LaMarcus Aldridge said he enjoys playing in Chicago. It sure showed Thursday night.Aldridge scored 28 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 99-89 victory over the Bulls.

“This is one of my top three cities to play in, all the tradition. They traded me on draft night, so this is always fun,” said Aldridge, whom the Bulls selected with the second overall pick in 2006 before trading him to the Blazers in a deal involving their pick, Tyrus Thomas.

Damian Lillard added 24 and the Portland improved to 10-25 on the road to sweep the season series with the Bulls for the first time since the 2008-09 season. The Blazers won 102-94 on Nov. 18 in their other meeting this season.Joakim Noah had 18 points and Carlos Boozer added 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Bulls, who shot 44 percent.

“That was probably, if not the best, one of our better defensive performances of the season,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said.

“Our pick-and-roll defense was very good. We helped. Our weak side was active. We covered the paint pretty well. The points came, but they didn’t come without the defense.”

J.J. Hickson grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds for Portland, which held a 45-41 rebounding advantage.

“The energy was there. Everyone was focused on the game plan,” Blazers forward Nicolas Batum said.

Chicago led 21-20 after the first quarter, but Portland scored the first 14 points of the second quarter and outscored the Bulls 32-16 in the period to take a 52-37 lead at halftime. Aldridge led Portland with 16 points at the break and Lillard had 13.

“First quarter was fine. Second quarter was bad,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We have to be up on them more than we were. You give them space, they are going to score. We need to play better.”

Portland extended its lead to 28 in the third quarter before the Bulls made a late charge, outscoring the Blazers 36-19 in the final quarter. Jimmy Butler scored 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter to help Chicago get within 10 points with under 36 seconds left.

The injury-plagued Bulls got Kirk Hinrich and Taj Gibson back. Hinrich started at point guard after missing seven games with a sore right foot. Gibson, a reserve, also returned after missing 10 games with a sprained MCL in his left knee.

Hinrich struggled, shooting 1 of 7 from the field for two points. He scored his first points on a layup with under five minutes left in the third quarter. Gibson was 7 of 14 for 14 points.

“Every game is a grind right now. We’re so short-handed,” Boozer said.

The Blazers shot 49 percent from the field and went 10 of 21 from 3-point range, led by Lillard’s four 3-pointers. Batum and Wesley Matthews each hit three 3-pointers.

“Our defense was terrible,” Gibson said. “We couldn’t stop them. They were hot. The ball pressure wasn’t good enough. They were knocking down jump shots from every single part of the court.”

Portland has beaten the Bulls in four straight meetings and won nine of its last 11 against in the series. The Blazers had lost 14 of their last 16 road games before Thursday.The Bulls fell to 3-6 in March, while Portland improved to 6-5 this month.Aldridge grabbed eight rebounds to fall short of his sixth consecutive double-double. The Western Conference Player of the Week had averaged 26.8 points and 12.2 rebounds in his last five games.While the Bulls got Hinrich and Gibson back from injuries, Derrick Rose remains out. Rose said during Thursday’s shootaround that he isn’t sure when he’ll return from his knee injury. The former MVP point guard sounded like he might miss the entire season and said he’s experiencing some soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. He had ACL surgery in May. Rose said he hasn’t experienced any setbacks in his recovery.

NOTES—Thibodeau said reserve guard Richard Hamilton’s sore back is not clearing up and the Bulls have to remain patient. Hamilton hasn’t played since Feb. 26…..The Bulls close out their homestand against Indiana on Saturday.

