By Jay Cohen, AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO — Corey Crawford made 38 saves in his second shutout in three games, helping the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-0 on Thursday night for their fourth straight victory.
Marian Hossa had two goals, Jonathan Toews also scored and the Blackhawks killed off three more penalties to run their streak to 12 after an awful start to the season for their penalty-killers.
Artemi Panarin added his fifth of the season off a slick pass from Patrick Kane in the third, closing out Chicago's seventh win in nine games overall.
Colorado dominated parts of the first and second periods, but Crawford was on top of his game again. He stopped Tyson Barrie about 5 minutes into the first, and denied Matt Duchene on a breakaway in the second. He also had a sharp glove save on Barrie at 9:34 of the third.
Crawford caught a break when Nathan MacKinnon banged a shot off the left post about 4 minutes into the first, and Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook helped out by breaking up a 2-on-1 in the second.
Semyon Varlamov made 17 saves for Colorado, which has dropped four of five.
The Avalanche had a prime chance to jump in front with two power plays in the first, but the Blackhawks turned away each opportunity. Then Toews and Hossa scored in a 38-second span.
First, Toews poked in a loose puck at 14:25. Then Hossa got free for a breakaway and managed to flick a wrist shot over Varlamov's glove before sliding into the corner. Hossa celebrated by getting up on his knees and flexing for the cheering crowd.
Hossa beat Varlamov on the glove side again early in the third, making the most of a great stretch pass by defenseman Duncan Keith, and Kane found a streaking Panarin in front at 12:40. It was Kane's team-high 10th assist.
