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The Chicago Blackhawks locked down the Wild, to go up 2-0 in their series, and the Pittsburgh Penguins controlled play against the New York Rangers, evening their series at one game apiece. Notes on Bryan Bickell, Brandon Saad, Matt Moulson, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury and more. BLACKHAWKS LOCK DOWN WILD The Chicago Blackhawks stifled the Minnesota Wild on the way to a 4-1 win in Game Two, taking a 2-0 series lead. LW Bryan Bickell picked up a goal and two assists to lead the Blackhawks attack and RW Marian Hossa had three assists. LW Brandon Saad also had a pair of goals for the Blackhawks and the performance of supporting cast wingers like Bickell and Saad reminded me of the recent article in the Chicago Sun-Times by Mark Lazerus, about Chicagos use of analytics. The article, without getting into specifics, discusses how the Blackhawks use all kinds of data in their player evaluation and one of the easiest ways to dismiss Chicagos use of analytics is that, hey, they have Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews -- its not analytics that make them a good team. Of course elite players matter more than a teams analytical approach, and Toews and Kane are great, but they are just two players. The rest of the roster still needs to be filled out and, for Chicago, that includes big-bodied wingers like Saad and Bickell. Bickell, who was a playoff hero last season, scoring nine goals and 17 points in 23 games as the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, finished the 2013-2014 regular season with 11 goals and 15 points in 59 games, so expectations were relatively low coming into this postseason. However, digging a little deeper into the numbers, we see that Bickell had a 58.0% Corsi during the regular season (second among Blackhawks forwards, behind Jonathan Toews) and was among the unluckiest forwards in the league with a 95.6% PDO (on-ice shooting plus save percentage); these underlying statistics suggested that Bickell might be due for better results and, with five goals and eight points in this years playoffs, hes getting better results. Before scoring two goals, including an empty-netter, Sunday, Saad had one goal in 32 career playoff games. The 21-year-old is also a strong possession player, and has seven points (2 G, 5 A) in eight playoff games this year. For a team that has Toews, Kane, Hossa and Patrick Sharp, getting big production out of Bickell and Saad is just about unfair. A little more on the Blackhawks forward lines: with Andrew Shaw hurt and Brandon Bollig scratched, the Blackhawks returned Kris Versteeg and Jeremy Morin to the lineup. Ben Smith had a rough game, in terms of puck possession, on for 29.4% (10 for, 24 against) of the 5-on-5 shot attempts when he was on the ice. The Blackhawks, without Smith on the ice, were getting 62.0% (31 for, 19 against) of the 5-on-5 shot attempts. With Jonathan Toews on the ice, the Blackhawks had 73.7% (14 for, five against) of the 5-on-5 shot attempts. With Toews off the ice, the Blackhawks had only 41.5% of the shot attempts, though there were obviously some score effects at play, since Chicago dominated possession in score close situations. The Wild have been having trouble generating offence against Chicago. Blackhawks G Corey Crawford stopped 18 of Minnesotas 19 shots Sunday, and hes stopped 48 of 51 (.941 SV%) in the first two games of this series. One of the more notable problem areas in the lineup for the Wild is LW Matt Moulson, who has one goal (on 20 shots) and one assist in nine playoff games and has, effectively, been taken out of an offensive role. No Wild player had a lower percentage of offensive zone starts in Game Two, but this one example stands in contrast to the Blackhawks forward depth. This wasnt expected to be a particularly close series and, through two games, the Blackhawks are living up to their favoured status. The Wild will have to find a way, perhaps with better matchups at home, to get more chances or else this could be short work for Chicago. PENGUINS BLANK RANGERS The Pittsburgh Penguins dominated play against the New York Rangers in Game Two, winning 3-0 and evening the series at one game apiece. Penguins G Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 22 shots he faced, and that gives him a .914 save percentage (224 saves on 245 shots) in the playoffs -- his highest playoff save percentage since 2007-2008. D Kris Letang had an outstanding game for the Penguins, with a goal and two assists, while playing 25:35; a bit of a break through for an offensive defenceman who had one point in the previous seven playoff games. Penguins C Sidney Crosby didnt record a point, but was on top of his game, generating a game-high 10 shot attempts and on the ice for 74.1% (20 for, seven against) of 5-on-5 shot attempts. Marcel Goc was the possession ace for Pittsburgh in Game Two, on for 12 shot attempts for and just two against (85.7%). The only Rangers line to finish on the right side of the possession ledger -- and just barely (10 for, nine against) -- was the trio of Brad Richards, Carl Hagelin and Daniel Carcillo. On the other hand, the line of Mats Zuccarello, Derick Brassard and Benoit Pouliot was on for less than 15% of 5-on-5 shot attempts, while D Ryan McDonagh was on the ice for four attempts for and 19 against (17.4%). The Rangers have played four games in the past six days and looked fatigued in Game Two. With Game Three going Monday night, there isnt much time for rest, but they will need to use whatever they can on home ice to tilt the ice back in their favour. The way Game Two played out, the Penguins controlled play even more decisively than the final score indicated and the Rangers could fall behind in this series while they struggle with a more condensed schedule than their opponents. