ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Jonathan Toews had a goal and an assist, Antti Niemi stopped 34 shots and the Chicago Blackhawks snapped a season-high three-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.
Patrick Sharp also scored for the Blackhawks, 0-2-1 in their previous three games. They were the last team in the NHL to drop three in a row this season.
The Blues, who got a late goal from Alex Steen and 28 saves from Chris Mason, fell to an NHL-worst 9-16-5 on home ice and have dropped two in a row to the Western Conference's top two teams after falling to San Jose on Thursday night.
After some early hitting by both teams, Sharp gave Chicago a 1-0 lead, converting Toews' pass from the low slot on a one-timer past Mason 5:33 into the first period.
Chicago made it 2-0 when Toews and Kane combined for a goal, with Toews getting his 19th after the Blues' T.J. Oshie tripped over teammate Roman Polak's skates, creating a 2-on-1 with Toews one-timing Kane's pass past Mason at 15:51 of the first.
The Blues thought they had scored to cut Chicago's lead to 2-1 on a goal by Brad Boyes with 3:33 left in the second and the Blues on a 5-on-3 power play. However, referee Dan O'Halloran whistled a scramble in front of Niemi dead, citing that the puck was frozen, but replays clearly showed Niemi never had possession of the puck.
Steen got the Blues within one with a power-play goal with a two-man advantage, scoring with 1:46 to play. But the Blues could not convert on another late power play, and finished 1 for 8 for the night.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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