Lalime, Hawks win second straight

Rookie Patrick Kane and Jim Vandermeer scored power-play goals and the Blackhawks beat the St. Louis Blues 4-2 on Friday night at the United Center.

Rene Bourque scored short-handed and Yanic Perreault added an empty-net goal for the Hawks. Goalie Patrick Lalime, making consecutive starts for the first time this season, blocked 23 shots to help the Blackhawks win their second straight.

Steve Wagner had a power-play goal and an assist for the Blues, who lost their third straight. St. Louis' David Perron also scored a power-play goal.

Blues goalie Manny Legace made 27 saves, including numerous tough chances, to keep the game close.

The Hawks dominated the first period and took a 2-1 lead while outshooting St. Louis 15-7.

After Legace made several point-blank saves to keep it scoreless, Wagner gave the Blues a 1-0 lead with 8:33 left on a screened power-play goal from the left point.

Kane and Vandermeer scored power-play goals late in the period.

Kane skated down the slot after beating St. Louis defenseman Bryce Salvador and tied it 1-all with 4:06 left in the first.

Vandermeer's screened shot from the top of the slot got past Legace with 1:11 remaining in the period.

Bourque got credit for a short-handed goal 16 seconds into the second to give the Hawks a 3-1 advantage. Duncan Keith's shot from the left circle deflected in off Bourque's abdomen.

Perron's power-play goal from the right circle with 8:43 left in the second cut it to 3-2.

Perreault scored into an empty net with 1:03 left in the third.

Notes: Chicago LW Martin Havlat missed his 15th game because of a shoulder injury, but has resumed practicing with contact. Blackhawks D Andrei Zyuzin missed his sixth game due to an injured hip muscle and LW David Koci missed his sixth with a broken nose. ... Chicago LW Sergei Samsonov returned to the lineup after sitting five games as a healthy scratch. ... St. Louis C David Backes missed his second game with a knee injury and is expected to be out four weeks.