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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 6:12 p.m., Saturday, April 18, 2009

NHL: Toews scores twice to lead Chicago past Calgary

RICK GANO
AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO — Jonathan Toews scored two of Chicago's three second-period goals as the Blackhawks rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Saturday night to take a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference quarterfinal series.

Toews' second goal of the period came on a rebound with only 24 seconds remaining as Chicago erased an early 2-0 deficit and continued its mastery of the Flames. Counting a 4-0 sweep in the regular season, the Blackhawks have won six straight against Calgary.

Games 3 and 4 will be played at the Pengrowth Saddledome on Monday and Wednesday.

Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff stopped a hard slapper from the left circle by Dave Bolland, but the puck bounced off of him. Toews was right there to knock it in and give the young Blackhawks the lead and the momentum.

Blackhawks goalie Nikolai Khabibulin made 30 saves, as did Kiprusoff.

Jarome Iginla and Adrian Aucoin gave the Flames a 2-0 lead in the opening period, momentarily quieting another raucous crowd at the United Center.

But Chicago responded with a power-play goal from Toews early in the second and a tying score from Patrick Sharp before taking the lead.

The Flames were 0-for-43 on the power play over their final 10 regular-season games and 0-for-3 in Game 1 before Iginla converted. Dion Phaneuf fired a shot from the point, and after teammate Mike Cammalleri had a chance in-close, Iginla followed in the rebound past Khabibulin for a 1-0 lead.

With both teams a man down, the Flames made it 2-0 when former Blackhawks defenseman Adrian Aucoin shoveled in a shot from the crease after the puck bounced off Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith's stick and went under Khabibulin.

But on a power play 46 seconds into the second period, Toews, Chicago's 20-year-old captain, took a nice diagonal pass from Sharp and easily pushed it past Kiprusoff to cut it to 2-1.

Sharp tied it with just under six minutes to go in the second when he streaked to the net ahead of the Calgary defense and took a pass from Patrick Kane for the goal.

Khabibulin then turned away four shots on a Flames power play, and minutes later Toews put Chicago ahead.

Early in the final period it was Khabibulin making a great save on a close-in attempt by Olli Jokinen and another with his leg minutes later to stop Rene Bourque to keep Chicago ahead.

He made another big stop with 1:47 left when he turned away another shot by Jokinen.

Just like Game 1, Calgary came out aggressively and banged the Blackhawks around on the boards. Chicago's Martin Havlat, who scored two goals in the opener including the winner 12 seconds into overtime that provided a 3-2 victory, was a prime target for the Flames' hard checking, as was Kane.

Calgary had a prime scoring chance four minutes in as Todd Bertuzzi crossed the crease with Khabibulin off his feet, but he hit the post with his shot.