• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Hossa, Sharp pace Blackhawks over Sharks

Mar 15, 2011 - 5:29 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Marian Hossa scored twice and Patrick Sharp had four assists as the Chicago Blackhawks dominated the San Jose Sharks, 6-3, at United Center.

Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane each had a goal and an assist and Viktor Stalberg and Niklas Hjalmarsson each added a marker for the Blackhawks, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Corey Crawford stopped 33 shots in the win.

"The first period wasn't our best so there were a few words in the locker room," said Hossa. "We settled down and played our game after that. They got into penalty trouble and we were able to get some power-play goals."

The win gives Chicago 84 points on the season and sole position of fourth place in the Western Conference.

Joe Pavelski had a goal and an assist while Joe Thornton and Logan Couture each scored a goal for the Sharks, who have lost four of their last five games.

Antti Niemi was pulled in the second period after giving up four goals on 18 shots. Antero Niittymaki stopped 14-of-16 shots the rest of the way.

San Jose sits atop the Pacific Division and is in third place in the Western Conference.

"Every game and every point means so much right now," said Thornton. "You can't afford to lose three or four in a row and expect to keep up."

San Jose held a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes, but Chicago scored four straight goals in the second to take control.

The tying goal came 3:14 in on the power play as a slap pass from the top of the left circle by Sharp over to the low slot saw Hossa wrist it home.

Less than three minutes later, the same two hooked up for a 3-2 lead as Sharp's pass from the right boards again went to the slot and Hossa again used a wrister to beat Niemi.

It was a 4-2 game at the 7:25 mark after a 2-on-1 rush that saw Toews opt for the shot and bury it from the left circle to chase Niemi from the net.

Seven minutes later, Chicago made it a 5-2 contest as Hjalmarsson's slap shot from the high slot went through a screen and in.

San Jose got one back with 2:36 left in the second when Couture followed up a Marc-Edouard Vlasic shot by crashing the net and putting in the rebound, but Chicago answered 22 seconds later on Kane's one-timer from the front.

The third period saw Crawford stop 16 shots to keep San Jose from mounting a comeback.

Pavelski scored 2:20 into the contest on the power play while Chicago answered 10 minutes later when Stalberg whacked the puck out of air from the right side.

Thornton's 17th goal of the season came off a wrister in front to give San Jose a 2-1 lead.

Game Notes

Chicago plays in Dallas on Thursday...San Jose plays in Dallas on Tuesday...San Jose had won the previous three matchups this season...All of Sharp's assists came in the second period...Chicago was 2-for-6 on the power play while Vancouver was 1-for-3.