Not the way you'd like to win them all, but it was a great comeback. Playing from behind is becoming taxing on my blood pressure. Even the flurry at the end of the game had us all on the edge of our seats. The Hawks were completely outplayed in the first period and were lucky to only be down 2-1. Marty Turco had his screw-ups, but they were minimal, as most goalie screw-ups end up in the net. The officiating was fucking abysmal. Usually you have to account for miscalculations by the officials, but the waved off goal by Duncan Keith was a complete joke, but more on that later...
The Good
The Amber Alert on local expressways for David Bolland can finally be lifted, at least until tomorrow. His play wasn't exactly noteworthy for the most part, but his breakaway 4 on 4 goal with a defender all over his back, makes for kudos, and a pardon for the rest of his sleepwalking. Hoss showed YET AGAIN, why he's a man among boys. He's good, he's worth every dollar, and HOW YA LIKE HIM NOW, DETROIT-BURGH? Sharpie needs to be wearing asbestos drawers, because he is hotter than dog shit in a skillet. He just finds the net, and this is exactly why he's still in Chicago and people like Versteeg, Ladd, and Fluff-lien are gone in the great salary purge of 2010. Kaner shrugged off his "illness" to lead the rush for the first goal nad feed Shooter for wide open net. Thank you, rookie of the year, for not playing the shooter or the pass, but just standing there and admiring two of the best players in the league DO WHAT WE DO.
The Bad
Where do you begin? The lines? The decision to sit Jack Skille for John Scott and Jassen Cullimore? The first period Shanghai Fire Drill? Nick Boynton's second game in a row with a doucheworthy penalty in the critical moments of the 3rd period? They need to be thankful that they can find the net at opportune times, and former Hawk Patrick Lalime treated the puck like it was radioactive all game. Make excuses, and conjure up any delusion you want, but Jassen Cullimore for ANY ONE on this roster is a joke. If you don't feel Jordan Hendry is the guy for the night, I get it. But, mucking up the lines with Nick Boynton, John Scott, and Jassen Cullimore is just mind boggling. Yeah, yeah, yeah, everyone was looking for retaliation against Hammer, and luckily Buffalo showed that they are, in fact, a professional team by not retaliating, but are you really going to waste 3 spots with a three headed monster of cement heads with cement boots? Jack Skille has been one of the most physical players on the team, and he's rewarded with a seat in the press box? Cullimore was directly responsible for two major gaffes on the same play, which lead to the Sabres taking the lead. Frankenmore acted like the puck was on fire, while Turco was trying to hand it off, which lead to them turning over the biscuit, and then for good measure let McCormick stand in front of Turco, and do a little Boot Scootin Boogie before putting the puck in the net. SENT HIM BACK TO ROCKHELL, AND END THIS CRUEL JOKE! Nick Boynton showed his knack for the dramatic, with a lazy ass hooking penalty while already down one man and up by only one goal in the last 2 minutes of the game. Slick one, Nick. That's two games in a row and it's wearing thin.
The Ugly
Any of the above could be considered ugly, if the four stooges in stripes didn't completely sodomize the Hawks, dirty prison shower style. The Goal that was disallowed was a complete joke. From beginning to end. Tomas Kopecky went hard to net for a rebound, was crosschecked into Lalime, and had a good 7 seconds to get up and vacate the premises before Keith fired the puck in the net. The stupid ass Buffalo defender, Steve Montador, then played grab ass in the crease with his goalie like a couple of clowns. Duncan Keith fires the puck in the net and it's waved off, without a Blackhawk within 10 feet of the net. REALLY NOW? We're covering for people who interfere with their own netminders? Fucking JOKE! We can laugh about it now, because the Hawks pulled it out, but how many times do teams actually get a second chance? Not often. Luckily, it'll only ever be a footnote in the records of the 2010/11 season.
Here are the video highlights:
