With Gate in Anaheim Ducks country this weekend, he entrusted me with the keys to Puckin' Hostile, which meant I drew the short straw to recap a game against the Buffalo Sabres. After seeing how entertaining the first matchup of these two teams was, I was simply doing cartwheels all day in excitement. Screw it, this is a game against a boring Eastern Conference team, lets just get right to the game.
The first period actually wasn't that bad when comparing it to the last matchup of these two. Throughout the period both teams would trade chances, but a lot of them were the famous one and done chances. Both teams would end up in double digits for shots, as they would have 11 each in the first period. Late in the period, Niklas Hjalmarsson would put the Hawks on the scoreboard first with his second of the year with just over minute remaining in the period. With little time on the clock left, the Hawks would end up taking the one goal lead into the first intermission.
Whatever excitement there was in the first period, the second period sucked the life out of me. The Hawks would pepper Chad Johnson with 19 shots, but none of them would find the back of the net. Midway through the period, the Hawks were forced to kill off a Hjalmarsson slashing penalty, which they did, to maintain their one goal lead. Corey Crawford kept me from completely falling asleep as he made a few nice glove saves throughout the period. When the horn mercifully sounded, the Hawks would continue to lead 1-0.
Finally in the third period, The UC awoke from the slumber they had been in for the first 40 minutes of play. The offense finally got going just after the midway mark of the third period. However it was the Sabres who would get on the board first in the third period. Ryan O'Reilly fired a wrist shot that beat Corey Crawford to tie the game at one. The tie would prove to be short lived, as Phillip Danault took advantage of the space given to him and blew a twisted wrister top shelf past Chad Johnson to give the Hawks a 2-1 lead. Jonathan Toews would add an empty netter late to seal the 3-1 win over the Sabres.
- Artemi Panarin answered one of my questions I have about him. In the second period, he was in a spirited battle in front of the goal crease with Zach Bogosian. Despite the size difference, Panarin didn't back down after the first cross check he received. He simply gave one back to Bogosian, and the battle was on. It reminded me a lot of this.
- Panarin again showed in the third period some of that heart and toughness again. This time he came to the aid of Patrick Kane in a post whistle scrum.
- Corey Crawford came up large again for the Hawks. If there are still any doubters out there, I simply don't know what else you are looking for from a goalie.
- Phillip Danault scored his first career NHL goal, which proved to be a thing of beauty and the game winning goal. Danault continues to impress game after game. I know, I've already set aside money for a (insert new NHL team here) Marcus Kruger jersey for next season. I'm aware its a business folks. I'm not really pissed off about it. It happens, you move on. And if anything, Danault gives me and everyone else on the brink of 30 that needs hip surgery some hope.
- The PK was called upon twice tonight, and both times they delivered.
- Erik Gustafsson had a solid night as well. He assisted on Hammer's opening goal, and was effective on the power play too.
- 3 of the 4 lines played really well tonight. Its hard to say the fourth line actually played tonight. I actually feel bad for Moose, as he stuck centering two ECHL caliber players in Garbutt and Bickell.
- The shot totals for the Hawks tonight were; 11, 19, and 15 for a total of 45. A lot of those chances were only one and done. You'd like to see them get a little more traffic, and more net front presence when the pucks are getting through like that.
- Speaking of shots, who else thought after a scoreless second period in which the Hawks had 19 shots, that we were headed for one of those famous 45+ shots on goal, but end up losing nights?
- I'm going to let Danault enjoy his night, I won't point out his one negative that I saw tonight. Enjoy your first NHL goal kid.
- Garbutt and Bickell continue to dress for 5 minutes a night. This is really tiresome.
- The first 50 minutes of this game were B-O-R-I-N-G. Bigger nets wouldn't have made this game more exciting. It was a victim of boring Eastern Conference hockey.
- Good luck on Sunday to Evander Kane with his return to Winnipeg. You're gonna need it.
