Forum » run and four hits while striking out five over

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks knew their Friday night game with the Anaheim Ducks was a marquee matchup, and they came out ready. Marian Hossa scored two goals, and Kris Versteeg and Bryan Bickell also tallied to lead Chicago past Anaheim 4-2 to end the Ducks eight-game winning streak and hand them only their second loss in the past 20 games. Despite scuffling along at 1-1-3 in its past five games, defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago entered the game with the NHLs second-best point total. And through most of the showdown against league-leading Anaheim, the Blackhawks were a step quicker and more determined physically. "We knew wed be facing the hottest team in the league," Hossa said. "We knew we had to stop them somehow. "We got scored on the last few minutes, but we still got the two points, which is important." With Chicago cruising 3-0, Anaheims Ryan Getzlaf scored on a wrist shot to cap an odd-man break with 6:13 left in the third to end Corey Crawfords shutout bid. Then Kyle Palmieri connected on a 40-foot shot 53 seconds later to make it close before Hossa scored into an empty net with 7.6 seconds left. Crawford made 19 saves to help the Blackhawks end a five-game losing streak against Anaheim -- including three straight in Chicago -- and beat the Ducks for the first time since December 2011. And Chicago made its statement. "Everybody comes into this building and playing us as the defending Stanley Cup champion, everybodys got their game high," Hossa said. "Now were playing the team in first, and everybody in the dressing room can feel the intensity. "Everybody prepared really well. We always have trouble playing this team. Thats why the win is big." Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville liked what he saw for most of the game. "We had a good purpose, it seemed, every shift," Quenneville said. "All of a sudden its 3-2 and anything can happen at the end. "But we got out of this one, but for the most part, the other 54 minutes, we played the right way." Anaheims run of 18 wins in 19 games began with a 3-2 shootout victory at Chicago on Dec. 6. It was the longest span of one-loss play since the 1967-68 Montreal Canadiens won a record 20 of 21. "I think we were ready, but we were really tentative," Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We were sitting around and watching them as though we were watching the Stanley Cup champions rather than playing. "Maybe with all the pressure weve gotten in the last two days, some guys maybe werent ready for this," he added. "Its a learning experience. To be on top theres a commitment you have to make or you dont stay they very long." Anaheim goalie Jonas Hiller was sharp and made 31 saves, but his 14-game winning streak ended. That run tied him for second-longest in NHL history with four other goalies. Hiller hadnt lost since a shootout defeat to Los Angeles on Dec. 3. "I think it was definitely not our best game," Hiller said. "If you play a team like the Blackhawks, you cant just try to work for half a period or one period and hope you win." Chicago outshot the Ducks 35-21. Versteeg collided with Bickell behind the Anaheim net at the end of the second period and didnt skate in the third. Hes out day to day with an upper-body injury. Chicago outshot Anaheim 15-8 in the first period and led 2-0 after 20 minutes. The Blackhawks dominated early, and Hossa opened the scoring with a short-handed goal at 10:34. Toews skated quickly out of the Chicago zone and sent the puck to Hossa on right wing. As Toews streaked down the slot, Hossa faked, used Anaheim defenceman Cam Fowler as a screen and fired a low shot under Hillers pads. It was the first time the Blackhawks had opened the scoring since Jan. 3, a span of six games. Versteeg made it 2-0 with 2:54 left in the period when he batted in a loose puck that two Ducks players couldnt handle. Anaheims Matt Beleskey knocked the puck away from Versteeg as he tried to cut in from the right corner, but it deflected off defenceman Sami Vatanen and toward the net. Versteeg got a piece of the flipping puck and directed it past Hiller. Crawford made a point-blank pad save on Corey Perry with 1:13 left to maintain Chicagos two-goal lead. He stopped Saku Koivu on a short-handed 2-on-1 break early in the scoreless second. Aided by three power plays, Blackhawks outshot the Ducks 11-3 in the middle period. Bickell made it 3-0 at 10:13 of the third. He gained a step on Anaheim defenceman Ben Lovejoy, plowed down the slot and fired. Hiller got a piece of the shot, but it rolled over him and into the net. After Getzlaf cut it to 3-1 with 6:13 left, Palmieri fooled Crawford on a low 40-foot shot from the slot 53 seconds later to set up a wild finish. The Ducks pressured and pulled Hiller for an extra attacker with 1:10 left, but couldnt tie it. NOTES: The Ducks announced D Sheldon Souray will miss the season after another operation on his right wrist. Souray, 37, was injured during summer training and he never got on the ice in his second year in Anaheim. ... Ducks D Bryan Allen returned after missing five games with a lower-body injury. ... Chicago leading scorer Patrick Kane has