For more on today's game, check out our Sharks blog at Fear The Fin, and our Blackhawks blog at Second City Hockey.
San Jose, CA (Sports Network) - Dustin Byfuglien's goal late in the third period was the difference, as the Chicago Blackhawks grabbed the early series lead with a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals from HP Pavilion.
Patrick Sharp notched the other score for the Blackhawks, who opened up their second trip to the conference finals in as many years with their sixth road win of this postseason.
Antti Niemi picked up the win with a career-best 44-save effort. The 26-year- old Finn also improved his postseason record to 9-4.
"He's been good for us all year," Chicago forward Kris Vertseeg said of Niemi. "Everyone seemed to be doubting him except us. We're confident in him. We have to give him a lot more help than we did tonight."
Jason Demers recorded the lone tally for the Sharks, who hadn't reached the NHL's final four since 2004 and suffered just their second home defeat in these playoffs.
Evgeni Nabokov played well in defeat, making 38 stops.
Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday in San Jose.
The Blackhawks forged ahead with 6:45 left in regulation. Jonathan Toews won a right-circle draw to Patrick Kane, who circled around near the boards and dished in the slot to Byfuglien for a blistering shot inside the left post.
"I feel like I'm at the top of my game right now," Byfuglien said. "I think there's improvements to be made. Just got to keep working and just getting in front, you know, getting dirty."
Nabokov made a stop on a Marian Hossa drive a little more than a minute later, then Niemi snuffed a Devin Setoguchi wraparound inside of five minutes remaining.
The Sharks went with an extra attacker for the final 1:12, then were awarded a power play with 54.2 seconds on the clock after Versteeg went off for tripping.
Dany Heatley was unable to corral two huge rebounds at the right post within a 10-second span, then Joe Thornton whiffed on a chance from the right circle with six seconds to play.
"Joe has been put in that situation all year," said Sharks head coach Todd McLellan. "We played our big players against the other team's top lines. "I feel very comfortable with them on the ice in that situation."
San Jose notched the game's first goal on its second power play of the game, as Demers lofted a shot from the point that deflected off a Hawks player and settled under the crossbar with 8:41 left in the first period.
Chicago knotted the game at the 7:44 mark of the second period, when Duncan Keith led a 3-on-2 break on the left wing and dished back to Sharp for a quick wrister that beat an unscreened Nabokov.
Niemi made sure the score stayed 1-1, as he halted all 18 shots the Sharks threw his way in the middle 20 minutes.
This is the first-ever meeting between the teams in the playoffs...Since 1967, the Blackhawks have reached the semifinal round on 15 occasions, and the Sharks have reached the semifinal round only twice...Chicago improved to 6-1 on the road in the 2010 playoffs, while San Jose fell to 5-2 on home ice.
