Blackhawks stifle Flyers, take 2-0 series lead in Stanley Cup

Associated Press

CHICAGO

Marian Hossa and Ben Eager scored 28 seconds apart late in the second period, Antti Niemi had 32 saves, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 on Monday night for a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup finals.

After a wild scoring display when Chicago won the opener 6-5, Game 2 featured tightened-up defenses with goalies Niemi and Michael Leighton of the Flyers stepping up.

Then the Blackhawks struck quickly, not once but twice, to send the United Center into a frenzy. Chicago has won seven straight playoff games and 10 of 11 to move within two victories of its first Stanley Cup title since 1961.

The Flyers, who are in the finals because of their ability to come from behind as they did in erasing a 3-0 deficit against Boston, got right back in the game when Simon Gagne scored as a power play was about to elapse at 5:20 of the final period.

But Niemi fought off a late flurry — 14 of his saves came in the final period when Philadelphia had a 15-4 shots advantage.

Games 3 and 4 will be played in Philadelphia on Wednesday and Friday.

Patrick Sharp fired a shot from the left circle, and after Leighton stopped it and with Chicago’s Troy Brouwer battling for the puck, Hossa poked it in from the left side of the net with 2:51 left in the second. Hossa, in his third straight Stanley Cup finals with a different team, got his third goal of the playoffs and first since May 5 against Vancouver in the conference semifinals.

Just 28 seconds later with the crowd still abuzz, Dustin Byfuglien made a steal and passed the puck to fourth-line forward Eager.

Eager skated to the right circle and unleashed a shot that beat Leighton high on the glove side to make it 2-0. It was the first goal of the playoffs for the former Flyers forward.

The Flyers broke through with 1 second left on a power play when Gagne scored from the left circle.

Gagne nearly chipped in a tying rebound about 7 minutes later but was denied by Niemi’s pad in close.