LEXINGTON—Vander Blue’s layup with one second left capped Marquette’s rally from a nine-point deficit and gave the third-seeded Golden Eagles a 59-58 victory over Davidson on Thursday in the NCAA tournament.Blue and Jamil Wilson made consecutive 3-pointers to bring Marquette within 58-57 with 11 seconds left. The Golden Eagles then caught a huge break when De’Mon Brooks’ long inbounds pass went out of bounds at midcourt with 5.5 seconds left, providing another opportunity.Blue took full advantage after getting Wilson’s inbounds pass, driving left and finding room for the winning basket. He then sealed Marquette’s improbable win by stealing Davidson’s last-ditch inbounds pass at midcourt to set off a noisy celebration among players and Golden Eagles fans at Rupp Arena.Blue scored seven of Marquette’s final 11 points to finish with 16. Wilson added 14 points as the Golden Eagles (24-8) won for the fifth time in six games and advanced to face Butler in Saturday’s third-round game.The Bulldogs beat Bucknell, 68-56.Jake Cohen’s 20 points led Davidson (26-8), who seemed in control leading 49-40 with 6 1/2 minutes left before Marquette rallied.Marquette, not known for its outside shooting, finished 4 of 15 from 3-point range but got clutch shots from Blue and Wilson when the game seemed to be in Davidson’s hands.A 9-1 run gave the Wildcats a 49-40 lead, and they seemed poised to seal the game thanks to Cohen, Brooks and Nik Cochran, who each scored 11. But Marquette kept plugging away and found itself within range in the final minutes.Then came perimeter jumpers from Blue and Wilson to make it a one-point deficit for the Golden Eagles. Brooks’ unusual turnover followed and Blue took over from there.The comeback spoiled Davidson’s upset bid and halted the nation’s longest winning streak at 17 games. The Wildcats entered the game shooting nearly 47 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the free throw line.They’ve been even better during the streak, shooting 49.3 percent from the field while holding opponents to 39 percent and winning by an average margin of 18.4 points.Marquette shared the regular reason Big East title with Louisville and Georgetown. But coach Buzz Williams has sought a more complete game from his team, stressing extra possessions through rebounding while minimizing turnovers. The Golden Eagles’ main goal going in was to was create opportunities inside.Early on, though, they couldn’t hit from anywhere.As Marquette was missing 10 of its first 11 attempts, Davidson came out hot, especially from the perimeter. Chris Czerapowicz, J.P. Kuhlman and Jake Cohen all made 3-pointers in the Wildcats’ 12-2 start.Davidson’s defense was also effective against Marquette’s second chances, forcing the Golden Eagles to shoot off balance instead of spotting up. The Golden Eagles regrouped slightly with five straight points, but Nik Cochran answered from beyond the arc to put the Wildcats ahead 15-7 with 12:19 left in the half.By the half, Marquette had closed to 25-23 and the next 10 minutes were tight, with six ties and seven lead changes before De’Mon Brooks’ two free throws put Davidson up 40-38. After Wilson’s free throw for Marquette, Tyler Kalinoski followed with a 3-pointer and Cochran added a bank to put the Wildcats up by six, leading to a Golden Eagles timeout with 9:24 left.

AUBURN HILLS—Derrick Nix had 23 points and a career-high 15 rebounds to help power third-seeded Michigan State past 14th-seeded Valparaiso 65-54 on Thursday.The Spartans went on a 26-5 run in the first half to take control.Michigan State (26-8) will play Saturday, when Spartans coach Tom Izzo will be shooting for a spot in the round of 16 for the fifth time in six years.The Crusaders (26-8) were no match for Michigan State in their first NCAA tournament in nine years, just as they weren’t as a first-round loser in 2000 to the eventual champion Spartans.Valpo had enough size to match up, but didn’t have enough strength.

The UIC men’s basketball team built a 22-point first-half lead, and held off a second half rally by visiting Chicago State to post an 80-69 win over the Cougars in the first-round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament Wednesday night at the Pavilion. The Flames advanced to the second round of the CIT, where they will take on Northern Iowa at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Saturday night.
UIC improved to 18-15 on the season, and collected its first-ever postseason win. Chicago State ended its season with an 11-22 record.
Senior guard Daniel Barnes collected his first-career double-double with a game-high 22 points to go along with a career-best 10 rebounds. Senior center Josh Crittle scored 17 points and pulled down nine boards; junior forward Hayden Humes scored 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting, and senior point guard Gary Talton chipped in 12 points to go along with eight assists. Chicago State was led by Matt Ross’ 19 points on six three-pointers.

