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By Chris Kuc

ST. LOUIS -- A large contingent of Blackhawks fans made their presence known during Saturday's night's game at the Scottrade Center.

After their 2-1 victory over the Blues that snapped a three-game losing streak, the Hawks talked about getting a boost from supporters who often cheered louder than the home fans in the crowd of 19,150.

"It was pretty cool to see all the fans we had come from Chicago," Hawks captain Jonathan Toews said. "It almost felt like we were back in our own building. (St. Louis) is a tough team and it's a good rivalry that's building. It's always fun to win, especially on the road."

The boisterous Hawks fans cheered and chanted throughout the game as the rivalry between the teams seems to be intensifying with each game they play.

Photo: Patrick Sharp celebrates his first-period goal with Jonathan Toews. (AP)

Team Band's cover of "Here come the Hawks"

By Chris Kuc

ST. LOUIS -- The Blackhawks snapped their three-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Blues on Saturday night.

Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews each had a goal and assist and Antti Niemi put together an outstanding effort in goal to halt the Hawks' longest skid of the season.

Niemi improved to 14-4-1 on the season. The Hawks upped their record to 38-15-5 overall and 17-9-3 on the road.

The Hawks are now 9-1-2 in the second of back-to-back games, including 7-0-2 away from home.

Full story | Box score | Updated standings

Video highlights from NHL.com:

By Chris Kuc

ST. LOUIS -- Unlike their two previous games -- both of which they lost -- the Blackhawks haven't lost their intensity after taking an early lead.

The Hawks hold a 2-0 lead over the Blues after two periods Saturday night at Scottrade Center. They have played solid defense and have kept the pressure on as they seek to snap their three-game losing skid.

Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews had first-period goals and Antti Niemi has been strong in goal, stopping all 25 Blues shots thus far.

By Chris Kuc

ST. LOUIS -- The Blackhawks are on their way to snapping their season-long, three-game losing skid.

Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews have scored goals to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead over the Blues after one period Saturday night at Scottrade Center.

Sharp started things off on the right foot for the Hawks when he took a feed from Toews from behind the Blues net and beat goaltender Chris Mason from the slot for his 17th goal of the season.

Late in the first, Toews made it 2-0 when he broke in on Mason two-on-one with Patrick Kane and the Hawks captain scored his 19th of the season after a feed from Kane.

Hawks goalie Antti Niemi has stopped all 11 Blues shots. The Hawks have eight shots.

By Chris Kuc

ST. LOUIS -- The Blackhawks will turn to Antti Niemi to help snap their first three-game losing streak of the season against the Blues on Saturday night at Scottrade Center.

Niemi, who was battling what is believed to be the flu last week and served as Cristobal Huet's backup during the Hawks' 2-1 shootout loss to the Coyotes on Friday night, is making his first appearance since Jan. 23 against the Sharks. In that game, Niemi was started consecutive games for the first time this season and way yanked after yielding three first-period goals as the Hawks eventually fell 5-1 in San Jose.

Winger Ben Eager is not on the ice for pregame warmups and will likely be a scratch with Tomas Kopecky returning after being a scratch against the Coyotes.

By Chris Kuc

The Blackhawks fell for the third consecutive game for the first time this season as they dropped a 2-1 shootout decision to the Coyotes on Friday night at the United Center.

Former Hawk Adrian Aucoin scored the winner in the shootout for Phoenix as it won its sixth consecutive game.

Colin Fraser had the lone goal for the Blackhawks in regulation. Radim Vrbata, also a former Hawk, had a second-period goal for Phoenix.

Full story | Box score | Updated NHL standings

By Chris Kuc

In a slow-moving second period, the Coyotes got a late power-play score from Radim Vrbata to tie the Blackhawks 1-1 after two Friday night at the United Center.

Colin Fraser scored in the first for the Hawks, who hold a 21-16 shot advantage.

The Hawks are 7-1-2 this season when tied after two periods while Phoenix is 7-3-1.

By Chris Kuc

The Blackhawks figured to be plenty motivated for Friday night's game against the Coyotes at the United Center. The Hawks are trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season and Phoenix after five consecutive wins is closing in on them in the Western Conference.

So far, so good for the Hawks. They hold a 1-0 lead over the Coyotes after one period in front of a season-high crowd of 22,169. Colin Fraser scored his second goal of the season early in the period. The goal came from a shot from the right circle after Phoenix goaltender Jason LaBarbera kicked aside a Duncan Keith blast.

The Hawks appear to have caught a break as LaBarbera got the call in goal for the Coyotes instead of Ilya Bryzgalov, one of the top netminders in the league. Cristobal Huet turned aside all nine of the Coyotes' first-period shots for the Hawks.

By Chris Kuc

The Blackhawks haven't lost three consecutive games all season and they seem intent on avoiding it again Friday night when they host the Coyotes at the United Center.

After defeats to the Hurricanes on Saturday night and Blues on Wednesday, the Hawks face a red-hot Phoenix team that was won five games in a row. That has pulled it within five points of the Hawks in the Western Conference.

