Blackhawks use second-period blitz to rout Flyers

Chicago, IL -- There are ways to lose to the best team in the NHL at the end of a long road trip which zipped between time zones, but Wednesday's path wasn't the most optimal, by a long shot.

Goals by Duncan Keith and Andrew Shaw 39 seconds apart in the opening 1:22 of the second period erased a strong first 20 minutes, and a five-goal outburst in the middle frame stoked the Chicago Blackhawks to a resounding 7-2 victory over the Flyers at United Center.

Michal Handzus, Kris Versteeg and Jonathan Toews also produced red lights in the deciding period for the Blackhawks, who were coming off a 6-2 win at Dallas on Tuesday and have won three in a row after dropping three straight.

Antti Raanta picked up the win with 28 saves, as Chicago boosted its NHL-best point total to 51 and its league-high goal total to 129.

"I don't think it's something we ever talk about, it's just that silent, quiet confidence knowing that we have the ability to score goals and generate offense," Keith said of the team's prolific scoring pace.

Thirteen different host players recorded at least one point, with Sharp posting three points and Marian Hossa chipping in three helpers.

Jakub Voracek and Steve Downie tallied for the Flyers, who finished 2-4-0 on their six-game road trip.

In his return to Chicago, Ray Emery was shelled for six goals on 18 shots in just over two periods of work to take the loss. Steve Mason made four stops in the third.

The top line of Claude Giroux, Voracek and Scott Hartnell finished a dismal minus-9, not what you wanted to see for a team which fell to 2-6-1 without the services of Vincent Lecavalier.

"It looked at times like they were playing against kids out there," said Hartnell in the understatement of the season so far.

In four of the last five games in the road swing, the Flyers gave up multiple goals in tight time spans, and the only time it didn't hurt them was in a 6-3 victory at Detroit one week ago. 


The barrage began when Patrick Sharp fed Keith for a successful left-point blast in the middle portion of Chicago's initial power play at the 43-second mark.

Shaw put the 'Hawks ahead to stay 39 seconds later, fooling Andrej Meszaros behind the Flyers' net and scoring on a wraparound at the right post.

Handzus finished off a 2-on-1 short-handed break with a shot from the left side of the crease which tipped off his skate and stick to make it 3-1 Chicago at 5:27.

Philly got it back while up a man 44 seconds later, with Downie being credited on the final push in a goalmouth scramble, only to see Versteeg convert a Brandon Saad pass on the doorstep just after the next advantage expired and give the hosts a 4-2 edge just prior to the midway point.

Emery did the splits facing the crease to stop Toews in close minutes later, but couldn't stop a screamer from Sharp that caromed off Toews atop the crease for a 5-2 game at 14:15.

"You can't make excuses," Emery said. "As a whole, we have to play better in the second."

Brent Seabrook managed to snap his stick in half on a right-point drive, which still knuckled its way past Emery for a 6-2 Blackhawks' edge at 1:05 of the third.

Raanta kept up his end of the bargain despite some shoddy play, as he casually gloved down a Brayden Schenn short-handed breakaway, then Michael Raffl failed on his chance alone on the Chicago netminder on the following shift.

Sharp's shot from the left post seconds into a Blackhawks two-man edge boosted the hosts to a 7-2 lead and the hosts took their collective foot off the gas.

Things were much different for Philadelphia early on. Voracek's low shot from the left circle zipped home inside the far post in the early stages of a power play with 7:29 remaining in the first period.

After a second advantage fell by the wayside, Raanta stood firm in his crease to stop a Downie breakaway, but the visitors led by one after 20 minutes and enjoyed a 10-6 shot margin.

Notes: Tuesday's five-goal margin marked the Blackhawks' largest in a win over Philadelphia at home since a similar 7-2 result on Feb. 11, 1973 at Chicago Stadium ... Chicago hadn't scored at least six goals in three straight games since doing so from Jan. 21-24, 1993 -- all 6-2 wins (vs. Washington, Hartford and Vancouver) ... The Blackhawks halted a three-game regular-season losing streak to the Flyers, since a 5-1 decision in Chicago on Dec. 26, 2008 ... Philadelphia fell to 17-28-19 all-time in Chicago, but 7-4-1 since October of 1993 ... The Blackhawks entered play ranked 28th on the penalty kill (74.7 percent) and gave up two goals on five chances.