NHL Last Night: Blackhawks Extend Streak

Chicago goaltender Cristobal Huet stopped 31 shots for his third shutout of the season as the Blackhawks beat the Florida Panthers 4-0 in Thursday's clash of two of the NHL's formost teams.

Ben Eaqer scored twice for Chicago, with Andrew Ladd and Jonathan Toews also finding the net.

Huet was making his fourth straight start for Chicago since first-choice goalie Nikolai Khabibulin sustained a lower-body injury. His best save of the night came in the third period, when he stuck out his leg to stop Nathan Horton in front of the net.

The Blackhawks, who were playing away from home for the 10th time in 11 games, have won their past three and now have 18 road victories this season, one more than all of 2007-08.

The Panthers lost in regulation for only the fifth time since the turn of the year.

Flyers 6, Sabres 3
In Philadelphia, Mike Richards had two goals and three assists for a career-high five points as Philadelphia downed Buffalo.

Mike Knuble broke a third-period tie to help the Flyers notch a third straight win.

Richards scored his NHL-leading sixth short-handed goal and second in two games, and added an empty-netter.

Penguins 5, Candiens 4
In Pittsburgh, Sergei Gonchar's first goal gave Dan Bylsma his first win as an NHL coach, as Pittsburgh edged slumping Montreal.

Gonchar, playing only his third game after missing most of the season because of a shoulder injury, scored on a slap shot after Pittsburgh quickly squandered a two-goal lead in the third period.

Gonchar's winner was the fifth goal in the opening 7:18 of the third period, which had begun at 2-2.

The Canadiens have fallen from third in the Eastern Conference to sixth in the period of a month.

The Penguins finally protected a lead after failing to hold advantages of 1-0, 2-1 and 4-2 — the kind of problems that led to the firing of Michel Therrien as coach on Sunday.

Canucks 5, Senators 2
In Ottawa, Vancouver recorded a third straight win, comfortably beating Ottawa.

Henrik Sedin had a goal and three assists for the Canucks, with Alex Burrows adding a goal and two assists.

Hurricanes 6, Islanders 2
In Uniondale, New York, Eric Staal scored two goals, including one in Carolina's big first period, as the Hurricanes thrashed New York and kept pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Staal hit the 25-goal mark for the fourth time in his five NHL seasons less than a minute after Carolina had gone ahead 2-1 in the first period. Staal added No. 26 in the second to help Carolina win its fourth straight on thge road.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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