The defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks crushed the Vancouver Canucks 5-0 on Thursday, continuing a nail-biting NHL playoff comeback.Vancouver still leads the Western Conference best-of-seven series 3-2, but Chicago have outscored the Canucks 12-2 over the past two games, twice chasing goalie Roberto Luongo off the ice.
Chicago scored on two of their first four shots and Luongo was pulled for back-up Cory Schneider early in the second period with the Blackhawks streaking away at 4-0.
Luongo refused to panic.
"We've got to take a deep breath and relax a little bit," he told reporters. It's good we've got a few days to regroup as a team."
Vancouver had the best record of the NHL regular series and Chicago faces another must-win game on Sunday.
However, the Blackhawks may believe they have the psychological edge now having also bounced the Canucks from the playoffs for the past two years.
"They may have a 3-2 series lead, but the pressure is really all on them," insisted Chicago winger Patrick Kane.
In the only Eastern Conference action on Thursday, the Boston Bruins even their series with Montreal at two games each.
Boston's Michael Ryder exacted revenge on his former team Montreal by scoring in overtime to lift the Bruins to a 5-4 win.
Boston fell behind three times but fought back gamely to win their second consecutive game at Montreal's Bell Center.
Montreal dominated the early part of the game and built a 3-1 lead in the second period, but a Boston called a time out and clawed back to tie the score going into the third period.
The traded goals again in the final period, setting up the overtime win. The old rivals meet again Saturday in Boston.
In the other Western Conference game on Thursday, San Jose pushed Los Angles to the brink of elimination in their series with a 6-3 win. They play again on Saturday.
Chicago scored on two of their first four shots and Luongo was pulled for back-up Cory Schneider early in the second period with the Blackhawks streaking away at 4-0.
Luongo refused to panic.
"We've got to take a deep breath and relax a little bit," he told reporters. It's good we've got a few days to regroup as a team."
Vancouver had the best record of the NHL regular series and Chicago faces another must-win game on Sunday.
However, the Blackhawks may believe they have the psychological edge now having also bounced the Canucks from the playoffs for the past two years.
"They may have a 3-2 series lead, but the pressure is really all on them," insisted Chicago winger Patrick Kane.
In the only Eastern Conference action on Thursday, the Boston Bruins even their series with Montreal at two games each.
Boston's Michael Ryder exacted revenge on his former team Montreal by scoring in overtime to lift the Bruins to a 5-4 win.
Boston fell behind three times but fought back gamely to win their second consecutive game at Montreal's Bell Center.
Montreal dominated the early part of the game and built a 3-1 lead in the second period, but a Boston called a time out and clawed back to tie the score going into the third period.
The traded goals again in the final period, setting up the overtime win. The old rivals meet again Saturday in Boston.
In the other Western Conference game on Thursday, San Jose pushed Los Angles to the brink of elimination in their series with a 6-3 win. They play again on Saturday.
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