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NHL PLAYOFFS : Blackhawks Win, Meet Edmonton

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From Associated Press

Jeremy Roenick scored two first-period goals and Steve Larmer and Adam Creighton added short-handed goals Monday night at Chicago, leading the Blackhawks to an 8-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues in the seventh game of the Norris Division final.

The Blackhawks will play the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup semifinals in a best-of-seven series that begins Wednesday night at Edmonton.

Larmer, who also had four assists, scored his short-handed goal to start a three-goal second period, and Creighton added his at 3:45 of the third period, long after the game had been decided.

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“We initiated a lot of play in the first period and Jeremy Roenick sparked the team,” Chicago Coach Mike Keenan said. “That early spark carried us. We got a solid performance from (goalie) Ed Belfour, and we capitalized on our offensive opportunities. Steve Larmer deserves a lot of credit. He killed penalties and played on all his shifts. “I’m proud of this team,” Keenan added, “we’re the only team from the final four last year to repeat.”

Roenick scored at 2:27 of the first period when he took a pass from Doug Wilson, skated around Jeff Brown and shot a backhander.

He got his ninth goal of the playoffs at 13:03 when he brought the puck around one-handed and slipped it between goalie Vincent Riendeau’s pads.

Larmer followed with a short-handed goal at 3:03, Denis Savard made it 4-0 at 7:48; and Dave Manson scored at 10:22.

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