"Phoenix is playing pretty well this year," Hawks winger Patrick Kane said following the morning skate. "We want to take advantage of the home crowd. No more excuses. I know we had a long road trip but that's over now and we can move on from that. It's definitely a big game to get this losing streak over for sure."

"We've only faced them once this year and they did beat us (3-1 on Nov. 5 in Arizona). We'll try to get some revenge (Friday night)."

Photo: Patrick Kane says it's time to start winning again. (Scott Strazzante/Tribune)

By Chris Kuc

Coach Joel Quenneville is sticking with Cristobal Huet in goal for the Blackhawks.

The veteran will make his fourth consecutive start Friday night when the Hawks host the Coyotes at the United Center. Antti Niemi, who had been scheduled to start Wednesday night's game against the Blues but didn't play because of an illness, missed Thursday's practice at the United Center.

Quenneville said Niemi "is doing much better. He should be ready to back up (Huet)."

By Chris Kuc

In their first home game since Jan. 14, the Blackhawks fell to the Blues 3-2 on Wednesday night at the United Center.

After Patrick Kane scored in the first peirod to give the Hawks the lead, the Blues got two goals from David Backes and another by Jay McClement in the second to put St. Louis ahead to stay.

Marian Hossa scored a short-handed goal early in the third to pull the Hawks to within 3-2 but it wasn't enough. Cristobal Huet suffered the loss in goal for the Hawks while Chris Mason earned the win for the Blues.

Full story | Box score | Updated standings

Video highlights from NHL.com:

By Chris Kuc

In the time they were away on their eight-game road trip, it appears the Blackhawks forgot how dominating they are at home.

The Blues reeled off three consecutive goals in the second period and hold a 3-1 lead over the Hawks after at the United Center.

David Backes had two scores and Jay McClement added another for St. Louis.

Patrick Kane scored in the first for the Hawks.

By Chris Kuc

The Blackhawks and Blues amassed 169 penalty minutes combined in the first two meetings of the season. During the first period of Wednesday night's game at the United Center the teams stuck to the business of hockey and the Hawks have been the best at that thus far as they lead 1-0 at the first intermission.

Patrick Kane scored for the Hawks after a terrific defensive play by Troy Brouwer. Midway through the period Brouwer blocked a shot by the Blues' Roman Polak. The puck caromed to Kane and the winger was off to the races on a breakaway. Kane beat St. Louis goaltender Chris Mason with a backhand move for his team-leading 22nd goal of the season.

There were no penalties called in the opening period.

Cristobal Huet is in goal for the Hawks. Antti Niemi had been scheduled to start but missed the game with an illness.

By Chris Kuc

The Blackhawks are back on home ice Wednesday night for the first time since Jan. 14 as they face the Blues at the United Center.

The teams have combined for 169 penalty minutes in the two previous meetings this season, including 107 in the Hawks' 6-3 victory Jan. 2 in St. Louis. The Hawks also won the first matchup of the season against the Blues, 3-0 on Dec. 16.

"They're a tough team to play against," said Hawks winger Patrick Sharp, who has 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 28 career games against the Blues. "They play very physical (and) like to mix it up. I know they aren't happy with where they are in the standings. Every time we play them we know it's a challenge and we seem to raise our game to match their intensity and we need to do that tonight on home ice."

Tribune News Services

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Brandon Sutter and Matt Cullen scored in a 26-second span in the third period, and Cam Ward made 39 saves to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Blackhawks 4-2.

Sergei Samsonov and Jussi Jokinen also scored for the Hurricanes, who have won five of their last six. Ward has stopped 129 of 134 shots in his last four games.

Marian Hossa and Andrew Ladd scored for Chicago, and Cristobal Huet made 20 saves. Ladd, who beat Ward with a wrist shot in the third period, helped Carolina win the Stanley Cup in 2006 before he was traded to Chicago for Tuomo Ruutu last season.

Chicago was 5-3 on its season-high, eight-game trip.

Saturday's box score | Updated standings

Video highlights from NHL.com:

Troy Brouwer is mobbed by teammates after his game-winning goal Thursday at San Jose. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

By Chris Kuc

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Playing alongside two of the top players in the NHL in Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, Troy Brouwer is beginning to make a name for himself.

The winger scored two goals, including the game-winner in overtime, Thursday night during the Blackhawks' 4-3 victory over the Sharks at HP Pavilion. The tallies increased Brouwer's career-high in goals to 17 in 54 games this season. That already has far surpassed Brouwer's rookie season total of 10 during 2008-09.

"It's got to be the confidence factor," Brouwer said of his scoring prowess this season. "It's been coming along really nicely this year. I'm having fun doing it."

Team Band's cover of "Here come the Hawks"

By Chris Kuc

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The Blackhawks coughed up an early three-goal lead but Troy Brouwer  scored in overtime to lift them to a 4-3 victory over the Sharks on Thursday night at HP Pavilion.

