Can the Finnish Olympic hockey team just ice a squad of goalies?

Antti Niemi of the Chicago Blackhawks recorded his third shutout in just seven starts this season, in a 4-0 home win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Marian Hossa had a goal and an assist for Chicago (20-8-3), with Patrick Kane, Ben Eager and captain Jonathan Toews also scoring. Kane would leave the game soon after his first-period goal.

Blackhawks defenceman Brent Seabrook finished with two assists.

With standouts like Miikka Kiprusoff, Niklas Backstrom, Pekka Rinne and Tuukka Rask around the NHL, Finland is well-stocked in net. Niemi is unlikely to get an Olympic shot, but he could increasingly figure in Chicago's plans as they bid for the Stanley Cup.

Niemi now has a 1.50 goals-against average and .937 save percentage in eight appearances. He is tied for third in shutouts with four other NHL goalies, who've each played at least 18 games.

"You don't want to feel too confident, but I feel pretty good," Niemi said. "I've never played so many shutouts. I've had good stretches, but not like this.

"We had it pretty easy today. It was not too hard for me."

He actually has two more shutouts than teammate Cristobal Huet, who has impressed through 24 appearances.

Granted, Niemi was taking on the Lightning, whose nickname couldn't be less fitting these days. Tampa Bay has scored just 10 goals in the last eight games, and have just one victory in that span.

"It's been a nice one-two punch," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said of the tandem. "Niemi's solid. You see his size and his presence in the net. He challenges and his rebound control is in order.

"The last two starts he might have been overworked. Tonight he did what he had to do. He keeps himself ready whether he's out for two weeks or out for a week."

The Lightning took just 18 shots on net. Tampa Bay's own goalie — Antero Niittymaki, who just so happens to be the man who helped Finland win a silver medal in the 2006 Olympics — made 21 saves.

The Blackhawks, meanwhile, are second in the Western Conference, two points behind surprising Los Angeles.

Chicago had dipped of late, going 3-3-1 in the previous seven games, including a 2-1 loss in Buffalo on Friday.

Niemi's most strongest work came in the third when he robbed James Wright with a glove save and stopped a Steve Stamkos shot from the left faceoff circle. Niemi had a dash of luck when Stamkos rang the post loudly in the middle period.

Kane opened the scoring at 7:42 of the first by intercepting a risky cross-ice pass from Steve Downie and dashing down the right side, snapping a shot by Niittymaki.

Kane left the game with 6:59 left in the first period due to an upper body injury and didn't return. Kane landed hard after Tampa Bay's Matt Smaby tripped him along the boards and suffered a cut over the eye.

"It's not bad," Quenneville said, "They had to stitch it up."

The score remained the same until midway through the second.

Lightning defenders Matt Walker and Victor Hedman both went to the corner to take on Hossa, allowing Eager to skate in the slot uncontested. He took Hossa's pass and slipped in his second of the season.

Hossa corralled a puck with his glove to set up a shot from the right of the net that went between Niittymaki's pads with just 16 seconds left in the period. It was his fourth goal in nine games since making his season debut following off-season shoulder surgery.

The Hossa goal appeared to be a backbreaker, as Tampa Bay was barely competitive in the third.

"When you're losing, you've just got to keep believing in the locker room you can win," Lightning coach Rick Tocchet said. "When there's pressure, it just seems like we cave in certain situations."

Toews was the beneficiary of Duston Byfuglien's drive down the right side, potting a rebound in the slot for a 4-0 lead at the six-minute mark.

The Lightning took just four shots in the final period. Niemi stopped Kurtis Foster's point shot late, and then had to contend with Todd Fedoruk crashing into him.

Chicago received a dubious penalty shot with 1:40 left, a play that looked more worthy of a two-minute penalty. Troy Brouwer's breakaway was set aside by Niittymaki.

The Lightning goalie then saved another potential goal in the final minute, reaching back and sweeping the puck as it lay right on the goal-line.

With files from The Associated Press