Ducks Are Passive, Not Aggressive

Stopping a losing streak for the Chicago Blackhawks was more important to Steve Passmore than missing a chance for his first shutout of the season.

Passmore, a backup, was 37.1 seconds away from blanking the Mighty Ducks, but he and the Blackhawks had to settle for a 2-1 victory Sunday that kept Chicago from its first three-game losing streak of the season.

Passmore faced only 17 shots, and was finally beaten by the Ducks’ Matt Cullen from the crease with goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere off for an extra attacker.

In his eighth start and 14th appearance of the season, Passmore was bidding for his third career shutout and first since Oct. 13, 2000.

“The shutout is just one of those glory stats,” Passmore said. “The good thing is we’ve got guys who are ticked off every time we give up a goal.

“Today we really kept the shots down, and anything they did get came from the outside.”

After taking a 2-0 lead midway through the first period on goals 1 minute 54 seconds apart by Steve Sullivan and Eric Daze, the Blackhawk defense took over.

“We had lost two in a row, and we knew this was a big hockey game for us,” said Sullivan, who also had an assist. “We came out with guns blazing.”

Daze’s goal was his 30th. He has 30 goals for the second consecutive season and for the fourth time in seven NHL seasons.

The Ducks have lost four of five following a six-game winning streak, and have been held to one goal or none 21 times. Giguere made 25 saves.

“Up until the Olympic break we were going along pretty well,” Duck Coach Bryan Murray said. “Now we’ve come back, we’re playing a passive style.

“We didn’t compete early at all in the game. The first penalty kill didn’t look like we were ready to start.”

Sullivan opened the scoring with a power-play goal from the edge of the crease at 9:07. He was set up by Igor Korolev’s back-handed pass from the corner.

Daze ripped in a one-timer to complete a two-on-one at 11:01 to make it 2-0. Daze was set up by rookie Tyler Arnason, his first NHL assist.

Passmore made tough saves midway through the second period when he stopped Marty McInnis’ 30-footer from the slot and Cullen’s rebound attempt.