Bickell helps Chicago take 2-0 lead in series

Chicago’s Bryan Bickell, center, celebrates with Marian Hossa after scoring a goal against Minnesota.

CHICAGO — Bryan Bickell had an open look on a break in the third period, and shot the puck off the crossbar. He then tried the other side of the ice, and that worked out quite well for him and the Chicago Blackhawks.

Bickell had a goal and two assists, and the Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1 Sunday to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

Brandon Saad scored his first two goals of the postseason, and Chicago earned its sixth consecutive win despite stretches of lackluster play in the second and third periods. Corey Crawford made 18 saves in another solid performance.

"There were bits of that third where it wasn't looking good, but we just stuck with it," Bickell said. "Leave it to our D and Crawford to keep the puck out of the net. We need to be smarter defensively in positioning, but we stuck with it and got over the hump."

Cody McCormick scored his second career playoff goal, but Minnesota missed another chance to steal home-ice advantage from the defending Stanley Cup champions.

"We weren't that far off," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. "Even though, again, I know we can play better. We weren't that far off. That game was hanging for us."

Clayton Stoner and Erik Haula made passes to set up McCormick's first playoff goal in three years two minutes into the third, trimming Chicago's lead to 2-1. Crawford then batted a potential tying shot from Charlie Coyle over the crossbar.

PENGUINS 3, RANGERS 0

PITTSBURGH — Kris Letang broke a scoreless tie in the second period and Marc-Andre Fleury made 22 saves for his seventh playoff shutout to lift Pittsburgh and tie the second-round series 1-1.

Letang's 15th career postseason goal matched Larry Murphy's record for Penguins defensemen. Jussi Jokinen scored on a third-period power play, and Evgeni Malkin added an empty-net goal for the Penguins.

Henrik Lundqvist made 32 saves for New York, but the Rangers mustered little offense while playing their fourth game in six days. New York's power play went 0 for 4 and hasn't scored in 29 straight advantages.