Wednesday night the Blackhawks traveled to Minnesota to face the LEAGUE LEADING Wild, and no that is not a typo. Two of the biggest names on the Wild are new members this year, Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi(injured). Veterans Mikko Koivu, and Niklas Backstrom are also big parts of the team. The Goaltending has been excellent all year from the three guys that have seen time in net. Really, what more needs to be said about team that leads the entire league? They don't win pretty, but they just win. It may or may not be a fluke, but for the time being, the Wild were on top of the world.
The only thing we could have asked for, from the Hawks, was an actual goal. They took a few minutes to actually get their first shot on net, but held the Wild to only 2 for the entire first period, while getting 11 of their own. Unfortunately, it all looks the same on the score board, with double goose eggs. The second was a fast and furious period, with each team getting 10 shots and 2 goals. Not what you would expect from these two teams, but all the action pointed towards a tense third period. The third was a story in itself, with each team getting a goal. There was end to end action and great saves, but this game was going to overtime. The overtime had a playoff feel, and pace. More end to end action, with excellent chances both ways, but again, no one could end the game. The extra point was going to be decided by a shootout, and the Hawks were finally able to pull it out, in exciting fashion.
- The first big chance for the Hawks started with Bickell out-hustling the Wild defender, and taking control of the puck, deep in the Wild zone. The puck eventually wound it's way around, and ended up going off the post, with Bickell fighting for position, below the goal line.
- Early on, the Killer B's line, had some great pressure in front. Bolland, Bickell, and Brunette had a lot of whacks, but just missed the net. They played a good game, even though they were all -2 on the night.
- Not often I put the opposing team in the good category, but the play Backstrom made on a possible 2-on-0 with Vik and El Capitan was EXCELLENT. They didn't even manage a shot on net, which turned out to be HUGE. Also, Kyle Brodziak looked like an allstar. Where did HE come from?
- Hoss got number 401 on a powerplay halfway through the second period. Shooter tried to jam the puck to the net, and it laid between Tazer's skates. Hoss rushed in and chipped it onto the net to put the Hawks up 1-0.
- Frodo made his way out of the doghouse by scoring a quick second goal shortly after the Hossa powerplay tally. The rush was started by Deuce, who floated a perfect pass to MegaMayers, who then sent it to Dream Warrior. Warrior's touch pass to Frodo ended up bouncing around like a pinball between the defenders legs, and into the cage. 2-0 Hawks.
- El Capitan whipped his balls out AGAIN, to put the Hawks up 3-2 almost half way through the third period, when he picked up a puck off Stalberg, and drove to the net, going through 3 defensemen, and then waited for Backstrom to go down. At that point, it was easy pickins for Jonny Big Balls, who put it up where momma keeps the peanut butter. 3-2 Hawks
- Hoss is just MASTERFUL with the puck on his stick. His sequence where he went through 4 out of 5 Wild players, even while being knocked on his ass, was incredible.
- Doc Emerick calling the came reminds me of the cup run two years ago and I absolutely love it! Just too bad Pierre McGuire fucking ruins it.
- Deuce has what was probably his best game of the year, and it showed with 30:30 of ice time.
- Car Bomb pretty much got his ass kicked by Staubitz in the second period. Bomber got a few shots in, but Staubitz took control when he switched to throwing right hand haymakers.
- Another game, another supreme shorthanded chance against. If it weren't for the superhuman effort of Deuce, Razor would have had to come up huge once again. What...The...Fuck, Guys?
- The Hawks luck came to an end in the second period, and guess who was right in the middle of the action? Yup, Big Slow. The refs blew a CLEAR icing when Frank the Tank touched up. Slow went plowing in behind Tank, and below the goal line with his hands and stick around everyone's faces, and proceeded to play patty cake with the Wild forward. The puck was stolen from the two stooges that were too busy scratching their heads about the non call, and Kyle Brodziak waited Razor out long enough to bury it from a tight angle. Queue momentum shift. 2-1 Hawks
- Cal Clusterfuck and Matt Cullen tied the game up, on a horrible change by the Hawks. Hammer was left hung out to dry with Leddy coasting back half-assed. Cullen hit Clusterfuck with a pass, and he took it hard to the net. The puck ended up back on Cullen's stick and eventually into the net, Matrix slow motion style. 2-2 all tied up.
- Mikko Koivu tied up the game once again, with 5 minutes to go, on a delayed penalty. Clusterfuck came off the bench on a delayed penalty, and took the pass below the goal line. He waited for a Hammer, who was humping the ice, to clear and fed Koivu. Koivu got a little luck when his shot went off Leddy and past Razor. 3-3
- With just over a minute to go, Shooter and Hoss came in on a 2-on-1 and couldn't deliver.
- The Hawks peaked way too early, and were outshot 16-7 in the third period. Kind of makes that 11-2 scoreless first a moot point, doesn't it?
- In the first 10 minutes of the game, there was a grand total of 2 shots on net. TWO!. Even worse, it took the Wild SEVENTEEN minutes to get a single shot on net.
- Fourth line Frodo was the nightly wearer of the milkbone jockstrap. Not going to be a 30 goal scorer that way, Kid. By the third period he was playing on the first line with the wonder twins.
- The Hawks were collectively awful at the dot. The only player over 50% was MegaMayers.
- Matt Cullen was stopped by Razor.
- Toews beat Backstrom with the old faithful.
- Dany Heatley didn't get a shot off.
- Kane won the game on a stop-n-go.