Blackhawks Score Four Unanswered Goals In 4-2 Win Over Canucks, Even Series 1-1

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) – Kris Versteeg scored with 1:30 to play, helping Chicago even its conference semifinal series against Vancouver with a 4-2 win in Game 2.

Patrick Sharp had tied the game on a short-handed goal early in the third, and the Hawks took their first lead of the series late in the frame.

On a crisp passing play, Brent Seabrook sent the puck from the right boards to the high slot for Duncan Keith, who sent it over to the left side, and Versteeg wristed it home.

Patrick Kane added the empty-net goal moments later to seal the victory.

Seabrook had a goal and two assists, Versteeg had a goal and an assist and Patrick Sharp also lit the lamp for the Blackhawks, who bounced back from a 5-1 thrashing in Game 1 on Saturday. Antti Niemi made 24 saves in the win.

Mikael Samuelsson and Mason Raymond each had a goal for the Canucks, who will now have home-ice advantage for the next two games, with Game 3 set for Wednesday. Roberto Luongo made 30 stops in the loss.

Raymond got Vancouver on the board just 1:22 in with his third goal of the playoffs, and the Canucks made it a two-goal game at the 5:02 mark on the power play.

Skating with a 5-on-3 advantage, Henrik Sedin held the puck at the right side of the net and flung it across the goal to the left side, where Samuelsson had the easy tap-in.

Chicago scored 7:40 into the first, as Dave Bolland sent a pass from behind the net that bounced through traffic in front and came out to Seabrook, who buried it for his first goal of the playoffs.

The Blackhawks nearly tied the game with about 12 minutes to play in the second, when Versteeg skated in on a breakaway, but Roberto Luongo turned aside the backhander.

The second period passed without a goal, as Luongo finished with nine saves and Niemi turned aside seven shots to keep it a one-goal game.

Skating shorthanded, the Blackhawks tied the game on a 2-on-1 break, as Sharp skated down the right side, cut to the front of the net and slid a backhander past Luongo at the 6:49 mark of the third.

Sharp nearly gave his team the lead with another shorthanded break, but Luongo got a piece of the shot with his glove with 5:15 to play in regulation.

This series is a rematch of last year’s conference semifinals, which Chicago won in six games before losing to Detroit in the West finals. It’s the fourth time these teams are meeting in the playoffs, with Chicago taking two of the previous three…In its first round match against Nashville, Chicago also lost Game 1 before rebounding to win the series in six games…Chicago went 0-for-2 on the power play, while Vancouver went 1-for-6.