“It was a hard fought game today with a lot at stake,” said head coach Howard Moore. “I’m proud of how my guys battled in the second half, because we knew there was going to be a surge. Their elevated defensive intensity got us rattled a little bit, but we got ourselves together when it mattered and made free throws down the stretch.It’s definitely nice to make history tonight and win our first-ever postseason game, but it’s also nice to enjoy a win after the gut-wrenching loss we had in our last game against Green Bay. Our guys are enjoying playing together, and are ready to extend this season as long as they can.”

UIC led 46-30 at halftime, building a game-high 22-point (44-22) lead with 2:49 remaining. Barnes (12), Crittle (11) and Humes (10) all scored in double figures in the opening 20:00.
Chicago State scored six-of the final eight points of the first half, and carried that momentum over to the outset of the second stanza. The Cougars opened the frame on an 11-3 run, pulling within 49-41 with 15:07 remaining. During the spurt, both teams were whistled for a pair of technical fouls after a short altercation. Crittle was relegated to the bench after picking up his third personal foul.
The Cougars responded with a commanding 18-10 spree, tying the score (59-59) with 7:30 left – Ross had three triples during the run. Leading scorer Quinton Pippen gave CSU a 61-59 lead at the 7:00 mark, but UIC scored the ensuing nine points, opening up a 68-61 advantage with 3:45 remaining. The Cougars pulled back within four (70-66) with 3:00 showing on the clock, but could draw no closer down the stretch. UIC went 10-for-10 from the charity stripe in the final 2:53.
Tip-off between UIC and Northern Iowa is slated for 7:00 p.m. CST on Saturday night. UIC holds a slight 11-10 all-time series advantage over UNI.

PEORIA—History proved be the theme as Bradley (17-16) rallied from an 11-point, second-half deficit to earn a 75-69 win against Green Bay (18-16) in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament Wednesday night at Renaissance Coliseum.
Playing the first postseason tournament game on campus since 1982, Bradley converted 21-of-24 free throw attempts in the second half, part of a 51-point outburst after the break, to rally from a 37-26 deficit with 19:00 left, as well as a 49-39 hole with 12:43 remaining.
Bradley point guard Walt Lemon, Jr. scored 21 points, matched a career-high with nine rebounds, dished out seven assists, blocked two shots and made off with two steals, a stat-stuffing performance worthy of joining Braves legend Hersey Hawkins (1987-88) as the only players in Missouri Valley Conference history to achieve 500 points (514), 100 rebounds (134), 100 assists (121) and 70 steals (72) in a single season.
In addition, Lemon (72) and Dyricus Simms-Edwards (85) combined for three steals to push their combined season total to 157 thefts, breaking the MVC single-season record for steals by teammates, previously set by Tulsa’s Paul Pressey (96) and Mike Anderson (59), who combined for 155 steals in 1980-81.  With nine steals overall, Bradley also set the single-season school record with 308 thefts on the season.
Those notes overshadowed the fact that sixth-year senior center Will Egolf scored a career-best 22 points, while senior swingman Jake Eastman ripped down a career-best 13 rebounds.
Green Bay forward Alec Brown scored a game-high 23 points and point guard Keifer Sykes chipped in with 18, while Jordan Fouse grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds.
Lemon (16) and Simms-Edwards (14) combined for 30 points in the second half, including all 16 points during a 16-4 outburst in a span of 4:02 that turned a 54-45 deficit into a 61-58 lead with 4:40 remaining. After a 3-point play from Brown, Tyshon Pickett gave the Braves the lead for good, 63-61, by sinking a pair of free throws with 3:37 left.
In another historical twist, Bradley will host Tulane in Saturday’s CIT second round.  The Green Wave was the opponent in the third round of the 1982 NIT, Bradley’s last opponent in Robertson Memorial Field House.

