Game 6 in Detoilet with the season on the line. We all know how the Blackhawks got here. Here is what went down:
The Hawks looked a lot like the Hawks of games 1 and 5 as play started, Monday night. The shots were even at 10-10 and the Hawks had an early powerplay goal, but Detoilet was able to tie the game late very late in the period.
The second period was owned by the Wings. They out shot the Hawks 18-10 and had the only goal of the middle twenty. This left the Blackhawks with 20 minutes left in their season. How would they respond?
Te answer the previous question, the third period was all Blackhawks. Even though they were out shot 10-8, they scored three goals to the Wings one, and forced the series back to Chicago for game 7. Playoff hockey, baby!! If you're not bordering on a full Myocardial Infarction, you're not breathing.
I'm not predicting ANYTHING, and my optimism will stay VERY guarded. Wednesday will be a nervous night in the Puckin Household. The Vancouver series a few years ago (Fucking Chris Stromboli) taught me not to get ahead of myself, but the odds are favoring the Hawks.
- It didn't take long for the Blackhawks to take a 1-0 lead, with a Brendan Smith (aka The Whipping Boy) penalty led to a Marian Hossa goal. El Capitan took the puck from behind the goal line right to the net, with all hell broke loose in front. Hoss was the one who finally put it into the net and after a delay from the booth in Toronto, it was confirmed. Imagine the powerplay being a huge part of a playoff win. Shocking, I know.
- The Hawks didn't take long in the third period, to tie the game up. Just a minute into the period an Oduya keep in and a Hjalmarsson corner dig out, ended up on the stick of Handzus. Zus waited Howard out and surgically beat him stick side. The play was set up by The Whipping Boy being out of position again. Brendan Smith stupidly got mesmerized by the puck like a Labrador chasing a squirrel and chased it into the corner, leaving Handzus wide open.
- Four minutes after the Handzus goal, Toews looked to get away with an offsides play that eventually ended up in the Wings corner. Toews dug the puck out and fed Bickell, who had position on The Whipping Boy. Howard made the first save, but Bickell poked the rebound in around Howward's leg, for a Blackhawks lead. After further examination by Pierre McGuire, the play wasn't offsides because the Ginger Jack Ass brought the puck back into the zone himself.
- The Hawks kept pouring it on about half way though the third period. Frolik out raced Carlo Colaiacovo and was in on a breakaway, when Colaiacovo slashed him and drew a penalty shot. Frodo took full advantage of Howard's bad positioning on the penalty shot and beat him on a backhand high to Howards glove side. 4-2 Hawks. Detoilet fans and Mike Milbury can bitch all they want about the call, but these are today's NHL rules. Slash a guy on the hands from behind on a breakaway and you'll get called.
- I would have never guessed, in twelve parsecs, that Bryan Bickell would become the Blackhawks John Druce, yet here we are. One Trick Bick has taken all of my shaming to heart. He's hitting people, and making shit happen in front of the net. He's a man possessed.
- Yes, Crawford gave up a total woofer of a goal, that put the Wings up 2-1, BUT he also made up for it with SEVERAL huge saves. 35 saves in nothing to bark at.
- With the first period closing, the Blackhawks Dave Bolland failed to get the puck out of the zone and Detoilet capitalized. The Whipping Boy was able to direct the puck along the boards to the 150 year old Drew Miller (or he just looks that way), who just sent it on net. Crawford made the initial save but Eaves scooped up the rebound and put it around Crawford, to tie up the game. That's not good for my acute angina
- Everyone takes a turn to be stuck on stupid for the Blackhawks, and this time it was Michal Roszival. Two dumb second period penalties didn't help the Hawks effort. Keep playing with penalty kill fire and they will get burned.
- With about 4 minutes remaining, El Capitan was sent in by a Hjalmarsson stretch pass for a breakaway and missed. He is clearly off his game because he doesn't miss those. Those are usually money.
- After a stupid Marian Hossa penalty late in the third period, the Wings dug a loose puck out of the Hawks corner and a long Brunner slapshot ended up beating Crawford with 51.7 seconds remaining. Just had to make it interesting, Hoss, didn't you? 4-3 Hawks.
- Dream Warrior and Lucky Number Sleven were both minus two. How does that even happen in a game that you score 4 goals and win?
- Stalberg still hasn't made it out of Chateau Bow Wow, because he only played 7:35. By far the least time by any Hawks player.
- I never thought I'd say that a bad El Capitan penalty changed momentum, but that's exactly what happened. It's almost like the Hawks collectively all thought, "not again". They finally shook off the stink off in the third period, but it took quite a while.
- I can't express how annoying it is to watch Duncan Keith blindly shoot into opponents shin pads. It's like he's oblivious to the previous 1,000 times he's done it. Wake up and adjust, already!
- Crawford picked a terrible time to give up a weak goal. Half way through the second period he let up a 45 footer to forth liner Joakim Andersson (who coincidentally won 8 of 9 faceoffs against Hawks centers). It was just a wrist shot that Crawford just completely whiffed on. Complete woofer of a goal. If there is one think I've learned as a goalie it's that you should never trust your glove alone, on a long shot. If you get your body/head/weenis in the way and you miss with the flipper, you still block it. We can all let him slide based on his followup performance, but I hope Stephane Waite is beating this into his head with a mallet.
- If you can imagine, the Hawks were even worse than past games at the dots. They were 39% AS A TEAM. El Capitan was the only Hawks center than even sniffed 50%. It's really amazing the Hawks managed 4 goals, when they were that awful.
- The Whipping Boy, Brendan Smith. The guy was in on almost every goal against. Hilarious. I'd like to find that guy on Twitter who was yapping at me about Smith during game 2. How's your boy treating you now? Somewhere, Ben Smith is laughing his ass off.
Mighty Mike D from Cheer The Anthem gets the credit for the mash, and the #GorillaSalad reference is genius. I'm just mad I didn't do this first.