Blackhawks end Elliott streak, beat Blues

[April 15, 2013]  ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Corey Crawford stopped 30 shots and the Chicago Blackhawks got goals from Bryan Bickell and Marian Hossa for a 2-0 win over St. Louis on Sunday, ending Blues goalie Brian Elliott's shutout streak at three games.

The Blackhawks lead the NHL with 68 points, and have won five in a row. They're 3-1 against the Blues, all with Crawford in net.

The Blues rarely tested Crawford until the third period and lost their second straight in front of a standing room crowd of 19,385 that had a healthy contingent of Blackhawks fans. St. Louis has seven games remaining, all but one at home.

Bickell tapped in his own rebound on a rush early in the second period to end Elliott's streak at 214 minutes. Hossa's short-handed goal off a faceoff win by Jonathan Toews was the crusher early in the third, coming 17 seconds after Duncan Keith was whistled for cross-checking David Backes in front of the Chicago net.

The Blues were 0 for 3 on the power play and have scored on just six of their last 72 power plays.

Elliott shut out the Red Wings, Predators and Wild in succession on the road for a franchise record scoreless run of 189 minutes and 23 seconds, while bailing out an offense that produced just four goals in those games. It's been an impressive return to form for a player who was benched early in the season and then sent on a two-week conditioning stint in the minors.

Elliott set franchise records with nine shutouts and a shutout streak of 241 minutes and 33 seconds last season.

This season's streak ended on a rush that began when rookie Vladimir Tarasenko was dumped making a move in the Chicago zone. Bickell tapped a backhander off the post and then tucked in the rebound at 4:39 of the second for his third goal in five games and ninth overall.

Hossa scored his 15th of the season at 6:34 of the third on a one-timer that beat Elliott on the glove side.

The Blackhawks are 22-2-0 when scoring first and 23-1-2 leading after two periods.

NOTES: The Blues wore white road jerseys and are autographing and auctioning them on stlblues.com to benefit their charitable trust, the 14 fund. ... F Patrick Sharp (upper body) was among the Blackhawks scratches. ... Hossa has 18 goals and 31 points in 37 career games against the Blues. ... The last goalie to post four straight shutouts was Brian Boucher of Phoenix Dec. 31, 2003-Jan. 9, 2004. ... Toews has three goals and three assists against the Blues this season.

[Associated Press; By R.B. FALLSTROM]

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