Game Recap

CHICAGO 4, DALLAS 1 DALLAS (AP) - Time may be running out on the season, but the Chicago Blackhawks still consider themselves playoff contenders. Jocelyn Thibault stopped 18 shots, and Bob Probert had a goal and an assist as the Blackhawks knocked off the Dallas Stars 4-1 Wednesday night. Chicago moved into 10th place in the Western Conference, 10 points behind Edmonton for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Blackhawks have recovered from a poor start and are 4-1-1 in their last six games. "All you can do is look ahead at what's left, not look back at what we've done," said Chicago defenseman Steve Poapst, who had his first two goals in almost five years. "We can't tell ourselves we're out of it yet." Thibault was within 3:24 of his seventh shutout of the season, and 22nd career, when Sami Helenius scored his first goal of the season for Dallas. Thibault was screened on the play. Thibault credited his team's overall defensive play for the victory over the Stars, who were 10-3-3 in their previous 16 games against the Blackhawks. "That was by far our best defensive game of the season," Thibault said. "We beat them at their bread and butter, which is keeping the scoring chances down." Dallas wasted an opportunity to add to its first-place lead in the Pacific Division over the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks tied Florida 3-3 Wednesday night. The Stars have two weekend games against the Colorado Avalanche, and Dallas might have been caught looking ahead. "You'd think we'd be up for this game," Stars defenseman Brad Lukowich said. "Hopefully, that's not the answer, that we were looking ahead to Colorado. That would be a sign of weakness on our part." Eric Daze added his 29th goal for Chicago, and Poapst scored into an empty net with 1:45 left. Chicago held an 11-6 shots advantage in the first period and got the only goal of the opening 20 minutes on Poapst's shot from the slot at 8:18. Daze gave the Blackhawks a 2-0 lead 24 seconds into the second period on a rebound. Probert made it 3-0 at 15:01 of the second when he knocked a loose puck into the net after Stars goalie Ed Belfour lost control of the rebound. Rookie backup Marty Turco replaced Belfour to start the third period after Belfour stopped 18-of-21 shots. Turco turned away all 10 he faced. Chicago Blackhawks 4, DALLAS STARS 1 1ST 2ND 3RD FINAL --- --- --- ----- Chicago 1 2 1 4 Dallas 0 0 1 1 FIRST PERIOD - SCORING: 1 Chicago, Poapst 1 (Probert, Herperger), 8:18. PENALTIES: Helenius, Dal (slashing), 14:29; Chicago bench, served by McAmmond (too many men), 17:53. SECOND PERIOD - SCORING: 2, Chicago, Daze 29 (Spacek, Zhamnov), :24. 3, Chicago, Probert 6 (Herperger, Calder), 15:01. PENALTIES: MacLean, Dal (tripping), 4:24; Chicago bench, served by Leroux (too many men), 5:32; Sullivan, Chi (hooking), 10:10; Keane, Dal (hooking), 12:31; Marshall, Dal (roughing), 18:08; Lukowich, Dal (charging), 20:00. THIRD PERIOD - SCORING: 4, Dallas, Helenius 1, 10:36. 5, Chicago, Poapst 2, 18:15 (en). PENALTIES: Hull, Dal (boarding), 9:46. SHOTS ON GOAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- Chicago 11 10 11 32 Dallas 6 6 7 19 POWER PLAY: Chicago 0 of 5; Dallas 0 of 3. GOALIES: Chicago, Thibault 26-24-6 (19 shots-18 saves). Dallas, Belfour 28-19-5 (21-18), Turco (20:00 third, 10-10). Referees: Rob Martell, Don Van Massenhoven. Linesmen: Scott Driscoll, Troy Sartison. A: 17,001 (17,001).