Chicago Blackhawks - Recap: Washington @ Chicago - 03/19/2008

Blackhawks 5, Capitals 0
On a night honoring Chicago's all-time shutout leader, Tony Esposito,
Hawks goalie Nikolai Khabibulin turned away 25 shots before a sellout
crowd of nearly 21,000 to register his 38th career whitewash in a 5-0
victory over Washington.

The Blackhawks prevented the Capitals from moving into a tie for the last
playoff slot in the Eastern Conference while keeping their slim post-
season hopes alive to move within 7 points of a spot in the West.

Five different Hawks scored as they jumped on Capitals goalie Olaf

Kolzig for four goals in the opening period. Chicago outshot the visitors
18-6 to start the game.

Following the moving pre-game ceremony honoring Esposito, who had

74 career shutouts for Chicago and still holds the NHL rookie mark of 15
set in 1969-70, the Hawks wasted no time in getting the lead.
+ Click for larger photo
Lineup
Defenseman James Wisniewski fired a long shot that Jason Williams
Photo Gallery
tipped in just 1:27 into the contest. There was a brief video review to
Esposito Photos
make sure his stick was not above the crossbar before he was awarded
his 12th of the season. Game Highlights
Denis Savard
Khabibulin / Kane
Less than two minutes later on the first power play of the game, rookie Capitals Reactions
Jonathan Toews collected his 21st after taking a pass from Patrick Kane
to knock in his own rebound just outside the goal crease. Toews, despite missing 18 games due to injuries, is only
one goal behind Phoenix's Peter Mueller in scoring among rookies.

Meanwhile, Kane leads all rookies in points (63), two ahead of Washington's Nicklas Backstrom, who was blanked in
the game.

Midway through the period, veteran Yanic Perreault took a pass from Robert Lang to rifle a 35-footer over Kolzig's
glove to make 3-0 for his 8th of the campaign.

Near the 18-minute mark, Patrick Sharp added to his team-high 35th goal on a 10-footer after taking a pass from
Andrew Ladd for a 4-0 lead. Up to that point, the Hawks had an 18-3 edge in shots.

The Capitals got a late power play, reeling off three shots with the man advantage with Khabibulin's toughest save
coming off a shot in the closing seconds by Sergei Fedorov

In the 2nd period, Khabibulin stopped scoring chances by Mike Green and Brooks Laich before the Hawks added
their 5th of the game at 10:19.
Williams fed a pass from his own blue line to Rene Bourque, who broke loose to beat Kolzig for his 10th goal of the
season.

In the last minute of the stanza, Khabibulin managed to stop a rebound tip by Sami Lepisto.

In the final period, Khabibulin again denied several more scoring opportunities. He halted Quentin Laing in-close and
thwarted rebound shots by Laich and Matt Bradley.

The veteran netminder's best save of the game came at the 17-minute mark when he managed to glove a screaming
20-foot drive by Alexander Semin that appeared to be heading into an open corner of the net.

Hawks coach Denis Savard praised Khabibulin's play, plus the way Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook shutdown the
NHL's leading scorer, Alexander Ovechkin, who has 58 goals and 102 points. The Capitals star was held to two shots
on goal.

"We got off to a great start and the opening period was one of our best all year," Savard said.

Keith led all skaters with 27+ minutes of ice time and Sharp had a game high nine shots on goal with the Hawks
holding a 42-25 edge.

The Hawks head to Nashville for a Saturday matinee with the Predators and then return for an Easter Sunday match
with St. Louis at the United Center (2 pm).

AP Notes: Wednesday's crowd of 20,942 was the Blackhawks' ninth sellout of the season ... Perreault returned after
missing 18 games with a broken wrist. ... Chicago LW Ben Eager missed his sixth game with a shoulder injury. ...
Five Capitals sat out with injures: D John Erskine, C David Steckel, C Michael Nylander, D Brian Pothier and RW
Chris Clark.

Capitals Quotes

Head coach Bruce Boudreau: "We didn't match their speed and the way they came at us. I don't know if we were
tired or whatever. They just played an awful lot better than us and made us look real bad.

"Both teams were out there [for the pre-game ceremony]. I wouldn't know why it would contribute to us more than
them. Both teams were sitting on the bench. I think if you want to use that as an excuse, then that's what it is, it's just
an excuse. The players have to be ready.

"You get to know a team after a while and you look and they were lethargic; they didn't have any jump from
[Alexander] Ovechkin to [Donald] Brashear. There was something missing; there was a gear missing and they played
very good. They made us look pretty bad."

Center Sergei Fedorov: "We could have had a better start in the first period. It's just experience, nothing else ... The
first period was tough for us and we had a couple bad breaks. The start is very important in this building against this
team."

Harvey Wittenberg | Web Contributor

Chicago Blackhawks
Three star selections:
1st: NIKOLAI KHABIBULIN
2nd: JONATHAN TOEWS
3rd: PATRICK KANE
Winning Goaltender:
Nikolai Khabibulin

Losing Goaltender:
Olaf Kolzig
 Watch all of Denis Savard's post-game press conferences and
more in Blackhawks TV!
Game Winners
Goal Scorer Goaltender

Jason Williams Nikolai Khabibulin

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Game Reports
Scoresheet Super Stats 700K
Boxscore Faceoffs Play-by-Play
Shots Rosters TOI - WSH|CHI
Scoring Summary
1st Period Scoring
01:27 Jason Williams, Tip-In - Assists: James
Wisniewski and Robert Lang
03:19 PPG - Jonathan Toews, Wrist Shot - Assists:
Patrick Kane and Brent Seabrook
09:14 Yanic Perreault, Slap Shot - Assists: Robert
Lang and Brent Sopel
17:54 Patrick Sharp, Wrist Shot - Assists: Andrew
Ladd and Dave Bolland
2nd Period Scoring
10:19 Rene Bourque, Wrist Shot - Assists: Jason
Williams
3rd Period Scoring
none
Penalty Summary
1st Period Penalties
02:31 Sami Lepisto : Interference - 2 min

10:00 Dustin Byfuglien : Tripping - 2 min

 James Wisniewski : Delaying Game-Puck over
18:27
glass - 2 min
2nd Period Penalties
03:19 Matt Cooke : Interference - 2 min

07:30 Jonathan Toews : Roughing - 2 min

07:30 Alex Ovechkin : Roughing - 2 min

14:47 Alexander Semin : Roughing - 2 min

3rd Period Penalties
02:38 Brooks Laich : Tripping - 2 min

09:45 Matt Cooke : Slashing - 2 min

Shots
1st 2nd 3rd T
Washington 6 8 11 25
Chicago 18 11 13 42

Saves - Shots
Goalie Team EV PP SH Total
Kolzig WSH 29 - 33 8-9 0-0 37 - 42
Khabibulin CHI 20 - 20 3-3 2-2 25 - 25