Panthers 0 - 4 Blackhawks
Final
  for this game

Crawford, Blackhawks blank Panthers

Mar 24, 2011 - 5:07 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Corey Crawford posted his fourth shutout of the season in a 23-save effort to help Chicago defeat Florida, 4-0, at the United Center.

Patrick Kane and Brent Seabrook each tallied a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks, who are in the thick of the wild Western Conference playoff race with 88 points. With nine games left, Chicago is now in a three-way tie for fifth place with idle Phoenix and Nashville.

Viktor Stalberg and Tomas Kopecky each lit the lamp for the victors.

Tomas Vokoun surrendered all four goals on 31 shots for the Panthers, who have lost three straight and four of their last five overall.

After a scoreless first period, and most of the second period, Chicago found the back of the net on the power play. It was Seabrook's one-time blast that sailed past Vokoun's left shoulder for the 1-0 lead at the 14:41 mark.

Meanwhile, Crawford made 13 saves in the first 40 minutes of play.

"We stuck to our gameplan," Seabrook said. "We got one on the power play and we started rolling in the third period."

Stalberg made it 2-0 during the first minute of the third period when he tapped in Jonathan Toews' shot from the right side of the net.

Kane put the game away with 7:56 left when he collected a Duncan Keith pass and fooled Florida's goaltender with a slow shot that went low. The Blackhawks added a fourth goal with 2:55 left on the clock on Kopecky's wrister.

Crawford finished out the game with 10 saves in the final frame to seal the much-needed win.

"You can tell we kind of ran out of gas in the third period," Panthers forward Jack Skille said. "The Hawks took over. That's why they're a good team."

Game Notes

Chicago did not play with sniper Patrick Sharp, who is out with a left knee injury he suffered on Sunday. Although the Hawks lost Sharp, they returned defenseman Brian Campbell, who missed the last three games with a left leg injury. He finished with a plus-one...Chicago is 23-14-0 as the host this year and will also welcome Anaheim in its next game this Saturday...The teams split the season series, 1-1...Keith and Toews each had two assists in the win.






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