Blackhawks 6, Panthers 2
CHICAGO -- The Blackhawks snapped a season-high, three-game losing streak with a dominating 6-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Sunday, but not all went right for Chicago at the United Center.
Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford, who came into the game leading NHL goalies with 17 wins, suffered a lower body injury and left with 6:15 remaining in the first period.
With the Blackhawks (21-6-5) ahead 2-0 at that point, Crawford stopped a shot by Florida's Marcel Goc and then fell flat to the ice, unable to get up without assistance. It appeared that his right leg buckled under him.
Crawford was helped off the ice but went to the locker room under his own power, skating and walking very slowly and deliberately. The team announced early in the second period that Crawford would not return to the game. He was replaced by rookie Antti Raanta, who stopped 29 of 31 shots the rest of the way.
Crawford earned his 100th career NHL win over the Stars at Dallas on Nov. 30, the Blackhawks' last win prior to Sunday.
Florida (9-17-5) saw its season-high, two-game winning streak end.
The Blackhawks took quick advantage of the first penalty of the game, scoring on the power play just 13 seconds after Florida right winger Tomas Kopecky was sent to the penalty box for interference.
Left winger Patrick Sharp scored his 12th goal of the season just 1:10 into the game, putting the Blackhawks ahead 1-0. Center Jonathan Toews and right winger Patrick Kane assisted on the score.
The Blackhawks increased their lead to 2-0 at 9:11 in the first period -- again on the power play -- on defenseman Brent Seabrook's second goal of the season.
In the first minute of the second period, Sharp looked as if he would have his second goal of the game. Instead, his slap shot bounced off Florida goalie Scott Clemmensen and right onto the stick of right winger Marian Hossa, who easily scored at 0:37, making it a 3-0 margin.
The Panthers cut Chicago's lead to 3-2 with a pair of second-period goals. Defenseman Dylan Olsen tallied his second goal of the season at 4:05, and Goc added his seventh goal of the season, unassisted and short-handed, at 9:37.
Chicago went ahead 4-2 on a power play at 17:26 of the second period. Center Michal Handzus scored his second goal of the season.
Chicago center Andrew Shaw, who missed Friday's game with an upper-body injury, tallied his ninth goal of the season at 2:44 of the third period, scoring on the power-play to make it a 5-2 game. Left winger Brandon Saad scored his ninth goal of the season with 56 seconds left to round out Chicago's scoring.
The Blackhawks survived a big scare at 8:39 of the third period when Raanta was blindsided to the ice by Florida right winger Jimmy Hayes. The hard hit even knocked off the goalie's facemask, but after being checked out by team trainers, Raanta remained in the game.
The Blackhawks do not have a third goalie on the roster. Raanta was brought in to replace veteran Nikolai Khabibulin, sidelined for nearly a month due to a lower-body injury.
NOTES: The Blackhawks recalled D Michael Kostka from AHL Rockford. Kostka was at the United Center but was a healthy scratch. ... Chicago came into Sunday's game with a 16-7-3-2 all-time record against the Panthers. The Blackhawks' last home loss to the Panthers came on Dec. 16, 2007. ... Chicago C Andrew sat out his second consecutive game due to an upper-body injury. ... Florida announced that it loaned D Matt Gilroy to AHL San Antonio. ... Chicago visits Dallas on Tuesday, the third time the Blackhawks and Stars will meet in two weeks and their fourth meeting of the season (Chicago is 2-1). The Blackhawks return to the United Center on Wednesday to play the Philadelphia Flyers. ... Florida returns home for games Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings and Friday against the Washington Capitals. ... The attendance was 21,119.
