Blackhawks tame Wild to move 2-0 clear in series

(The Sports Xchange) - Right winger Patrick Kane scored two goals to lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 4-1 win against the Minnesota Wild in Game Two of their Western Conference semi-final series on Tuesday. Center Jonathan Toews and left winger Patrick Sharp also scored for Chicago, who seized a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with their fifth win in as many games on home ice this post-season. Defenseman Matt Dumba scored the lone goal for Minnesota. Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford stopped 30-of-31 shots to earn his third win of the playoffs, while Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk turned aside 27-of-30 attempts on goal. A short-handed goal by Toews broke a scoreless tie with 7:32 remaining in the second period before Chicago doubled their lead on Kane's wrist shot from the right circle with 19.9 seconds remaining in the same frame. Defenseman Duncan Keith fired a stretch pass to Kane, who wheeled near the blue line and beat Dubnyk stick-side for his 100th career playoff point. Minnesota trimmed the deficit to 2-1 on Dumba's power-play goal with 18:40 left in the third period, the scorer ripping a shot from 40 feet into the top right corner of the net. The Blackhawks regained a two-goal cushion on a wrist shot by Sharp with 12:21 to go in the third period, left winger Teuvo Teravainen starting the play by stealing the puck along the boards and pushing a pass to the goal-scorer. Kane added an empty-netter with 2:07 remaining in the third period to complete the scoring. Game Three is in Minnesota on Tuesday. (Editing by Jahmal Corner)