who came into the game having won four of their past six.

Steve Mason made the start for Columbus, but he was pulled in the second period after allowing four goals on 20 shots. After getting pulled, he was visibly upset as he was seen yelling at head coach Todd Richards.

"It's never a good thing," said Mason about getting pulled. "Under the circumstances, though, we'll see about it tomorrow."

The first goal of the game went to Columbus as an errant clear was picked up at the right point by Brassard, who skated into the slot and blew a slap shot past Crawford 5:13 in.

Toews, though, tied the game on his own when he skated the puck from his own end to the Columbus zone down the left wing, got around a defender and cut to the front before stuffing it in at the 12:27 mark.

Chicago took a 2-1 lead with 3:12 to play in the first thanks to a miscue from Mason. He attempted to play the puck behind his own net, but it hopped over his stick and went to Bryan Bickell, who passed it over to the right, where Stalberg shot it home.

Sharp made it a 3-1 game at the 13:39 mark of the second when a cross-ice pass by Kane from the right boards went to the left and Sharp one-timed it home for his 24th of the season.

Less than two minutes later, it was a 4-1 contest as Kane used the defender for a screen and snapped a shot from the slot past Mason, who was pulled after the goal.

"It was the goal and it was leading up to that point," said Richards about pulling Mason. "His game wasn't where it should be the past three games and we have to play again tomorrow, so all of those thoughts led into the decision."

When asked if Mason will start Sunday's road game in New York against the Rangers Richards said, "I haven't spoken to him yet but that's the plan right now."

Allen York finished the game in net for Columbus and gave up goals to Kruger and Lepisto less than a minute apart early in the third period. He stopped six of the eight shots he faced.

Game Notes

Stalberg has eight goals in five games against Columbus this season...Crawford is 4-0-0 against Columbus this season...Columbus left winger Rick Nash, who is a heavy subject of trade rumors, went minus-two with three shots in the game. He has 18 goals and 21 assists in 57 contests this season...Chicago, which has won all five games with Columbus this season, hosts St. Louis on Sunday.