NHL ROUNDUP : Belfour Keeps Opposition at Bay as Blackhawks Win

Chicago goaltender Ed Belfour had to face only 17 shots Thursday, most from long range.

Who would want to get close?

Belfour was called for elbowing Calgary’s Sandy McCarthy in the first period of the Blackhawks’ 4-2 victory at Chicago, but it was a miscarriage of justice. Actually, Belfour hit McCarthy in the head with his stick.

And in the second period Belfour tripped Paul Kruse as he skated past the Chicago goal.

“That’s my turf,” Belfour said. “If they keep getting away with (muscling in on his turf), they’re going to take advantage of it. The referees rarely see what happens out there.”

At night’s end, Belfour had his 28th victory of the season, and Chicago had only its fourth in its last 14 games at home.

Vancouver 4, St. Louis 0--Kirk McLean shut out the Blues for the second time and Pavel Bure scored two goals at St. Louis.

The Blues are 5-6-0 in their last 11 games. The Canucks are 3-1-1 in their last five games and 5-5-1 in their last 11.

McLean, who blanked the Blues on Nov. 16, stopped 33 shots to earn his third shutout of the year and the 16th of his career.

The Canucks, who rank first in the league in power-play goals on the road, scored all their goals while St. Louis was short-handed.

New Jersey 5, Tampa Bay 4--John MacLean scored his team-leading 30th goal at 3:04 of overtime, leading the Devils at St. Petersburg, Fla.

MacLean’s goal, assisted by Bobby Holik, capped a comeback from a 3-1 deficit.

San Jose 4, Edmonton 2--Defenseman Sandis Ozolinish had a goal and an assist for the Sharks at San Jose, where they went three points ahead of the Mighty Ducks and five ahead of the Kings for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.