CHICAGO (AP) -The Vancouver Canucks are searching for their composure and a way to avoid losing in the Western Conference semifinals to the Chicago Blackhawks for second straight year.
After dropping the series opener, Chicago has won three straight and is brimming with confidence as it looks to finish off the Canucks in Game 5 Sunday night at the United Center.
The Blackhawks have apparently gotten into the Canucks' psyche and solved goaltender Roberto Luongo. Luongo's own coach, Alain Rigneault, described the Olympic gold winner as the second best goalie on the ice behind Chicago rookie Antti Niemi.
Chicago's Jonathan Toews scored three of the Blackhawks' four power-play goals Friday night in a 7-4 victory when the Canucks seemed to confuse physical play with ill-advised penalties - eight of them - while trying to counteract 6-foot-4, 257-pound Dustin Byfuglien.
Byfuglien scored three goals in Chicago's Game 3 win and then drew three penalties Friday night. His ability to get in Luongo's space has been one of the big factors in the Blackhawks' success against the Canucks the last two postseasons.