WEST LAFAYETTE—Western Illinois led nearly all of the first half, but Purdue proved to be too much, downing WIU 81-67 in the opening round of the College Basketball Invitational Wednesday evening inside Mackey Arena.The Leathernecks conclude their historic season with a 22-9 overall record, better than any other WIU team in the program’s NCAA Division I history. Western falls to 0-5 all-time versus Purdue and 0-2 in CBI play.Although Western was without its two All-Summit League First Team players, Ceola Clark III and Terell Parks, the Leathernecks battled, and led by as many as nine points midway through the first half. Purdue regained the lead near the end of the first, though, and held onto it for the remainder of the game.Four Western Illinois players finished in double figures led by Don McAvoy III who finished with 16 points. Remy Roberts-Burnett tallied 15, and had a team-best five assists.Adam Link also dished out a team-high five assists and recorded 12 points while pulling down a team-best five rebounds.Michael Ochereobia, like Link, also finished with 12 points in the loss. Both Link and Ochereobia finished 5-of-9 from the field.Senior Jack Houpt knocked down a pair of treys for six points, had two assists and a steal.A.J. Hammons led four Boilermakers in double figures with 15 points.Purdue shot 58.5% from the field, while the Leathernecks made 50 percent of their shots.Western led for nearly all of the first half, gaining its first lead of the game just over two minutes into the game and holding onto it until the five minute mark of the period.A Houpt triple gave WIU its early 5-4 advantage. Purdue quickly tied the game at 7-7 five minutes in, but the Leathernecks recaptured their lead courtesy of an 18-9 run where they held their biggest lead of the game, nine points (25-16), midway through the half.Purdue slowly chipped away at the lead, until the Boilermakers’ Ronnie Johnson finished a layup making it 33-32 in favor of Purdue with five minutes remaining.Purdue’s advantage was a big as five in the first half, 37-32, but Western would cut its deficit to three points at the break, 37-34. Western knocked down 13-of-23 (56.5) shots in the first, while Purdue connected on 15-of-28 (53.6) field goal attempts.The second half was all Purdue. The Boilermakers outscored Western 44-33 in the half, and held its largest lead of the game, 21 points (70-49), with just under seven minutes to play.Purdue advances to face Santa Clara next Monday, March 25, at home in the second round of the CBI.

LAKE FOREST—Last week, Bears general manager Phil Emery said the organization had approached linebacker Brian Urlacher “about coming back” but added that it was “an ongoing process.” The former first-round pick spent his entire 14-year career in Chicago but he’s now a 34-year-old free agent on the downside of a great career.

Not surprisingly, money — both from the perspective of the front office and the linebacker — would play a primary factor in Urlacher’s future in Chicago. And by Wednesday, the Bears were ready to move on.

“We were unable to reach an agreement with Brian and both sides have decided to move forward,” Emery said. “Brian has been an elite player in our league for over a decade. He showed great leadership and helped develop a winning culture over his time with the Bears. We appreciate all he has given our team, on and off the field. Brian will always be welcome as a member of the Bears.

“Over the last 13 years Brian Urlacher has been an outstanding player, teammate, leader and face of our franchise,” Bears Chairman George McCaskey added. “As Bears fans, we have been lucky to have such a humble superstar represent our city. He embodies the same characteristics displayed by the Bears all-time greats who played before him and he will eventually join many of them in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We thank Brian for all he has given our team and our city. He will always be a part of the Bears family. We wish him the very best.”

The Tribune’s Vaughn McClure spoke with Urlacher Wednesday evening and the linebacker said the Bears gave him a take-it-or-leave-it offer of one year, $2 million.

