"EVERYBODY QUICK! Derp Face Party, On Three!"
After getting their asses kicked back in Nashville the other night, the Hawks were back home for the ass end of their Home and Home series, their last game at home in 3 weeks, and the last game before the All-Star break. While I'm sure the Hawks were looking for revenge, they were going to have to accomplish this feat without 2 of their captains, Sharp and Toews. With a week off, and an extended road trip coming up, a win in the United Center would be a great way to get the fans fired up. With El Capitan out nursing a sore flipper, this was Dave Bolland's time to shine, moving up to center the first line. If he could make a good showing here, this could quiet the masses calling for a trade for a second line center, and take pressure off Stan Bowman. The deadline is creeping ever so close, and there is no way the Hawks will be able to give enough away to compensate for a #2 center. AnyWHO...
Just when you think the kids might lend a young energy, the Hawks open up the game with two fatal turnovers to go into the first intermission down 2-0. It could have been at least 3-0, or 4-0 with the good scoring chances the Preds had, but if the Hawks had opened up the scoring when they had momentum things could have played out much different. The second period was a little more even with power plays each way, but no goals, and the pace slowed down a bit. The calm before the storm? A third period against a suffocating Preds defense and a world class goalie isn't an easy feat when you're down 2 goals. To the fans delight, the Hawks came out and got a goal in the third period and had some serious pressure, but that one goal was all they could muster up. In the end, the Hawks were sent into the All-Star break with a tough loss.
- The Hawks kids had a lot of energy to open up the game but they just weren't able to cash in. We all know how that ended up when the defense let them down.
- To make up for a first goal that was pretty soft, Crawford make a highlight reel glove save on Mike Fisher in the third period. Nice to see him fight back after a tough first.
- The Hawks finally scored on the powerplay, and my pick to click, InvisiBolly, was the trigger man. Hossa danced around the zone like a magician and faked like he was going to drive hard to the net. Once he did that, Bolland was left wide open for the one timer past Rinne. 2-1 Preds.
- While he didn't stand out, per se, David Bolland showed that he CAN be a top 6 guy with the Hawks only goal, on the powerplay, and winning an unbelievable 17 of 20 faceoffs. This was a promising sign in an otherwise shitty game. It's time for him to become that second line center, and save his GM a boatload of cabbage.
- Furthermore, All the Hawks centers won 50% or more of their faceoffs. Good, no?
- Marian Hossa was a beast the entire game. Period!
- As luck would have it, when the Hawks open up with energy and don't finish, Craig Smith jumped on an O'Donnell Sean turnover and scored a fairly soft goal. Crawford was screened on the shot, but the shot was low and to his stick side, which he was favoring already. Huge momentum grabber.
- Just previous to the second goal, Crawford had trouble with yet another long dump in. He stopped it, but didn't seem to know what to do with it as it lay on the ice right in front of him, which led to puck almost ending up on a Preds stick. After a short panic scene, the puck was controlled by the Hawks, but it made everyone's blood pressure rise.
- Mike Fisher made it 2-0 when Nick Leddy did a little deju vu move from Saturday night, and turned the puck over to Hornqvist, again. Hornqvist was able to nicely kick it out in front to a wide open Fisher, who beat Crawford. Pirri got caught in the corner, Lurch got caught behind the net looking for the pass, and Crawford looked unsure whether dive out at Fisher or stand his ground which is how Fisher ended up so wide open. Crawford showed a rare case frustration, after the goal, by two handing the crossbar with a $200 stick. I can't blame him, because he got handcuffed, and the defense let him down, as well.
- The obligatory shorthanded chance against came on the second period Hawks powerplay, when Leddy was caught deep and Halischuk raced in on Crawford. Luckily, Leddy's speed allowed him to catch Halischuk and was able to tie up his stick, cleanly, from behind.
- Right when the Hawks had all the momentum and caught some luck, they were slapped with one of these lovely penalties below, to kill all chances and momentum for the Hawks.
- Colin Wilson drove a Chelsea Dagger in the Hawks chances with an empty netter to finish the game.
- I don't get bringing Ben Smith up for 4:47 of ice time. While he's not the messiah, he has a place. The Hawks weren't killing penalties all game, and Smith is much better than the John Scott treatment. What gives?
- Our good friend Lurch opened up the game a lovely minus 2. He got a little better as the game went on, but the first goal was a direct result of his turnover. Take note, Stan.
- Once again, a fight bites the Hawks in the ass. Montador and Yip decided to scuffle in the second period, which is all good and well, but the Hawks had a 2-on-1 at the time. Scoring chance averted. Can they just scratch fighting off the list for good? More often than not, the fights turn momentum in favor of the opposing team, or the Hawks get caught for some stupid instigation penalty.
