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Havlat, Ladd help Blackhawks cool off Flames

Jan 5, 2009 - 3:56 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- After having their nine-game winning streak halted by the Detroit Red Wings to end 2008, the Chicago Blackhawks did some streak-stopping of their own Sunday.

Martin Havlat and Andrew Ladd recorded a goal and an assist apiece as the Blackhawks denied the Calgary Flames their sixth-straight win with a 5-2 triumph.

Rookie Kris Versteeg scored a shorthanded goal, Dustin Byfuglien had a power-play tally and defenseman Duncan Keith had a pair of assists for the Blackhawks, who rebounded from a 6-4 loss to Detroit in the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field on Thursday.

Chicago went more than three weeks without a loss before dropping back-to-back games to the defending Stanley Cup champions on December 20 and New Year's Day.

"After winning nine straight games then losing a couple of games - which was so deflating - we had to get the emotion going again our way," Versteeg said. "That's what did tonight."

Calgary entered the contest with the Western Conference's longest winning streak, but a scoring spree from the Blackhawks late in the second period put an end to that.

Chicago scored three times in the final six minutes of the second to break a 1-1 tie and open up a three-goal advantage.

"I thought getting the late goal in the second period was huge for us," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "I like the way our lines played all night, even with the adjustments we made to the power play. Hopefully Tuesday we will get 'Kaner' (Patrick Kane, high ankle sprain) back and things will get back to where they were."

With the puck along the left side of the Calgary net, Havlat sent a pass in the slot to Ladd, who wristed a shot past Miikka Kiprusoff to put Chicago in front for good with 5:53 left in the second.

Versteeg went streaking down the right side 79 seconds later while Aaron Johnson was serving a two-minute tripping minor, beating Kiprusoff between the pads to double the lead.

"I got a fortunate bounce and was able to hop on it and make the best of it," Versteeg said.. I tried to go far side of the net, and when I realized I couldn't, I just shot it and it went in."

Byfuglien capped the scoring in the period with just 1.1 seconds left, chasing Kiprusoff from the game.

"We didn't play with enough energy in the second period to sustain our attack," Calgary coach Mike Keenan said. "The late goal really hurt us. Plus I think (Nikolai) Khabibulin always plays well against us."

Khabibulin made 34 saves for the Blackhawks.

"It was important to come out and play hard in our own building where we play well," Keith said. "The energy we played with was great and Nik (Khabibulin) play great and really kept us in it late."

Kiprusoff allowed four goals on 28 shots while Curtis McElhinney stopped all seven shots he face in the third.

Todd Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist and Daymond Langkow also netted a power-play tally for Calgary.

Patrick Sharp added an empty-net goal, his team-leading 20th tally of the season, to seal the win.