Blackhawks lose seventh straight, shut out by Flyers

PHILADELPHIA-- The Chicago Blackhawks lost their seventh consecutive game, 4-0 to the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday.

Jeremy Colliton lost his second game since replacing Joel Quenneville as coach on Tuesday.
"We were doing some good things," Colliton said. "The first period, our speed, we're really pressuring, we had back pressure all the time, we were buzzing as a group, we caused a lot of turnovers and we were able to get into the offensive zone. Just want to see that sustained for the 60 minutes. That will be enough to break through offensively."
WATCH: [All Blackhawks vs. Flyers highlights]
Brian Elliott made 33 saves for his first shutout of the season, and Sean Couturier scored two goals and had an assist for Philadelphia (9-7-1), which is 5-0-1 in its past six games. Claude Giroux had a goal and two assists, and Nolan Patrick scored.
"I think we're confident in the way we're playing," Giroux said. "We're playing a really good team game, defense, the goalie, the forwards. I think our chemistry is a lot better, and when you have a little confidence, everything goes pretty well."

Corey Crawford made 21 saves for Chicago (6-8-3), which has been outscored 30-12 during the losing streak.

The Flyers took a 1-0 lead when Giroux scored at 14:56 of the first period. Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith won a puck battle behind his net and tried clearing the zone but under pressure threw it to Giroux in the slot. Giroux dragged the puck onto his backhand and scored his seventh of the season.
Couturier made it 2-0 at 9:12 of the second period. He poked a puck away from Keith at Chicago's blue line, held off Blackhawks forward Chris Kunitz and scored with a shot along the ice.

Giroux got the assist on the goal, moving him past Rick MacLeish for fourth in points Flyers history. Giroux has 699, trailing Bobby Clarke (1,210), Bill Barber (883) and Brian Propp (849).
"It's a great honor," Giroux said. "There's a lot of good players that played here, and to be able to be in that group, it's very special."
Giroux has eight points (three goals, five assists) during a three-game point streak, and 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in his past six.
"He seems to be on a mission, playing good hockey, batting hard, scoring some goals," Couturier said. "That's what you want from your captain. It pushes everyone to battle that much harder."
Couturier made it 3-0 at 4:18 of the third period when his shot from the left side was stopped by Crawford but bounced off Chicago defenseman Brandon Manning into the net. Manning played his first six NHL seasons with the Flyers and signed with the Blackhawks on July 1.

"I thought we were in it right until 3-0," Colliton said. "If we scored one at any point you could probably get some energy out of it and make it a game. ... Frustrating, at the same time these things are still in our control. We can fix them, we've just got to hurry up."
Patrick made it 4-0 when he scored an empty-net goal with 1:01 remaining.
It was Chicago's 14th consecutive regular-season loss in Philadelphia (0-13-1). The Blackhawks last won here Nov. 9, 1996.

They said it

"I don't think we're the most confident group in the history of the game. Confidence comes by scoring some goals and working hard and winning games. We've got to just rely on small little things, winning small battles, not worry about winning games and what the score is. Going shift by shift and winning puck battles. Little things like that that will add up and hopefully get us a win in the end." -- Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith
"Tonight was definitely a step in the right direction. It's a little bit of a fragile team over there and we did a good job of limiting their chances right away and kind of pouncing on ours. Thought we did a real good job of being consistently like a bulldog out there. That's the tenacity that we need." -- Flyers goalie Brian Elliott

Need to know

Blackhawks forward Brandon Saad was scratched because of an injury to his right arm sustained at practice Friday. Colliton said he's questionable to play at the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. ... The Flyers scored first for the sixth straight game, after doing it once in their first 11. ... Philadelphia didn't allow a power-play goal for the first time in 10 games. ... Chicago lost to the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in Colliton's debut Thursday. It trailed that game 4-0. ... The Blackhawks lost eight in a row from Feb. 1-15 last season. ... The Flyers wore No. 29 helmet decals to honor former goalie Ray Emery, who died July 15. He also played for the Blackhawks.

What's next

Blackhawks: At the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday (7 p.m. ET; FS-CR, NBCSCH, NHL.TV)
Flyers: Host the Florida Panthers on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, NBCSP, FS-F, NHL.TV)