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'Buff' enough: 'Hawks sweep Sharks Print
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Written by Anthony Fenech   
Sunday, May 23, 2010 19:23
Dustin Byfuglien did it again.

Just as it appeared the San Jose Sharks would wiggle out of a second consecutive penalty kill late in the third period of Sunday afternoon's Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, the puck once again found its way onto the stick of the Chicago Blackhawks' right wing.

Just as he did in Game 3 with an overtime winner, Byfuglien delivered. The puck – and the series – defected off of his stick and through the five-hole of Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov for the game-winning goal in a 4-2 Blackhawks victory.

“It seems like he likes the spotlight, likes being the hero,” teammate Patrick Kane said of Byfuglien. “He steps up in big times. He told me before the third period he was going to be the guy to get it and true to his word, he got it.”

The win swept the San Jose out of the playoffs and sent Chicago to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 18 years.

"It's one of those games you have to be happy and proud of the way the guys came back and got ourselves in the game, win the series," Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville said. "I think the series was a lot closer than the way the score looks. But at the same time, I like the perseverance and where we're at today."

Byfuglien's third go-ahead goal of the series came with seven seconds remaining on a questionable penalty to Dany Heatley. The Sharks' left wing was whistled for slashing Patrick Kane, who assisted on the game-winner by feeding Byfuglien a pass in front of Nabokov.

The power play, Chicago's second in a three-minute span, resulted in their third unanswered goal of the game. San Jose jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Blackhawks began their comeback by scoring two goals late in the second period.

Logan Couture scored midway through the first period, and center Patrick Marleau scored short-handed at the 7:35 mark of the second period.

Chicago's first goal was initially waved off but credited after video review to Brent Seabrook, his third of the playoffs. That sparked the United Center crowd and rallied the Blackhawks, who tied the game at 2 on Dave Bolland's backhand shot off a Sharks defender and past Nabokov early in the second period.

Kris Versteeg scored an empty-net goal with 42 seconds left in regulation to ice the game.

Chicago's defense limited San Jose to 18 shots, giving a relatively easy 16-save victory to Antti Niemi. Nabokov stopped 23 of 26 shots for the Sharks.

"They seemed very destined right now," Sharks head coach Todd McLellan said. "They have a goaltender that's on fire. They're getting scoring not necessarily from their superstars, I mean that with all due respect to the Byfugliens, the Bollands, those type of players. They're doing the things they need to do to win."

The Blackhawks now await the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals, either Philadelphia or Montreal, and will have home-ice advantage in the Stanley Cup Finals.

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Last Updated on Monday, May 24, 2010 01:13