“It was a ultimatum, not a negotiation,” Urlacher told McClure. “I wanted to be in Chicago. I wanted to finish here. … “I wanted to be here. I wanted to be in Chicago. … Now, that’s not possible.”

Earlier this week, two NFL sources told the Sun-Times’ Sean Jensen that the linebacker would be lucky to get — you guessed it — a one-year, $2 million deal based on the current market. And while the Bears didn’t slam the door shut on Urlacher returning, wherever he ends up, he’ll have to take a substantial pay cut to continue his career.Urlacher told McClure that he has no plans to retire and will explore the possibility of joining one of the team’s that had previously expressed interest in his services.

ANAHEIM—Ryan Getzlaf set up Bobby Ryan’s tying goal and Teemu Selanne’s tiebreaker 1:04 apart late in the third period, and the Anaheim Ducks rallied for a 4-2 victory over the Blackhawks on Wednesday night in a meeting of the NHL’s top two teams.Jonas Hiller stopped 22 shots, and Peter Holland and Sheldon Souray scored as the Ducks extended their franchise-record home winning streak to 13 games in dramatic fashion.Anaheim (22-3-4) pulled within three points of Chicago atop the overall NHL standings by dealing the Blackhawks just their third regulation loss of the season.Nick Leddy scored a power-play goal and captain Jonathan Toews scored an early short-handed goal for the Blackhawks (24-3-3), who lost in regulation after entering the third period with a lead for the first time in 19 games this season.The largest crowd in Honda Center history was packed with boisterous fans of both teams for a prominent game in this lockout-shortened year. Two clubs with a points percentage above .800 had never met this late in an NHL season, and they lived up to their pedigrees in a fast-paced game showcasing their skill and tenacity.Corey Crawford made 22 saves for the Blackhawks, who appeared to be headed for a 2-1 road victory until Anaheim scored three times in stunning fashion. Getzlaf first fed Ryan on a rush for the tying goal with 5:27 to play, and the Anaheim captain then set up the 42-year-old Selanne for his 670th career goal with 4:23 left.Souray added an empty-net goal in the final minute for Anaheim, which has earned points in 12 straight games (9-0-3).The Hawks have earned 51 of a possible 60 points in its first 30 games this season, but Anaheim is responsible for a third of those missed points after this win and a 3-2 shootout victory at the United Center last month. The Ducks and Blackhawks finish their regular-season series March 29 in the United Center.With a brilliant start to the year after missing last season’s playoffs, Anaheim would be the talk of the NHL if not for the Blackhawks astonishing start of their own. Getzlaf, Selanne and the Ducks held the NHL record with a 16-game points streak to start the season in 2006-07 until the Hawks obliterated it this year.Both teams played this showdown without key offensive components. Right wing Corey Perry, who scored Anaheim’s shootout winner in Chicago last month, sat out the final game of his four-game suspension for an illegal hit, while Blackhawks right wing Marian Hossa is sidelined with an upper-body injury from Monday’s win at Colorado. Patrick Sharp also missed his sixth game with an apparent shoulder injury.Just 84 seconds into the first period, Holland alertly collected the rebound of Luca Sbisa’s shot off the back boards and beat Crawford for his second goal in two games. Anaheim went on the power play shortly afterward, but Toews blocked Souray’s big shot and outskated three Ducks for the rebound, beating Hiller with a sharp move for his 15th goal.Leddy put the Blackhawks ahead on his 22nd birthday during a power play midway through the second period, firing a long slap shot through Viktor Stalberg’s screen into a sliver of open net.The Blackhawks appeared to extend their lead when Brandon Bollig scored in front of Hiller with 14:03 to play, but video review confirmed Bollig kicked the puck into the net with his right skate.  Anaheim finally broke through when Getzlaf brought the puck down the wing and fed it in front to Ryan, who banged it through Kyle Palmieri’s screen for his ninth goal. Moments later, Selanne ended a nine-game goal drought with a slick shot in close.

