Hawks erupt for five goals in milestone period

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Monday, March 14, 2011
Posted: 9:36 p.m.Updated: 11:15 p.m.

By Tracey MyersCSNChicago.com

The Chicago Blackhawks have had some very good second-period performances this season.

On Monday night, they had a great one.

WATCH: Sharp a happy helper

Patrick Kane scored his 100th career goal, Marian Hossa scored twice and Patrick Sharp had a franchise-tying record four assists in the second period as the Blackhawks came back to beat the San Jose Sharks 6-3 at the United Center on Monday night.

The Blackhawks scored five goals in the second period, erasing a 2-1 deficit and chasing former teammate Antti Niemi midway through the frame. The Blackhawks snapped a three-game winless streak and jumped back into fourth place in the Western Conference.

Jonathan Toews was also in on the second-period barrage, getting a goal and an assist. He now has 71 points this season, a new career high; his 30 goals are just four shy of the career-best 34 he had in 2008-09.

I thought we gathered ourselves pretty quickly after that start there, said coach Joel Quenneville, whose Blackhawks have now outscored opponents 82-54 in second periods. We did a lot of good things. You measure (great periods) in different ways, but certainly the timing of it you can certainly put it up there as one of the better ones (this season).

Toews said the big second period obviously dictated the outcome of the game so it was good for us. Especially when they made it 5-3 and we came back and got that sixth goal. We were just confident. We knew weve had a couple games where we squandered 2- or 3-goal leads and that wasnt going to happen (tonight).

WATCH: Special game for Hjalmarsson

And it was led by the Blackhawks big guns. Toews, Kane, Sharp and Hossa had just five points combined in the three previous games against the Sharks. On Monday night, they combined for 10 points.

Sharps assist tally marked the fifth time a Blackhawks player has done that in a period. The most recent occurrence was when Jim Pappin did it against Atlanta on March 24, 1973.

What was it, four assists in 15 minutes? Thats pretty crazy coming from him, said Kane, whose goal was set up by a Sharp pass. Hes just playing patient with the puck. He has time and space to make plays so good for him.

WATCH: Kane's 100th goal no big deal?

The Blackhawks dictated everything in the second period. They drew hooking and holding penalties, those catch-up infractions that drive coaches crazy, throughout the game and went 2 for 6 on the power play. Both of those came from Hossa.

For whatever reason in the first period we werent on the same page. We started working as a team (in the second), Hossa said. We were supporting each other and battling.

San Jose coach Todd McLellan said his Sharks did just the opposite.

If I was going to sum up the game, they skated, we glided. They were hard on the boards, we were soft. They were determined at the net, we played I hope around the net, he said.

It was Toews goal, however, that sent Niemi packing. The former Blackhawks goaltender was pulled after allowing four goals on 18 shots in a period and a half.

Hes a good goaltender, we know that, but it was good to get to him, Sharp said. Hes still a good friend, but you dont feel bad for him leaving.

Niklas Hjalmarsson and Viktor Stalberg also scored for the Blackhawks, who have now won five in a row at home. Corey Crawford stopped 33 of 36 for the victory.

The Blackhawks got a big one on Monday and did it convincingly. Theyve been on a roll at home. Theyd like to keep rolling regardless of venue.

We want to go into every single game looking for those two points, Toews said. Were back on track now. Maybe we didnt have the greatest road trip, but its time to get on another swing here.

Tracey Myers is CSNChicago.com's Blackhawks Insider. Follow Tracey on Twitter @TramyersCSN for up-to-the-minute Hawks information.

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