COLUMBUS—Even without captain Jonathan Toews, the Blackhawks have been getting off to fast starts recently – which is helping them finish strong.Patrick Sharp scored two goals, Duncan Keith had four assists and Corey Crawford made 24 saves as the Blackhawks built a big lead to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1 on Tuesday to sweep the season series.During a horrendous nine-game losing skid from Jan. 21 to Feb. 16, the Blackhawks had difficulty scoring much at all, let alone scoring early. Now they’re jumping on teams and coasting in a four-game winning streak heading into a big home showdown against rival Vancouver on Wednesday night.

“The losing streak that we were on after the All-Star break helped us out more than it hurt us,” Sharp said after collecting goals No. 29 and 30. “You never want to lose that many in a row, but it taught us a few lessons about playing the right way. The coaches have been preaching a certain style of play and now we’ve bought in.”

The Blackhawks, who started the night in sixth place in the West playoff race, outscored the Blue Jackets 31-10 in the six games. They won every game by at least three goals over Columbus, which has far and away the worst record in the NHL.Andrew Shaw and Marian Hossa each had a goal and an assist and Brent Seabrook also scored.Crawford maintained a shutout until Rick Nash tipped in a shot by Jack Johnson to get the Blue Jackets on the board with 7:29 left.The Blackhawks still do not have a shutout this season.The Hawks scored on both of theirs power-play opportunities and also hit five posts.The Blackhawks, with Toews missing his 14th game in a row with concussion symptoms, dominated from the outset, scoring three times on their first six shots.The Blackhawks opened the scoring 4:12 in when Bryan Bickell dug the puck out of the corner then skated past the Blue Jackets’ R.J. Umberger to toss a pass in front of the cage that hit off defenseman John Moore and went past a surprised Mason. Shaw, closest to the puck, was awarded the goal.Just over 2 minutes later, Sharp was at the bottom of the left circle when he threw the puck on net. It somehow slipped between Mason and the near post.The Blackhawks then made it 3-0 in a 4:10 span on the softest of goals. Seabrook was at the very corner of the blue line and the short boards, in front of the Blue Jackets bench, when he innocently flipped the puck 50 feet toward Mason. There were no Hawk players near the net, but the puck hit off of Columbus defenseman Aaron Johnson and by Mason.It could have been worse. A quick whistle prevented another potential goal late in the period.After a scoreless second period, Sharp picked up his second on a one-timer from the right circle off a drop pass from Hossa on the power play. Hossa then made it 5-0 by crashing the net to score thanks to a centering pass from Shaw.Sharp was denied a third goal on a breakaway in the final seconds.

NOTES—Quenneville said Toews skated back in Chicago earlier on Tuesday….Columbus was without front-line G Curtis Sanford (leg muscle tear) and former Hawk James Wisniewski (hit in the face by a puck). Sanford will likely miss the rest of the season….Sharp and Hossa extended their points streaks to six games, Stalberg and Seabrook to five games….Nash has eight consecutive seasons with at least 25 goal.