PITTSBURGH _ Standing in the corner during the Blackhawks' morning skate, Patrick Kane casually flipped a saucer pass that sailed over the net and landed on the stick of Artemi Panarin, who was hanging out in the corner across the ice.
That turned out to be a harbinger of things to come. A few hours later the Hawks put on a passing clinic en route to thrashing the Penguins, 5-1, on Wednesday night PPG Paints Arena.
On the strength of four highlight-reel passes _ two by Kane, first to Panarin and later to Marcus Kruger _ the Hawks raced to a 4-0 lead after one period and never looked back in snapping a two-game losing streak. The win righted a listing Hawks ship and gave them a commanding nine-point lead over the Wild in the Western Conference.
Panarin and Tanner Kero each finished with a goal and an assist. Kruger, Richard Panik and Marian Hossa also scored to provide plenty of offense for goaltender Corey Crawford. The Pens were without several regulars because of injuries, including Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.
Kane started things off with a ridiculous backhand pass from behind the net to Panarin, who flicked the puck past Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.
Nick Schmaltz was the next Hawks player in a giving mood as the rookie found Panik alone in the slot and hit him with a pass that the veteran fired into the net with a one-timer.
Kane worked his magic once again to reach the 50-assist mark on the season. The winger delivered a touch pass to spring Kruger and the center blew a shot past Fleury to make it 3-0.
The fourth Hawks goal of the first period was the result of yet another terrific pass, this time from Ryan Hartman to Hossa as the teammates broke in on Fleury as a part of a three-on-one with Kruger. Hossa took the feed and swept the puck into the net to give the Hawks a comfortable lead that was never threatened.
Kero made it a five-goal bulge when the rookie scored on a breakaway early in the third period. A short time later, Bryan Rust spoiled Crawford's shutout bid with a goal.
The game pitted teams that have won five of the last eight Stanley Cups _ including the Penguins last season _ and are legitimate threats to reach the finals again. With the division and conference all but decided for the Hawks, it gives an opportunity to ponder the possibility that the next time they face the Pens it could be for the championship.
"It's fun thinking like that, but I can't go there," said Hawks coach Joel Quenneville, who recorded his 850th career win. "We've a got a lot of respect for what they did last year and where they're at this year. The East has some strong teams, (the Penguins') division is extremely competitive. There are going to be some interesting first-round matchups. But even in the West everybody has a realistic chance of winning. That's why it's wide open."