NOTES—Anaheim’s Andrew Cogliano skated to the dressing room with a bloody mouth after the faceoff following Selanne’s goal when Bollig clipped him with a high stick. Bollig wasn’t called for a penalty on the play. … The goal was Leddy’s fourth of the season after getting just three in 82 games last year. … Longtime Blackhawks fan Vince Vaughn and Orange County native Matt Barkley attended the game, both wearing jerseys.

The Denver Nuggets’ 12th consecutive win didn’t come easily or without controversy.While Andre Iguodala’s 3-pointer with 7.1 seconds left in overtime will go down as the game-winning shot in the Nuggets’ 119-118 win over the Bulls, who feel otherwise.

“We felt like we got it stolen from us,” Bulls forward Carlos Boozer said, referring to the play with 1.7 seconds left in which Joakim Noah grabbed a shot from teammate Marco Belinelli that was on its downward path to the basket and slammed it home.

The officials initially didn’t blow their whistles, but when Denver called an immediate timeout and loudly complained that it was goaltending, the referees reviewed video and disallowed Noah’s bucket, sending the Bulls to their seventh loss in their last 11 games.

“If we deem the ball in its descent has a chance to score, and therefore it’s in the cylinder, it’s either offensive basket interference or it’s goaltending, that’s it,” referee Ken Mauer told a pool reporter when asked about the game-deciding call.

“It’s a tough play,” Tom Thibodeau said, citing a similar play just before Noah’s by Denver’s Kosta Koufos that was not called by the officials.”From my angle, it looked like it was a good play, it looked like the ball was short,” Thibodeau said of Noah’s play. “Koufos’, I know was on the rim, and to me I guess we have to call the league and get an interpretation. Maybe I don’t understand the rule correctly.”

Noah was incensed.

“That’s what is frustrating. How are you going to review that one, but you can’t review the one two plays before it. … I just know the refs are doing the best they can in those situations, but it cost us the game today, it’s disappointing.”

Denver coach George Karl didn’t see it that way – but with somewhat of a caveat about the similar circumstances surrounding Koufos’ play.

“There is no question it was goaltending,” Karl said of Noah’s play. “The ball was going to hit the rim. I was too far away to see the play on Kosta’s tip-in shot.”

Wilson Chandler led the Nuggets with 35 points, Corey Brewer added 16 and Ty Lawson 13. Iguodala finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Andre Miller had 13 assists.Nate Robinson led the Bulls with 34 points, Luol Deng had 21, Belinelli scored 18, and Noah added 12 rebounds and 14 points.It was the 12th time in the last 13 games that Denver scored 100 or more points, and marked the first time in seven games that an opponent has scored 100 points on the Nuggets.Denver started out strong, leading by as many as 14 points at several points, but the Bulls kept pushing back, with the Bulls’ starters outscoring the Nuggets’ starters 104-48 mismatch.

“Tonight, we were forcing it, we just didn’t play well defensively,” Karl said. “I’m proud of the way we stayed strong especially at the end when we were down four and made the big shots. This was a difficult mental game because we let go of a lead in regulation where we should have won it.”

The Nuggets’ eight-point lead with 3:26 left in the fourth quarter evaporated, and Ty Lawson’s last-second jumper fell short, sending the game into overtime.On the flip side, Karl was heartened that Denver got 71 points from its bench, including Chandler’s outstanding play.

“Anytime when we bring (Chandler) off the bench we seem to get an offensive spurt,” Karl said. “I think he is our most efficient offensive person on the team. He also plays some good defense.”

Denver outscored the Bulls 21-20 in the first quarter and 53-45 at the half, but the Home team came back to outscore the Nuggets 28-26 in the third quarter and 60-52 for the second half.Even though his team’s 12th consecutive win didn’t come easy, Karl was happy to get out of Chicago with the win.

“Nine (wins) in a row in January and now with 12, we know we can win and play anyone,” Karl said. “We’re building confidence. However, we’re just trying to get to a number like 54 or 55 wins. We believe there is value in every game. We’re just doing a nice job coming together and building confidence.”

