Stars Fall to Blackhawks

Martin Havlat had two goals and an assist, Jonathan Toews added a goal and two assists, and the Chicago Blackhawks celebrated their return to the soldout United Center with a 6-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday night.

Troy Brouwer, Colin Fraser and Kris Versteeg also scored for the Blackhawks, playing their first home game since Jan. 21 following an eight-game trip. Chicago was 5-3-0 on the trip, the second-longest in franchise history and the longest in the NHL this season.

Patrick Sharp, the Blackhawks' leading goal scorer with 23, left the game limping just 39 seconds in with an injury to his left knee or leg. Sharp was slammed by Dallas' Steve Ott along the boards and was helped off the ice by Chicago trainer Mike Gapski.

Chicago's Cristobal Huet made 16 saves as he started in goal for the second straight night. Nikolai Khabibulin, who usually alternates with Huet, sat out because of a lower-body injury.

Huet lost a shutout bid at 4:40 of the third period when Dallas' Fabian Brunnstrom scored. Brian Sutherby connected for the Stars late in the third.

Huet allowed one goal on 23 shots in Chicago's 1-0 loss at St. Louis on Friday.

Dallas' Marty Turco started his 26th straight start game to extend his franchise record. He made 24 saves on 27 shots through two periods, including several difficult stops, as Chicago dominated.

Brent Krahn replaced Turco to start the third period and make his NHL debut. He permitted three goals on nine shots.

Brouwer scored the only goal of the first period, with 6:38 left. Although covered, Brouwer took Toews' centering pass and muscled a one-time shot from the slot that beat Turco between the legs.

Otherwise, Turco was solid in the first as Chicago outshot Dallas 15-6. He made several flashy stops, including a cartwheeling stick save on Patrick Kane's shot from the left hashmarks midway through the period.

Havlat's first goal made it 2-0 at 4:06 of the second. Toews drove to the crease, then dished to Havlat who swept in a shot from the right side.

Havlat connected again, with 8:14 left in the second, to extend the lead to 3-0. His screened shot from the right circle landed in the upper left corner of the net.

Toews made it 4-0 42 seconds into the third when he picked off Mike Ribeiro's pass and scored from the edge of the crease. Fraser connected from the slot 1:37 later to give Chicago a 5-0 lead.

Brunnstrom beat Huet from the right circle at 4:40 to get Dallas on the board. Sutherby scored on a rebound with 5:52 left to make it 5-2.

Versteeg scored with 4.2 seconds left to complete the scoring.

The crowd of 22,704 was the Blackhawks second largest at the United Center this season and their 24th sellout in 24 games.