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Blackhawks return home, stay hot vs. Avalanche

Feb 17, 2008 - 10:13 PM By Rory Spears PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Chicago Blackhawks made the most of their first home game in 24 days.

The Blackhawks took the season series from the Colorado Avalanche, holding on for a 2-1 victory in the clubs' fourth and final meeting of the season Sunday.

James Wisniewski had two assists for the Blackhawks, who concluded a seven-game road trip with a 3-2-2 record.

"Our forwards did a great job of moving the puck down low and getting the puck back to the defenseman," Wisniewski said. "That allowed us to get the shots through from out at the point."

The Blackhawks, who had not had a power-play goal in the first three meetings with the Avalanche, broke that streak early in the contest.

With Avalanche defenseman John-Michael Liles off for hooking only 4:12 into the contest, Dustin Byfuglien made it 1-0 just 36 seconds later.

Chicago's rookie stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane worked the puck along the right boards, before Kane found Wisniewski alone at the center of the blue line.

Wisniewski blasted a one-timer through traffic, but the puck bounced off Byfuglien's stick and past Colorado goaltender Jose Theodore for his 12th goal of the season.

"My job is to be in front of the net to deflect pucks," Byfuglien said. "I got boxed out and was fighting for position; the puck just hit my stick. Goals like that can happen sometimes."

Martin Havlat gave Chicago a 2-0 lead at 2:53 of the second period when he netted his eighth goal of the campaign. Havlat wristed in a rebound from the right circle after Theodore had made a save on a slap shot from Wisniewski.

The Blackhawks turned up the defense from the start of the second period on, allowing just 11 shots in the final two periods after the Avalanche matched that number in the opening session.

"I didn't like the number of chances we had today," Colorado coach Joel Quenneville said. "The amount of quality chances we had (weren't) good enough either."

Chicago netminder Patrick Lalime and the Blackhawks' defense allowed just three shots on goal in the middle period.

"That was amazing," Lalime said. "The second and third period we really shut them down; that's what good teams do. Our penalty killing was awesome again all game long."

But the Avalanche put some shots on the Quebec native late in the contest, including Jaroslav Hlinka's goal at 17:35 of the third to deny Lalime his first shutout of the season.

Lalime finished with 21 saves for Chicago, which has outscored its last five opponents, 20-7, going 4-0-1 over that stretch.

"It's a tough game, but our guys are paying the price," Blackhawks coach Denis Savard said. "With goalies like Nikolai (Khabibulin) and Patrick, that gives us a chance to win every game."

Theodore turned away 25 shots for the Avalanche, who have lost three straight games.