Nothing better, after a boring uninspired road loss, than coming home and playing what might be the coldest team in the NHL. The Hawks should thank the schedule making gods for that one, because they were in need of an easy game. It's well documented that the Jackets started off horribly. The Hawks on the other hand, got off to their best start in 40 years. Leave it up to them to completely shit the bed in Carolina, just as the media brought this fact up. I call a jinx! There were big changes in the lineup with Big Show playing for a suspended Car Bomb, Lepisto playing for O'Donnell, and Razor playing in net.
The Hawks opened up the scoring quickly, but the Jackets weren't far behind. Things were starting to look like they were falling apart when the Hawks were able to get a late shorthanded goal to go up 2-1 at the end of the first period. The Jackets were the only team to score in the second and the Hawks blew some powerplay time. Can the Hawks EVER carry a big lead into the third? THe Hawks opened it up in the third period, which was nice, for a change. They came away with a 5-2 win, and outshot Columbus 38-29.
- Marcus Kruger opened up the Hawks night on a big MegaMayers slapshot rebound that just laid in front of the rookie Columbus netminder, York. Kruger went hard to the net, and ended up with an easy tap in goal.
- FINALLY, some excitement for the crowd, when Frolik fed Bolly for shorthanded break-a-way goal late in the first. The play would have resulted in a penalty shot but the continuation resulted in a goal, with Bolly wearing a Clitsome backpack for the last 15 feet.
- Pick-to-Click Vik put the Hawks up 3-2 on a 4-on-4 situation, following the negated Sharp goal. He picked up the puck at the blue line and turned on the after burners heading up the boards, and then cutting to the middle. He got York to open up the 5-hole, and ripped it into the back of the net. SHOCKING, a goal that couldn't be negated.
- Less than two minutes later Bruno was able to lug the puck from behind the net, and send a backhand across the crease to Stalberg who scored his second goal of the night. I, for one, am glad to see him hit the net, because he was looking good in the preseason, until he got hurt, and he has some speed that the Hawks could really use. He just missed his hat trick goal later, when he missed the net on a break-a-way.
- I can't ever remember seeing 2 disallowed goals in one game, but this one had FOUR. After 3 Hawks disallowed goals, Columbus ended up having one of their own...wait for it...ON THE POWERPLAY
- I usually don't say much about empty netters, but Frodo absorbed a hit from Rick Nash, who was being a real dick all night, and poked it into the net with one hand. I usually like Nash, but in this case, he was a real dumb shit.
- Vinny Prospal answered the Hawks first goal, by taking advantage of the forth line. Kruger must have been dreaming of his goal, when he let Prospal sit on the back door all by himself. That quick start didn't last long.
- In the first half of the game two of the most well behaved players took a total of three bad penalties. I'm not really sure what was up their asses, but that shit needs to be nipped in the bud. Tazer and Bolland cannot be spending that kind of time in the box.
- In one of the strangest plays I've ever seen, Sharpie put a laser of a slapshot off the post and the Hawks thought they scored, but the play continued, and worked it's way around again. The Hawks got another chance that Kaner high sticked into the net. So they needed TWO video replays on one play. In all fairness, the war room in Toronto got both right, and actually, so did the on ice officials.
- The Jackets second goal was started off by Hammer, in comical fashion. He blew a tire at the Hawks blue line similar to the way Deuce did a few games ago, and allowed a 2-on-1 break. Razor wasn't able to control the rebound on the play, and the defense wasn't much help so the puck squirted out to the side of the net, and Derek MacKenzie was able to put the puck in the open net.
- To make matters worse on the powerplay, Sharpie was able to score AGAIN, but Bickell took a high sticking penalty that ended up a second disallowed goal. Just how many times are they going to shoot themselves in the foot?
- Not the hat trick we had hoped for, but for the THIRD time in the game, the Hawks had a goal waved off when Bolland was called for kicking the puck in the net, you guessed it, ON THE POWERPLAY
- Five penalties for the Hawks is just FAR too much. STOP IT!
- Before the game it was announced that Car Bomb was suspended for 2 games following the "tie up" from the previous game. I call bullshit on that one, but that's a whole different subject.
- The near misses aside, the Hawks powerplay is still painfully fucking repulsive.
- As much as I cursed the intermission interview of Frodo, Kruger made him sound like James Earl Jones. Quit interviewing players that struggle to speak english, PLEASE! It's uncomfortable to listen to, and I'm certain it's stressful for them, as well. We can do without.
- Big show...three shifts...1:44...one goal against. If ANYONE tries to claim that's better than what Rusty Olesz can provide, they are full of shit. If Olesz IS that bad, he doesn't belong on ANY NHL roster, or men's league roster, for that matter.