by Gatekeeper
I'm not exactly just how to top the overtime period that was played Tuesday night in Pittsburgh. "Sudden Death" style shootout?
Scratch that...
I don't want to tempt fate after Cheer the Anthem's recent interaction with ISIS. I'm not even joking, either. Just click that link.
ANY-WHO, The Blackhawks dragged the carcasses of the Pittsburgh Penguins back with them Wednesday night to play the ass end of a home-and-home. No doubt the Penguins were going to be fired up, after missing several wide open chances the previous night. Sidney Crosby was going to be out to prove that his all-star snub was just that. I'm sure the Blackhawks were absolutely thrilled about that on WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIVALRY NIGHT.
The Blackhawks came out and played like we all hoped they would, out shooting the Pens 9-3 in the first half of the period. This isn't to say that there weren't scoring chances, either. There were plenty of defensive lapses, but most were by the Penguins. The Blackhawks finally took a lead late in the period. The final shot total was pretty embarrassing for Pittsburgh at 15-3, but they were luckily only down 1-0.
The Blackhawks held the momentum for the beginning of the second period as well, with the help of a powerplay. This didn't stop the Penguins from taking advantage of their powerplay and tying the game up. The second was certainly a more boring period than the first and the shots were much more even than the first, with the Blackhawks leading 10-8.
The third period looked like it was shaping up to be a real woofer, with the Blackhawks grossly out shooting the Pens but still locked in a tie game. Artemi Panarin took care off all that. Throw in an empty netter and the Blackhawks have themselves a season best 5 game winning streak.
This sucker is off to California....
- Artemi Panarin picked up where he left off Tuesday night, giving the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead, his 14th goal, with about 4 minutes remaining in the first period. The #AK72 line held the puck in the Pens zone for almost a full minute where the Pens never even touched the puck. Eventually Panarin circled the zone and made a very Kane-esque play with a nice deke to shed a defender, and cut to the net. Once he cut to the net, he had Fleury dead to rights.
- Panarin made it 2-1 with eleven minutes remaining in regulation. It was a simple 50/50 faceoff that Panarin just stepped over to and snapped through the legs of Pens defenseman Brian Dumoulin, beating Marc-Andre Fleury to the glove side.
- Teuvo Teravainen was able to get one of his easiest NHL goals, an empty netter, when Ben Lovejoy basically handed the puck to Teravainen on a silver platter.
- Scott Darling only had to make a handful of tough saves, but he made them, saving 17 overall.
- Across the ice, Marc-Andre Frenchy had himself a helluva game too. He saved 34 of 36 and deserved a better fate.
- With the way Panarin played the Blackhawks #AK72 line had some cartoonish Corsi numbers, which was the complete opposite of last night in Pittsburgh, but same result.
- The Hawks not only dominated in possession, but they won 53% of faceoffs, too, with Danault winning 8 of 11.
- Patric Hornqvist is an annoying little punk, who probably needs to have his teeth put down his god damned throat.
- Jonathan Toews was not at all happy with Kris Letang trying to take a shot at Artemi Panarin very late in the game. And Letang wonders why everyone tries to ring his fucking bell.
- After a failed Blackhawks powerplay that was partly negated by a Jonathan Toews high sticking call, the Penguins were able to take advantage of their own powerplay. Phil Kessel set up Evgeni Malkin for a long one timer that seemed to beat Scott Darling pretty cleanly. Hornqvist WAS in front screening Darling, but Darling has 6 inches on Hornqvist, so you'd like to think he could see over the little skid mark.
- No one on the 4th line could manager over 6:30. The Hawks NEED more from these three and Quenneville needs to put them out on the ice more.
Shaw - Toews - Hossa
Panarin - Anisimov - Kane
Teravainen - Danault - Desjardins
Bickell - Rasmussen - Garbutt
Keith - Hjalmarsson
Gustafsson - Seabrook
van Riemsdyk - Rozsival
