Game number 81, and the Hawks headed to cozy Minnesota to complete the ass end of the Home-n-Home. After a shootout loss Sunday night, the Hawks were looking for revenge. With the Hawks weak up the middle, they were in for a tough task. Bolland, and Toews were sitting for the game Thursday night, and Sean O'Donnell was in for Olsen. The Wild had nothing to play for, but they weren't acting like it. They weren't going to roll over and play dead for the Hawks, who could pull within a tie breaker of the Preds, with a win and a Nashville regulation loss.
The first period of the game Thursday night was a complete show of domination for the Blackhawks. They were able to get one goal on 10 shots, while only giving up 3 shots. The second period was a completely different story. The Hawks played with fire, and gave up some great powerplay chances, while looking terrible on their own powerplays. Both teams had 11 shots, and there were no goals. The Wild tied up the game on a late powerplay, and the Hawks managed only one shot in the third period to send the game to OT. Neither team was able to win the game in OT, and the Wild were able to win the game in the shootout.
- While on a delayed penalty in the first period, the the hawks dominated. They held the puck for a good 45 seconds before Harding came up with a big save on Sharpie. One the powerplay, they weren't so successful.
- Michael Frolik, fed MegaMayers for the first goal of the game just over half way through the first period. Mayers won the faceoff which Frolik dragged around the net. As he cleared the net, he turned to send it in front from his forehand. The pass went off a Wild defender and right to Jammer, who fired it low and hard past Harding. 1-0 Hawks.
- The Hawks were actually over 50% at the dots. Kruger and Mayers were good, but Kaner was still low at 33%
- 0-Fer-6 on the PP including a 5 minute one is unacceptable.
- Morrison actually looked like an NHL caliber player, which isn't setting the bar very high.
- The Hawks looked to have gone up 2-0 halfway through the third when Bickell tipped a Hjalmarsson shot past Harding. It originally looked like the call on the ice was goal, and they went to video review, but since the call on the ice was no goal, there wasn't enough evidence to overturn.
- A late Bryan Bickell high sticking penalty resulted in the Wild tying up the game. The powerplay the Wild had earlier in the game had some serious pressure, which made everyone uneasy about this one. Sure enough, Cal Clusterfuck tipped a Marco Scandella slapshot past Crawford. Figures.
- Stalberg had three excellent chances in OT, and missed the net all three times. I keep saying how he needs to learn to really finish. This is a prime example. He had 6 shots on net, and missed at least three in OT. Gripping the stick too tight or something?
- Nate Prosser got tossed for the game from head butting MegaMayers in a late first period scuffle. Of course, the Hawks powerplay is so bad that they couldn't score. Five minutes of fucking off.
- Kaner's move in the Shootout was similar to his crawling move earlier in the year, but he forgot to finish, shooting into right into Harding's glove. Total faceplam.
- Christensen nearly beat Crawford, but it was denied by video review.
- Kaner was stopped by Harding after a fancy move.
- Koivu was poke checked by Crawford
- Sharp lost the puck and didn't get a shot off
- Setoguchi beat Crawford top shelf
- Shockingly, Stalberg missed the net.
