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CHICAGO (AP) – After losing 7-0 in their last home game, the
Chicago Blackhawks felt they had something to prove. They answered
with their best victory of the season.
Steve Sullivan scored a goal and had two assists as six
Blackhawks tallied in a 6-2 victory Friday night over the St. Louis
Blues – the NHL's point leaders.
|  | | Jocelyn Thibault, right, was strong in net for Chicago, making 29 saves in the Blackhawks' 6-2 rout of the Blues. |
The victory, Chicago's first at home since Jan. 19th, ended the
Blackhawks' three game losing streak and was the Blues' first loss
in February.
"We knew they were going to be desperate," Blues coach Joel
Quenneville said. "The setting was right for them to bounce back.
You get embarrassed like that at home, and they responded like they
had to."
"We needed the win more than they did," said Chicago coach
Alpo Suhonen, who endured the blowout loss Wednesday night to San
Jose. "That makes a difference. The game started to go our way
right away. It is probably one of the best."
Tony Amonte made it 1-0 at 9:23 of the first period. He stole
the puck from Blues defenseman Jeff Finley and beat goalie Brent
Johnson, who entered the game leading the NHL with a 1.85
goals-against average.
Eric Daze scored his 19th goal of the season on a power play at
14:16 of the first period. With Blues defenseman Sean Hill off for
a delay of game penalty, Amonte tried to feed Steve Sullivan high
in the slot. The puck bounced to Daze, who was in front of the net,
and he easily swatted the puck in.
The Hawks had been slumping, scoring only one goal in their last
three home games. They also entered struggling on the power play,
converting just 11.7 percent of their chances, 29th in the NHL.
St. Louis' Scott Young scored the first of two goals at 10:42 of
the second period. While on the power play, Pierre Turgeon passed
to Young, who one-timed the puck past Jocelyn Thibault from 45 feet
out.
Chicago scored again at 12:21 in the second period when Chris
Herperger lifted the puck past Johnson. Herperger took a centering
pass from Bob Probert, who beat Dale Clarke to the puck to
neutralize an icing call.
"I was just trying to beat him for the icing, and he kind of
crashed into the boards at the last second," Probert said. "The
puck was free and I just threw it in front of the net. The goalie
was out of position and Herperger was coming up the slot, cutting
to the net.
"It was big goal by him and we didn't look back after that."
According to Quenneville, that was the game's pivotal moment.
"We had a little momentum going, and it looked like we were
going to get a sniff," he said. "That did not last long."
Sullivan made it 4-1 with his career-high 28th goal, lifting a
back-hander past Johnson at 5:08 of the third period. Michael
Nylander scored his 18th goal and 100th of his career by pushing
Dean McAmmond's rebound past a sprawling Johnson for a 5-1 Chicago
lead.
Chicago's Kyle Calder also scored his second goal of the season
at 8:36 in the third. McAmmond and Steve McCarthy each had two
assists.
"It seemed like everything we were shooting was going into the
net, and it's nice to have games like that," Probert said.
Game notes
St. Louis had eight players out with injuries. The Blues
fell to 4-1-4 when defensemen Chris Pronger and Al MacInnis have
been out with injuries. ... St. Louis rookie Reed Low leads the NHL
with 20 fighting majors.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
St. Louis Clubhouse
Chicago Clubhouse
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Phoenix 2
Carolina 0
Detroit 4
Columbus 2
Florida 2
Boston 1
Pittsburgh 4
New Jersey 4
Chicago 6
St. Louis 2
Los Angeles 4
Minnesota 0
San Jose 2
Nashville 0
Dallas 3
Anaheim 2
NY Islanders 4
Edmonton 2
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Steve Sullivan blows the shot past Brent Johnson.
avi: 841 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Tony Amonte puts in the unassisted goal.
avi: 1555 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Eric Daze scores on the power play.
avi: 1240 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Chris Herperger skips the puck in for the goal.
avi: 1106 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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