Money don't grow on trees
I got bills to pay
I got mouths to feed
There ain't nothing in this world for free
After running the fuck over the Red Wings Sunday afternoon, and trading for Michal Handzus Monday afternoon, the Hawks were back home last night to face the disappointing Preds and their 5-11-3 road record. Lets get right to it....Live from the United Center in Chicago, it's the Blackhawks and the Preds.
The first period was about as exciting as one could expect from a Hawks/Preds game. Surprisingly enough, the Hawks took a late 1st period lead on their 9 shots. The Preds weren't so lucky, with only 7 shots of their own.
The Hawks opened it up a bit in the second period, and out shot the Preds a whopping 18-4. They only managed one goal, but the percentages were with them. If they could keep up the momentum in the third, this would be a healthy win.
The Hawks came out in the third period and out shot the Hawks 15-8, and scored two goals, to tie the game up. Just another game where the Hawks failed to close out a team. They weren't able to put the Preds to bed in overtime, either,so the extra point was decided in another one of those stupid shootouts.
- With eleven seconds left in the first period, Brandon Saad continued his blazing hot play and used a lucky bounce off Blum's skate to grab a Blackhawks lead. El Capitan won the faceoff back to Hjalmarsson, who found a wide open Saad along the right boards. He tried to hit Toews with a pass in front, but the puck went off the Preds defender's skate and past Rinne. Works for me.
- After Patric Hornqvist negated a Preds powerplay with a 4 minute double minor for high sticking Hjalmarsson, Crazy 8s used the open ice of the 4-on-4 play to work himself into a 2-on-1 with El Capitan. Kane had no pass so he took the shot himself and beat Rinne for a 2-0 lead. You can't leave a sniper like Kane that kind of time alone with your goalie.
- Minus the Purple Hayes center ice experiment, all of the Hawks centers were at 50%, or above, at the dots. Of course, the Bolland numbers were only for one period, and I'm certain he would have found a way to fuck those up. Even with Hayes, the team was at 60%, thanks to El Capitan's clownish 77%
- We really can't ask for anything more than a 40 to 27 shot advantage. More times than not, that will lead to a win by the good guys. Even with a 15 shot third period, the Preds only managed 27 total shots.
- Bolland was hurt in the first period and missed significant time. Toews took an elbow to the face, and Kane took what looked like an elbow to the head. It was a rough night for the Hawks.
- With Bolland hurt, Jimmy Hayes got some shifts at center, and they did NOT go well. He was a big contributor on the second Preds goal, and was a paltry 1-for-4 at the dots. Great time for Handzus to show up, eh? Just too bad he's not a second line Center. His minus 2 would support that.
- The Preds tied the game up after Jimmy Hayes failed to get the puck out of the Hawks zone, and Taylor Beck ended up wide open with the puck on his stick. Beck had to delay because he had to gain control the puck and that threw Crawford's timing off. Crawford made the save, on his side, but the puck slipped away and barely slipped into the net. All this was as a result of the handy momentum change that swung when Crawford gave up the first terrible goal.
- The first Hawks powerplay didn't result in a goal, but it's the most consistant pressure we've seen from a Hawks powerplay in a long time. Amazing what happens when you actually move your feet instead of standing still and playing catch. Unfortunately, they missed a prime chance to put the Preds away with an extended powerplay in the second.
- Crawford was very late coving a puck that slowly rolled in on him, in the third period. When he finally did cover, Legwand was able to meet him and poke it past Crawford. The puck embarrassingly dribbled into the net. Queue comeback in 3, 2...
I'm not really sure just what the hell Crawford was thinking, but it cost him big time and almost cost the Hawks the extra point. Tighten up. It's making the routine plays consistently that will make him a high end starter. That was a routine play that he completely muffed. - TEN hits for Shea Weber and 8 hits for RICH FUCKING CLUNE? How is that even accurate? I barely noticed the guys, and the stats people "claim" they had 18 hits between them. That stat is so fucking ridiculous and subjective.
- Speaking of ugly, am I the only one that noticed that Brandon Yip and Victor Bartley look disturbingly similar?
- El Capitan juked the hell out of Rinne.
- Hornqvist shot wide.
- Crazy 8s came in slow and was stopped by a Rinne toe.
- Smith beat Crawford with a backhand.
- Shock-n-Shaw couldn't get past Rinne.
- Legwand stopped by Crawford.
- Saad lost the puck after going wide.
- Crawford waited out Kostitsyn.
- Rozsival beat Rinne on the backhand.
- Crawford got a piece of the Beck shot.