Niemi earns another shutout, blanks Lightning 4-0

CHICAGO (AP) — Blackhawks backup Antti Niemi made 18 saves for his third shutout in seven starts this season, and Marian Hossa had a goal and an assist to lead Chicago past the slumping Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0 on Sunday night.

Patrick Kane, Ben Eager and Jonathan Toews also scored for the Blackhawks, who have won three of four and improved to 6-1-1 against Eastern Conference teams.

Kane left the game with 6:59 left in the first period due to an upper body injury and didn't return. Kane landed hard after Tampa Bay's Matt Smaby tripped him along the boards and appeared to sustain a head injury either due to the impact or being hit with the puck.

Niemi, who made his eighth appearance, has started three times since Nov. 7. He allowed just one goal and posted two shutouts in those games.

Antero Niittymaki stopped 25 shots for the Lightning, 0-3-1 in their last four. Tampa Bay has scored just 13 goals in its 1-6-2 slide.

Both teams continued to struggle on the power play. Tampa Bay went 0 for 5 and has failed on 13 straight chances. Chicago went 0 for 7 and has scored on one of its last 19 advantages.

Kane scored the lone goal of the first period at 7:42 when his high wrist shot from the right point beat Niittymaki and clanked in off the left post.

Hossa had beaten Niittymaki with a close-in move about 3 minutes earlier, but Smaby swept the puck away as it reached goal line.

Niemi made two close-in saves on Tampa Bay's James Wright 4:15 into the second. About 8 minutes into the period, the Lightning's Steven Stamkos hit the post with a shot.

Eager made it 2-0 midway through the second when he was left open at the edge of the crease and converted Hossa's centering pass. The goal was set up when Tampa Bay defensemen Matt Walker and Victor Hedman both committed to Hossa, who dished the puck to Eager from the right corner.

Hossa extended Chicago's lead to 3-0 with 15.3 seconds left in the period. While skating through the left circle, Hossa pulled Patrick Sharp's deflected centering pass from the air, dropped it to the ice, and whacked the puck past Niittymaki.