Friday the Hawks hosted the Anaheim Ducks, who have dropped to become one of the worst teams in the league. Things have changed since the Hawks last saw the Ducks, as GM Bob Murray made a quick coaching change, in favor of freshly fired former Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau. Even Anaheim's best players haven't exactly looked good, thus far, but they could break out of that slump at any time. With former 50 goal scorers Teemu Selanne and Corey Perry playing, they have enough firepower to light teams up, and with Jonas Hiller in net, they have the means to stop the puck, with former all-star Jonas Hiller in net, too. They just need to put the pieces together.
The first period was pretty even but the Hawks were the only team coming away with a goal. Shots were only 8-6 so that tells a tale of a fairly even 20 minutes. As the game would go on, this even play would tilt in the Hawks favor pretty significantly. The second was pretty much ALL Blackhawks. The shots were even but the Hawks scored 2 and almost had a 3rd that was reviewed and waved off. The Third period was more of a formality, because the Hawks were dominating the game at both ends. They finished up with a big 4-1 win that was solid from top to bottom.
- Megamayers opened up the Hawks scoring about 6 minutes into the game, on a really nice play by the fourth line. Bruno picked up a loose puck in the corner and put the puck in behind the Ducks net to Megamayers. He pulled it around like he was going to wrap it around the post and banked a backhand off Hiller's blocker and into the net. The best part about it, was that Big Slow got his first point of the year, on the play. Sloppy on the Duck's part, but we'll take it. 1-0 Hawks
- A terrible Anaheim turnover early in the second led to Hoss standing in front of Hiller all alone, and Hoss put a sweeping backhand past Hiller. The play started with Visnovsky turning the puck over in the middle of his own slot. Hoss almost took it on the first try, but kind of did a fly by. Shooter came in behind him and pushed it up to Hoss, who wasted no time with the backhander. 2-0 Hawks.
- Nick Leddy and Dave Bolland hooked up on the powerplay, late in the second to put the Hawks up 3-0. Leddy took the puck end to end with speed and with 4 Hawks at the dots, or lower, Bolly was left wide open in the slot as the trailer. Leddy fed him, and this time he beat Hiller cleanly. 3-0 Hawks
- Shooter put the Hawks up 4-0 beating four Ducks defenders and ripping a DIRTY wrister top shelf on Hiller. Nothing complicated about that. Just simply beastmode.
- The Hawks penalty kill played their bend but not break style, and didn't let up a goal on three chances.
- The Hawks were all over 50% in the faceoff circle with Dream Warrior going almost 90%.
- Due to an injury to Car Bomb, we were forced to endure Big Slow game at forward. Sheldon Brookbank obviously hasn't watched many Hawks games, because he dropped the gloves with Big Slow. As one would expect, when you let Scott do the one thing he's good at, you're going to be on the losing end. Brookbank ate about a dozen John Scott right hands to the dome. The refs finally had pity, and jumped in, because Scott would have murdered Brookbank. If we have to endure Big Slow, I can handle him playing the shitty Ducks, just not in the final minutes of a shutout.
- By the end of the game, Quenneville had Big Slow on the ice with Kane and Toews. I'm quite sure THAT will never happen again. Especially since that shift let to the shutout blowing goal by Teemu Selanne. Tazer got lazy, and let the Ducks take the puck away from him. It ended up a on Selanne's stick and in the net. Razor deserved that shutout. He worked his ass off for it. As a guy that plays the position, the only thing we have to celebrate IS that elusive shutout, so when the team/coaches don't take it serious, it is VERY upsetting. THis would have been extra special since he played for them last year, and they let him walk after the season. Shame on Quenneville for putting Big Slow out there in the closing minutes. The strain his useless ass puts on the rest of the players out there no doubt led to a shorthanded like situation, and eventually in the back of Razor's net. Goalie's get very little glory as it is, and they took Ray's away from him. First star of the game doesn't mean shit when your contract is negotiated based on stats.
- The Hawks were robbed of a Bolland goal in the middle of the second period, when the Refs first claimed that Bolly kicked the puck in, which was untrue. "After further review" Toronto claimed that Bolly made contact with Hiller, which again was untrue.