Dustin Byfuglien, Brouwer and Andrew Ladd all scored within the first nine minutes of the game for the Hawks but the Sharks chipped away in regulation before the Hawks claimed the victory in the extra period.

Full story | Thursday's box score | Updated standings

Video highlights from NHL.com:

By Chris Kuc

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- After an explosive first period, the second settled down as the Sharks crept closer to the Blackhawks on Thursday night at HP Pavilion.

Joe Pavelski's second goal of the game late in the second has cut the Hawks' lead over San Jose to 3-2 after two periods.

Dustin Byfuglien, Troy Brouwer and Andrew Ladd scored in the first for the Hawks while Pavelski tallied for San Jose.

By Chris Kuc

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Distraction? What distraction?

The Blackhawks shook off the bothersome off-ice news that has hounded them since Tuesday when they raced to a three-goal lead within the first nine minutes of their game against the Sharks and hold a 3-1 lead after one period at HP Pavilion.

Dustin Byfuglien, Troy Brouwer and Andrew Ladd have scored goals for the Hawks, who are playing the seventh of their eight-game road trip.

Joe Pavelski got the Sharks back in it with a goal for the Sharks.

The Hawks have been hit with criticism since photos of Kane, John Madden and Kris Versteeg shirtless and drinking in a limo with three unidentified women while in Vancouver surfaced Tuesday on the Internet. Before the game the Hawks vowed not to let the incident be a distraction and thus far they've accomplished that.

Cristobal Huet is in goal for the Hawks. He is opposed by Evgeni Nabokov.

Tribune News Services

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Defenseman Dan Boyle will miss his third straight game for the San Jose Sharks because of an undisclosed upper body injury.

Boyle will sit out Thursday night's game against the Blackhawks. The Sharks had been hoping to have their top scoring defenseman back for the matchup between the top two teams in the Western Conference, but he was ruled out at the morning skate.

Boyle is a member of the Canadian Olympic team. He leads Sharks defensemen with 43 points.

By Chris Kuc

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- On the day they are playing for first place in the Western Conference, the Blackhawks addressed the surfacing of photos on the Internet of several members of the team in the back of a limo with their shirts off, drinking and surrounded by women during a night in Vancouver.

Patrick Kane, Kris Versteeg and John Madden were in the photos, which Kane said were not taken prior to Saturday night's 5-1 loss to the Canucks.

"For us, obviously, it's not the way we want to represent the team," Kane said. "It's been discussed internally with the team and it's been figured out inside this locker room."

Photo: Patrick Kane says the Hawks need to put the limo incident behind them. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)

Reached for comment, the Blackhawks confirmed the authenticity of the photos and said, "We're aware of them. It's a team-related issue and will be handled like any other situation and that will be internally."

No harm, no foul (except to shirt-makers). At least Kane had the sense to take a limo.

By Chris Kuc

EDMONTON, Alberta -- The line of Kris Versteeg, John Madden and Dustin Byfuglien snapped out of its offensive slumber during the second period of the Blackhawks' 4-2 victory over the Oilers on Tuesday night.

The trio had been 0-for-the-road trip with no points in the first four contests of the eight-game swing. Byfuglien broke through with his 13th goal of the season when he redirected a shot by defenseman Duncan Keith midway through the second to give the Hawks a 3-0 advantage. Versteeg added his 19th assist on the score.

"It was nice that line did get some production," coach Joel Quenneville said. "I thought it was better. Hopefully this will get them back going."

Photo: Dustin Byfuglien helped the third line have a big night in Edmonton. (John Ulan/AP)

By Chris Kuc

EDMONTON, Alberta--The Blackhawks got goals from Jonathan Toews, Troy Brouwer, Dustin Byfuglien and Marian Hossa and went on to defeat the Oilers 4-2 on Tuesday night at Rexall Place.

The victory was the Hawks' fourth in their sixth game of an eight-game road trip and improved their overall record to 36-13-4. Cristobal Huet got the win in goal to move to 23-9-3. Edmonton lost for the 11th consecutive contest and dropped to 16-29-6.

Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith each added two assists for the Hawks, who next face the Sharks on Thursday night.

"Anytime you can score in the first period on basically the first shift it's a good thing," Keith said of Toews' goal 44 seconds into the game. "We were happy with out play and wanted to keep going and put pucks at the net and we knew eventually some more would go in."

By Chris Kuc

EDMONTON, Alberta--Goals by Troy Brouwer, Dustin Byfuglien and Marian Hossa have extended the Blackhawks' lead over the hapless Oilers to 4-1 after two periods at Rexall Place.

The Hawks have controlled the play throughout, as Jonathan Toews scored on the Hawks' first shot of the game in the opening minute.

Fernando Pisani scored with less than a minute left in the second to pull Edmonton, which has lost 10 games in a row, to within 4-1.

Duncan Keith and Patrick Kane each have two assists as the Hawks hold a 28-13 shot advantage.