"WHAT-some?"
After all the speculation and hullabaloo of various trade scenarios going on through the day, and the news that Quenneville would not be back for the game, the Hawks still had a big game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It looked like it was going to be dismal game as the Hawks gave up 2 break-a-ways and one goal in the opening minutes of the first, but Shooter brought them back with 2 goals of his own to win the period 2-1. The second was not the Hawks period at all, and they were lucky to make it out only down by one. Columbus scored 3 times and the Hawks scored one in the period to have a total of 7 in the first 40 minutes. The third frame was a completely different situation and neither team scored and the Jackets held on to win 4-3.
- Shortly after the Calvert goal, Sharpie decided that he had seen enough of this crap heading back his way. He harassed Fedor Tyutin enough for him to turn the puck over to Pat Kane, and then received the pass back to score a break-a-way goal. He was not done there though. The next shift Captain Serious Fed him, after going behind the net, for a wide open one timer in the slot for goal #2 in the first 10 minutes of the game.
- Twenty one seconds after the Stralman goal, some bad defensive play led to a Tazer/Kaner 2-on-1 goal that was absolutely CRUCIAL. If the Hawks don't respond like that, the game was well on its way to a blowout.
- Other than Shooter and Snake going 0-4 total on faceoffs, the rest of the team dominated in the faceoff circle. Oddly enough, Kopecky was a ridiculous 78%. I don't even know how that happens. He's one of the worst faceoff guys in the entire LEAGUE!
- The Hawks started this game the same way they started the last, letting Voracek in on a partial break-a-way. Way to come out swinging, guys.
- The Corey Crawford show was well on its way when Antoine Vermette scored a powerplay goal almost halfway through the second. Rick Nash took a shot from outside the circle and Vermette picked up a juicy rebound, and buried it from a bad angle.
- A few minutes after the Vermette goal, the Hawks gave up a fairly weak goal that squirted between Crawford's legs and was poked in the net. It looked like a Shanghai fire drill out there.
- The wheels then began to wobble on the cart, as Columbus scored another powerplay goal on a long shot by Anton Stralman. Another fairly weak goal that had to have Haviland thinking about a switch in net. As we know now, the Hawks responded well without the change.
- Did someone say we traded for some kid named Frolik? When do we get to see him suit up? Could we invoke the lemon law? Because, thus far, Skille looks like a better option.
- Stop me if you have heard this one before. Duncan Keith had a shot blocked at the point...you stopped me already, didn't you? Matt Calvert blocked the Keith shot and outraced two of our team's fastest skaters to have a partial break-a-way and score on a slightly lethargic Mr. Crawly. You'd think that wearing Nick Leddy as a backpack might preoccupy a player enough to be able to poke check the puck away. Just a suggestion, but the fact remains that they should not have been in that situation in the first place if Deuce could find a way to get a puck a little further than 5 feet off his stick. It's getting FUCKING OLD already, Dunc!
