They've been here before, and they have conquered. After the announcement of the Raffi Torres 25 game suspension, the Blackhawks had bigger fish to fry. They were in Phoenix and facing elimination, after 4 straight overtime games. What more needs to be said? They Hawks had to win three straight games against a team that they were having a very difficult time against. Would this be the last game of the Hawks season, or would they live to see Monday night back in Chicago?
The first period of the game, Saturday night, was largely in the favor of the Blackhawks, but unfortunately, they weren't able to take advantage of it. They out shot the Coyotes 12-4, and had nothing to show for it. Not always a good sign, because the Coyotes can wear you down. The second period was a bit of a different story. The Coyotes took the lead on 10 shots, while the Hawks were, again, shutout on 10 more shots. The Hawks were going to be playing for their playoff lives in the third period. The Hawks actually tied the game up, in the third period, out shooting the Coyotes 12-4. 5 games, 5 overtimes. Thank god that this time the Hawks were able to eek this one out to force a game 6.
- Quenneville shook the lineup up, to start. Bickell was playing with the top line, Hayes was playing with the second line, and Morrison was playing with the third line. Lepisto was in the lineup, as well.
- Whatever Michael Frolik is doing lately, I like it. He has looked like the fastest player on the ice for the three games he's played. It would have been nice enough to see this Frolik in the first 84 games. Three points in three playoff games is something to great to see.
- The Hawks PK was stellar. They managed a few chances and held the Yotes to a handful of chances. The Hawks won the game because their PK was on fire.
- Halfway through the third period, Nick Leddy blew a puck on edge past Smith, using some Coyotes defenders and Bolly as screens. Frolik and rookie Brandon Saad both got assists. Nice to see some life out of the Blackhawks who were about to have only 10 minutes left in their season.
- Just 2:44 into overtime, El Capitan whipped out his big boy balls, and slapped them on Mike Smith's chin. Toews won the faceoff, controlled the puck, and then whipped a sick wrister past Smith for the game winner. Hawks win 2-1.
- After having some TERRIBLE games, the pair of Oduya and Leddy were a combined plus 4 for the game.
- Looks as though the Hawks did just fine without the hammer throwin Brandon Bollig out there. No one murdered any Hawks players. No one took cheap shots. Lets keep this up, eh?
- How long have we all been screaming about Duncan Keith blindly blasting shots into defenders shin guards? Is no one in the organization pointing this out to him? What the fuck good are you when you can't get a shot off?
- The Hawks did great to out shoot the Yotes 38-19, but they still fail to get the QUALITY chances.
- Once again the Hawks were grossly out blocked, 29-9. Like I said last game, if they even get a third of those through, they have almost 50 shots on net.
- The Hawks were average, as a team, at the dots. Toews and Kruger were pretty good, but Bolland was anally probed and ridden like a mule all night.
- The Coyotes took advantage of an awful third defensive pairing play. Hammer got caught pinching, Lepisto was left hung out to dry, and none of the forwards (Brunette, Hayes, Kruger) rotated back. Lepisto was caught in no mans land, and three Coyotes forwards were bearing down on him. The puck was chipped to the off winger, Brule, who raced in and beat Crawford, short side. 1-0 Coyotes.
- Vik Stalberg reverted back to the dipshit we saw at the beginning of the season, taking 4 penalties in the game. None of them ended up in the back of the net, but any momentum the Hawks were able to muster was halted, because they were on the PK. Four penalties by one forward is just too fucking much. Stalberg has no points, minus 1, and 8 PIMs. That has to be better.