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Jon Merrill Jersey . Cleveland released the troubled wide receiver on Wednesday, an expected ending after Bess was arrested in January for assaulting a law enforcement officer at an airport and other bizarre behaviour. Tomas Hyka Jersey . With the final four being arguably the four best – and most complete – teams from the regular season, picking a winner is not as easy as it sounds. http://www.goldenknightssale.com/authentic-cody-eakin-golden-knights-jersey/ .C. - Canadian ice dancing, it seems, is in good hands. Stefan Matteau Jersey . A top pitching prospect, one who the ball club is pinning some of its future hopes, takes the spot of a veteran who once was viewed as a future ace but who, to this point, hasnt realized his potential and may never. Malcolm Subban Jersey . -- Peyton Manning is the only player in this Super Bowl who has won the big game.PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. - Patrik Bartosak made 38 saves while earning his fourth shutout of the season, to lead the Red Deer Rebels to a 5-0 win over the Prince Albert Raiders on Wednesday in Western Hockey League action. Rhyse Dieno, Cole Chorney, Aspen Sterzer scored second period goals for the Rebels (24-21-2), who won their second in a row. Presten Kopeck and Lukas Sutter added goals 30 seconds apart midway through the third period. Its the Raiders (22-23-2) fifth loss in a row, and second by a shutout. Rylan Parenteau finished with 25 saves in his first game of the season for the Raiders. Red Deer was 1 for 3 on the power play, while Prince Albert was 0 for 8. --- BRONCOS 4 WHEAT KINGS 3 (OT) SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — The Broncos rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the period to beat Brandon, with Graham Black scoring the winning goal on a penalty shot in overtime. The Wheat Kings had a 2-0 lead with a second period goal from Chad Robinson, and one early in the third from Tim McGauley. Jake DeBrusk scored for Swift Current, to cut the margin to one. Rihards Bukarts later restored Brandons two-goal lead, and the Broncos tied the game with goals in the final three minutes from Nathan Burns and Coda Gordon. Eetu Laurikainen made 32 saves for the Broncos, and Curtis Honey finished with 39 stops for the Wheat Kings. --- OIL KINGS 5 PATS 2 EDMONTON — Curtis Lazar had a hat trick, and the Oil Kings won for the ninth time in ten games, scoring the final five goals to beat Regina. Carter Hansen and Morgan Klimchuk scored first period goals for the Pats (24-20-5). Lazar got his first of the game at 19:17 of the first period, then tied it at 1:48 of the second period, and got the winner for Edmonton (32-13-1) at 5:14 of the third. Lazar made it a four-point night when he assisted on Edgars Kuldas goal. Cody Corbett closed the scoring with a short-handed empty netter. Tristan Jarry stopped 20 shots for the Oil Kings. Daniel Wapple made 299 saves for Regina.dddddddddddd. --- BLAZERS 7 HURRICANES 1 KAMLOOPS, B.C. — Chase Souto and Tyson Ness each scored twice as the Blazers won a battle of cellar dwellers in their lopsided victory over Lethbridge. Cole Ully, Matt Revel and Collin Shirley scored the other goals for Kamloops (11-31-5), which ended a seven-game losing streak. Giorgio Estephan had a power-play goal in the third period for the Lethbridge (9-36-5), which lost its sixth straight. Bolton Pouliot made 30 saves for the Blazers. Lethbridge goalie Jarrod Schamerhorn got the hook at 9:40 of the first period after allowing three goals on six shots. His replacement, Jonny Hogue, allowed another one in just over two minutes of play, and allowed four goals on 32 shots. --- TIGERS 6 GIANTS 1 VANCOUVER — Jacob Doty scored twice as Medicine Hat trounced the Giants 6-1. Captain Curtis Valk, Trevor Cox, Blake Penner and Miles Koules rounded out the offence for the Tigers (27-16-3). Marek Langhamer stopped 22 shots. Jackson Houck was the lone scorer for Vancouver (23-18-8) and goaltender Payton Lee made 28 saves. --- AMERICANS 4 WARRIORS 1 KENNEWICK, Wash. — Beau McCue struck twice to power Tri-City past Moose Jaw 4-1. Philip Tot and Braden Purtill both scored and added an assist for the Americans (23-21-4), while Eric Comrie made 29 saves. Tanner Eberle was the lone scorer for the Warriors (13-27-8) and Justin Paulic turned aside 21 shots. --- ROCKETS 6 SILVERTIPS 3 KELOWNA, B.C. — Tyson Baillie had the eventual winner as the Rockets blasted Everett 6-3. Jesse Lees, Marek Tvrdon and Cole Linaker also scored to give Kelowna (38-6-2) a 3-0 lead. Ryan Olsen and Tyrell Goulbourne both scored into an empty net for the Rockets. Jordon Cooke made 27 saves for the win. Joshua Winquist scored twice and added an assist for the Silvertips (25-15-7), while Manraj Hayer had a goal and an assist. Austin Lotz stopped 24 of 28 shots he faced. [