NOTES—The only member of the Nuggets who was alive the last time Denver won 11 straight games is point guard Andre Miller, who was four days away from his seventh birthday on March 15, 1983…..The Bulls continues their homestand Thursday against Portland Trail Blazers…..Denver leads the series with the Bulls 44-37.

DENVER—Almost lost in the Blackhawks’ historic points streak was a streak of another kind.This one is still going, too.And this one the Colorado Avalanche couldn’t stop, either.Ray Emery had 17 saves to remain unbeaten this season, helping the Hawks knock off Colorado 5-2 on Monday night in the first meeting since the Avalanche halted the Blackhawks’ record points streak.Emery, the backup to Corey Crawford, wasn’t tested all that often by the Avs but he came up big when needed to improve to 11-0-0 this season.

“I just want to play well. Each and every game is a new team, a new challenge and I just treat it as I want to win one game at a time,” Emery said. “I thought we played really well.”

Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews provided the offense with a goal and two assists apiece for the Blackhawks, who’ve embarked on yet another streak: They’ve won three straight to move to 3-2-0 after their NHL-record 21-0-3 start to the season was ended in the Mile High City on March 8.In that game, Emery replaced Crawford in the third period. This time, Emery had everything under control.

“They’re a good team, a quick team,” Emery said. “We had the lead early on and I thought we played really well.”

That’s because the Blackhawks were a highly motivated bunch.

“Them ending our streak, we wanted to get a little bit of redemption and know that we can beat a team like this,” Kane said. “It’s nice to kind of beat them like that.”

The Avalanche are on a streak, too, only going the wrong way. They’ve dropped a season-worst four in a row.

“It’s been a tough week no doubt. But we’re the guys that dug ourselves this hole,” said captain Gabriel Landeskog, who scored the first short-handed goal of his career in the opening period. “We’ve got to dig ourselves out of it. We win together and we lose together. That’s the way it is.”

Chicago had another big offensive night highlighted by Kane, the team’s leading scorer. He nearly had another goal on a breakaway early in the third period, only to be turned away by the left pad of Semyon Varlamov.

Jimmy Hayes and Andrew Shaw scored 57 seconds apart in the first period to get things going and Brent Seabrook later contributed another. Toews then added a late insurance goal to wrap up the win.

“We did a heck of a job rolling four lines and no one got caught out there,” said Toews, whose team scored a season-best eight goals in a win at Dallas on Saturday. “Sometimes, with elevation, you get caught on a long shift and that can get to you, but we were smart about our changes and those little details and it showed in our team game.”

The victory may have been pricey, though, as Marian Hossa left the game after taking a hit in the first period. He’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury, coach Joel Quenneville said.It’s the second player the Blackhawks have lost against the Avalanche. Patrick Sharp appeared to hurt his shoulder after being checked along the boards by Colorado’s Ryan O’Byrne on March 6 in Chicago. There’s no timetable yet for Sharp’s return.So, do the Blackhawks pay attention to those types of hits?

“You’re aware of what’s going on,” Quenneville said. “You do what you’ve got to do.”

With Hossa sidelined, that meant Kane had to turn in some double shifts.

“I asked him a couple of times (how he was doing), when he looked like he might’ve been out of breath,” Quenneville said. “A couple of times, he even laughed at me. He likes to go. He had the puck a lot tonight. He was dangerous.”

That he was. But really, what’s new?

The Hawks began with a flurry of goals, starting with Hayes backhanding a shot past Varlamov for his first of the season. Hayes was just recently called up from Rockford of the AHL.Moments later, Shaw beat Varlamov with a wrist shot.Emery came up big in the opening period, with a little help from Niklas Hjalmarsson. On a play where Emery was sprawled out on the ice, the defenseman slid over and prevented a potential goal by blocking a wrist shot with his left leg.