NHL Game Summary – Philadelphia at Chicago

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Brian Campbell and Dave Bolland both registered a goal and an assist, as the scorching Chicago Blackhawks bested the Philadelphia Flyers, 5-1, at the United Center.

Andrew Ladd, Patrick Sharp and Kris Versteeg also scored for the Blackhawks, who equaled a franchise record with their eighth straight win. Patrick Kane and Martin Havlat collected two assists apiece, while Nikolai Khabibulin made 17 saves to improve his record to an incredible 11-1-4 this season.

The Blackhawks last won eight straight from January 4-21, 1981 and originally set the record from December 9-26, 1971.

Mike Richards had the lone goal for the Flyers, who are 2-2-1 over their last five games and suffered their first defeat to Chicago since November 6, 2001, snapping a six-game winning streak.

Martin Biron, who returned from a bout with the flu, made his first start since December 13 and was victimized for five goals on 38 shots.

Philadelphia opened its annual post-Christmas expedition, a season-high six- game trek.

The surging Blackhawks came out strong. Havlat fired a quick shot from the top of the right circle and Biron made the initial stop, but Ladd followed up the play and slammed the rebound into the empty net at the 1:13 mark of first period.

Sharp, a former Flyer who was dealt to Chicago along with Eric Meloche in exchange for disappointing Matt Ellison and a third-round draft choice on December 5, 2005 in one of the most lopsided trades in Philadelphia history, scored 1:22 later to give the Blackhawks an early two-goal edge.

The league's reigning rookie of the year, Patrick Kane, intercepted a clearing attempt in the Philadelphia zone and dished to the slot for an uncovered Sharp, who rifled a wrister over the glove hand of Biron.

Amid a goalmouth scramble, Arron Asham continued to dig away at the puck and Richards eventually was able to bang it home at 7:42.

Biron was the story in a scoreless middle stanza, one in which Philadelphia was thoroughly outplayed and outshot 14-1. Khabibulin did not have to make a save until the 18:12 mark as the Flyers matched the franchise record for fewest shots in a period.

Chicago began the third period on a two-man advantage, and a laser by Campbell from the right point beat Biron high to the glove side a mere 39 seconds into the frame.

Versteeg lit the lamp at 4:07 with a pair of Flyers in the penalty box to make it 4-1 and Bolland found the back of the net a minute later.

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