Hotel California was not been good to the Blackhawks, thus far. After a shutout loss the night before to the Kings, the Hawks limped the short trip to the Pond, aka The Honda Center, to take on the suddenly hot Ducks. This would be yet another game without Jonathan Toews, Steve Montador, and Nik Hjalmarsson. Ray Emery was in net, and this could be the last time we see a couple of these players in Hawks uniforms. If Stan grows a set of balls, that is.
The first period of the game, Sunday night, was pretty much all Blackhawks even though they were out shot 11-10. A very late unfortunate goal on a brain fart by the Hawks, tied up the game at 1-1. The second period was very much a Ducks period. They scored one goal on 13 shots, and the Hawks only had 5 shots the entire period. The third period was, again, all Ducks. The Ducks out shot the Hawks 13-4 and shut the Hawks down defensively. A 5-on-3 powerplay goal was all the Ducks needed to close the Hawks down.
- That Hawks scored the first goal of the game, about half way through the first period ON THE POWERPLAY! You read that right. I don't have the words to describe this actual goal, because I haven't seen such a site in in more than a dozen games. Anyhow, it was Kaner that snapped a long shot past Hiller on a screen by Mayers. 1-0 Hawks.
- Of course, the Hawks had three chances to get the puck out of their own zone and failed miserably. Eventually, the puck ended up on net, and the rebound was poked in by Cogliano with 19 seconds to go in the first period. After a LONG look see from the folks in Toronto, it was decided that the kicking motion from Cogliano didn't lead directly to the goal, and that he got a stick on the puck. I agree with their call.
- Nick Leddy went and got his ass rocked by Ryan Getzlaf, in the second period. He might have needed use of the quiet room after that one.
- Leddy wasn't the only one to get rocked, with Marcus Kruger getting rocked twice. Always good for recently concussed players.
- Sheldon Brookbank put the Ducks up 2-1 with just over 7 minutes left in the second period. Hayes screened Emery on the long shot that hit Deuce in the leg and ended up in the net.
- Selanne put the Ducks up 3-1 on a 5-on-3 powerplay, 5 minutes into the third period. At that point the Hawks were out shot 6-0. The Hawks had no life.
- Father Time absolutely murdered the Hawks with a goal, an assist, and 8 shots on net. Some of the Hawks were half his age, and couldn't keep up.
- Towards the end of the second period, Razor took exception to Hagman pitchforking him and threw a few shots at him. I can't say I blame him, becasue I would have done the same thing. Glad to see someone actually had some fight in them, because the rest of the team resembled steaming dog shit.
- When you're out shot 38-19, you're not going to win many games.
