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Rookie Kane Leads Blackhawks Past Blues

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[January 17, 2008]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Rookie Patrick Kane had two goals and an assist, and Patrick Lalime made 32 saves in the Chicago Blackhawks' 6-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night.

Dustin Byfuglien had a goal and two assists for Chicago, which won its second straight following an eight-game (0-6-2) losing streak. Jack Skille, Rene Bourque and Yanic Perreault also scored for the Blackhawks.

Lee Stempniak scored for the Blues, who lost their third straight (0-2-1).

St. Louis starting goalie Manny Legace left after the first period with an injured right arm. Legace had been named to the Western Conference All-Star team last week.

Legace stopped all seven shots he faced in the first, including several tough chances. Marek Schwarz replaced him to start of the second and made only eight saves.

Lalime, Chicago's backup, started his second straight game. Nikolai Khabibulin, Chicago's top netminder and highest-paid player, has a seven-game personal losing streak.

Kane, the NHL's leading rookie scorer with 43 points, ended a nine-game skid without a goal.

The Blackhawks played without seven regulars: defenseman James Wisniewski (knee) and forwards Jonathan Toews (knee), Jason Williams (groin), Kevyn Adams (knee), Dave Bolland (broken finger), Ben Eager (concussion) and Martin Lapointe (flu).

Legace stopped Chicago's Robert Lang three times in the first period, including with a diving glove save just 1:42 in.

Legace suffered his injury with 4:38 left in the first. Blues trainer Ray Barile attended to goalie on the ice and Legace played the remainder of the period.

On the play, Chicago's Patrick Sharp drove to the net, but was muscled down by Blues defenseman Barret Jackman. Sharp barreled over Legace's right pad and flew headfirst into the net.

Sharp wasn't injured.

[to top of second column]

Skille opened the scoring at 9:19 of the second. After Chicago's Tuomo Ruutu checked St. Louis defenseman Jay McKee off the puck in the right corner, Skille drove to the net and lofted in a backhand shot.

Bourque made it 2-0 with 4:41 left in the second. His screened shot from left wing beat Schwarz high on the stick side.

Stempniak cut it to 2-1 with 1:19 remaining in the period, converting a rebound of David Backes' shot from left wing. Although he apparently was covered by Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook, Stempniak shoveled in a loose puck after Lalime made a pad save.

Kane made it 3-1 with a power-play goal at 1:02 of the second period. From the inside edge of the right circle, he fired in a one-time shot after taking Byfuglien's cross-ice pass.

Byfuglien made it 4-1 with 7:23 left in the third when his shot deflected in of Bryce Salvador's skate.

St. Louis coach Andy Murray pulled Schwarz for an extra attacker with 6:50 left.

Kane scored an empty-net goal with 5:22 left. Schwarz returned after the goal.

Set up by Kane, Perreault completed the scoring with 2:41 remaining.

Notes: Wisniewski has resumed practicing and may play in the Blackhawks' next game, Friday at Colorado. Williams has resumed skating. ... St. Louis LW Martin Rucinsky missed his eighth game with a shoulder injury, while Blues RW Mike Johnson underwent season-ending shoulder surgery Wednesday.

[Associated Press; By KEN PETERS]

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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