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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
DETROIT (AP) -- Bringing new players into a new system has not
been easy so far for the Chicago Blackhawks. Everything finally
came together against the Detroit Red Wings.
Steve Sullivan scored twice and Tony Amonte had a goal and an
assist in a decisive three-goal second period as the Blackhawks
beat the Red Wings 6-1 Friday night.
|  | | Wings goalie Chris Osgood was pulled midway through the second period after allowing four goals. |
"I think the biggest thing we get from this game is it gives us
confidence we're doing something right," first-year coach Alpo
Suhonen said after the Blackhawks won for just the fourth time in
13 games.
"It was a total team effort," said Chicago goalie Jocelyn
Thibault, who had a 6-0 lead before Doug Brown scored the lone
Detroit goal with only 35 seconds remaining. "When we came in, we
knew everybody had to play their best game to win in Detroit."
Jean-Yves Leroux added a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks,
who also had goals by Alexei Zhamnov and Valeri Zelepukin.
"I guess this is the first time we played all the key areas
good," Suhonen said.
The Blackhawks, beaten 4-0 by the Red Wings at home last month,
outshot Detroit 36-31. Chicago scored four times against goalie
Chris Osgood, who lost 6-2 in his last start Tuesday at Washington.
"It's disappointing to have two efforts like that in three
games," Detroit forward Brendan Shanahan said. "We know Chicago,
regardless of the standings, they always come in here and play
well. We had our chances, then they'd come down and score -- whether
it was a breakdown, bad communication or a bad bounce."
Osgood's vulnerability to long shots was evident twice when the
Blackhawks broke the game open with three goals in a 4:02 span for
a 4-0 second-period lead.
Zhamnov skated in with a pass from Amonte and fired a shot from
the top of the left circle that found the net at 5:05. Amonte was
just a stride or two inside the Detroit line when his slap shot
beat Osgood at 8:12.
Just 55 seconds later, Sullivan and Michael Nylander were 2-on-1
against Larry Murphy in front of the net when Sullivan slipped the
puck past a fallen Osgood, who left after giving up four goals on
26 shots.
Manny Legace, who earned the shutout against the Blackhawks on
Oct. 12, finished and made eight saves. He allowed short-handed
goals to Zelepukin and Sullivan on the same Detroit power play late
in the third.
Leroux scored the only goal of the first period when Jamie
Allison's shot bounded to him left of the net and he flipped a shot
in at 8:21.
Leroux skated regularly for the first time on a line with Amonte
and Zhamnov.
"He was very good, especially in the first period," Suhonen
said. "We've been playing a lot of players in that position. He
took the chance and used it."
Game notes
The Blackhawks are 2-0-1 when leading after the first
period. Chicago has been outscored 16-6 in the opening period of
its 13 games. ... Detroit defenseman Chris Chelios played his first
home game (third overall) since having arthroscopic knee surgery
Oct. 20. ... The Blackhawks are 3-3-0-1 on the road but only
1-5-0-0 at home. Their next three games are at home before a
seven-game road trip. ... The Red Wings have not been shut out at
home since a 3-0 loss to Tom Barrasso and Pittsburgh on April 11,
1999.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Chicago Clubhouse
Detroit Clubhouse
RECAPS
Buffalo 5
Montreal 4
Chicago 6
Detroit 1
Tampa Bay 4
NY Islanders 3
Colorado 5
Carolina 3
Edmonton 3
Minnesota 0
Dallas 2
Phoenix 2
Pittsburgh 4
Vancouver 2
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Tony Amonte fires the shot past Chris Osgood.
avi: 615 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Some fancy moves by Michael Nylander and Steve Sullivan lead to Chicago's fourth goal of the game.
avi: 1560 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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