IN ANOTHER CLASSIC THRILLER BETWEEN DIVISION LEADERS, BLACKHAWKS WIN BATTLE

In front of a star-studded sell-out crowd Wednesday night in Chicago, the Blackhawks triumphed over the visiting Colorado Avalanche. For the third time in as many games this season, the Avalanche and Blackhawks went to a shootout. And for the third time, the home

team won -- albeit a little faster than the first two. Patrick Sharp's goal in the third round of the shootout gave the Hawks a 3-2 win over the Avs at the United Center on Wednesday night. Sharp's forehand past Craig Anderson ended the shootout in the regulation three rounds -- the Hawks needed nine rounds to win on Oct. 10, and the Avalanche won in eight rounds last Friday in Denver. "Any time you face a team so many times in a short period of time, it's pretty difficult. This is the third shootout we've had against them," Sharp said. "There aren't too many moves left, but luckily we got one in there." No one was more relieved than Hawks coach Joel Quenneville. "I'm glad it didn't go any longer than that," he said of the three-round shootout. (NHL.com)