no goals and just three assists in nine games following a career-high 14-game point streak during which he had eight goals and 17 assists. ... Anaheim sent top goalie prospect John Gibson back to the minors without making his NHL debut and assigned long-injured D Luca Sbisa to the AHL on a conditioning loan before Fridays game. Cheap MLB Jerseys From China . - Jordan Addesis shootout goal helped the Plymouth Whalers to a 3-2 win over the Sault Ste. Fake Nike MLB Jerseys . The 42-ranked Czech saved seven break points while converting his one chance, and defeated the No. 3 seed in 1 hour 46 minutes. Rosol, who lost in the final in Stuttgart against Roberto Bautista Agut on Sunday, awaits the winner between Philipp Kohlschreiber or 2011 champion Gilles Simon. https://www.mlbjerseyschina.us/. The motion to expand the stadiums capacity passed through by a count of 39-3, with Toronto mayor Rob Ford being among those in opposition. Clearance MLB Jerseys . -- Get a flow chart ready to follow the Packers quarterback situation. Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys . Rasmussen didnt have a decision during his four appearances in May, when he gave up two hits and no runs in two innings. Toronto used five relievers while pulling off the second-biggest comeback in franchise history on Friday night, rallying from an 8-0 deficit to a 14-9 win. ARLINGTON, Texas -- Nelson Cruz took a slow trot around the bases after hitting a towering three-run homer in his return to Texas. The Baltimore Orioles slugger wasnt really savoring the moment. He was cramping so bad that he almost didnt even take that final at-bat in the eighth inning. Cruz hit the first pitch thrown by Shawn Tolleson, the fourth Rangers reliever, an estimated 404 feet deep into the left field seats to cap a tiebreaking six-run outburst as the Orioles won 8-3 on Tuesday night. "We were debating, he and I were," manager Buck Showalter said. "He go about halfway down the first, and that was a cramp trot." Likening his first game against the Rangers to one of his first days in the big leagues, when everything went so fast, Cruz said he just tried to stay in the moment and stay focused. "Kind of weird. Going from the other side of the plate is totally different than coming around like I used to," Cruz said. "It was overall a good day." Cruz was the 2011 AL championship series MVP on the way to the Rangers second consecutive World Series. When introduced before drawing a walk in the first, Texas fans responded with an extended ovation. While there were some boos, those seemed to be outnumbered by fans who called "Cruuuuuzz!" like they used to do when the left fielder was on their side the previous eight seasons. Heading into free agency last year, Cruz missed the final 50 regular-season games for the Rangers for violating baseballs drug agreement. Cruz turned down a $14.1 million qualifying offer in November from the Rangers, who likely would have used him primarily as a designated hitter if he had accepted. He went through the entire off-season before signing an $8 million, one-year deal with the Orioles early in spring training. "I havent seen him in a while and I got to see him and talk to him, playing around a little bit. It was a great feeling. I didnt like anytime he poopped one," Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus said.dddddddddddd "Ive seen too many when he was on this side, but hes a talented guy. Whenever hes on, he can carry a team." Through 55 games with the Orioles, Cruz is hitting .313 and leads the majors with 21 homers and 55 RBIs. Adam Jones matched a career high with four hits, including a homer off the right-field pole leading off the Baltimore fourth. Rookie catcher Caleb Johnson had a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth. Brian Matusz (2-1) went 1 2-3 innings in relief of Ubaldo Jimenez, who held Texas to one run and four hits while striking out five over 5 2-3 innings. Alexi Ogando (2-3), the second Texas reliever, got a popup to start the eighth before allowing three straight Orioles to reach. He was gone after the double by Joseph, whose two hits matched his total in his first 11 games. The Rangers, coming off a 7-4 record in their longest road trip this season, got two inning-starting homers: Adrian Beltre in the fourth, and Robinson Chrinos in the seventh. Joe Saunders, the winning pitcher for Baltimore in the 2012 AL wild card game at Texas, allowed two runs and 10 hits over six-plus innings in his first home start for the Rangers. The left-hander was signed during spring training and he made the season-opening rotation before missing more than seven weeks with a stress fracture in his left ankle after being struck by a liner in his first start. Notes: Three-time AL All-Star first baseman Jim Gentile, who played in the majors from 1957-66, attended the game on his 80th birthday. With Baltimore in 1961, he finished third in the AL MVP voting behind Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. ... Orioles closer Tommy Hunter, on the DL since May 22 with a left groin strain, was encouraged with how he felt after a bullpen session before the game. He will do some fielding drills Wednesday, and could go out on a rehab assignment as early as Thursday. ' ' '