Just like that, Blackhawks hockey is back. Honestly it's kind of hard to get excited for a preseason game. Even though the first game against Detroit, on Tuesday, was not on TV or proper radio, I'm TOLD it was played. It still amazes me that in this digital age, they can't even manage even an internet video feed. That's not why we're here though. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (because these rosters very vaguely resemble the NHL rosters) made their way to Chicago for an early preseason tilt. Chances of seeing the big name players was pretty slim, especially with the more recent injuries putting players at risk. This was a good chance to see some young and future Blackhawks stars in action. Live from the stadium formerly known as the Madhouse on Madison, it's baby Blackhawks and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pens.
The Blackhawks took a pretty fast 1-0 lead in the first but surrendered two goals, which left them down 2-1 going into middle frame.
Each team scored goals in the second period, which took a 3-2 score into the final 20 minutes.
The Hawks were able to tie the game up late in the third period, and the game ended up going into extra time.
Fans were able to snore through an uneventful overtime, which then led to the ever exciting preseason shootout. The Pens pulled out the extra point, with a 4-3 win, as no Hawks scored on the shootout.
- With just 5 minutes gone in the first period, Drew BlahBlah picked up a turnover, created by Ben Smith deep in the Pens zone, and dished it off to Shooter for a 1-0 Hawks lead. The goal was a result of some terribly sloppy hockey in the Pens end. The Hawks were buzzing in the Pens end for the entire first 5 minutes, and it was just a matter of time before they opened up a lead.
- Adam Clendening looked pretty good quarterbacking the powerplay with Sharp, Kane, Saad, and Bickell. Then again, when you have those guys out out on the ice with you, they can make you look really good.
- Teravainen made a couple of beautiful moves that left the Pens players swiping at air. He is going to be really good some day. Even his shootout move was really nice.
- Agent Smith woke up the UC crowd picking Derrick Pouliot's pocket in the Pens zone, while the Hawks were shorthanded. Smith cut straight to the net and put a nice little move on Vokoun. This brought the Hawks back within one goal, about half way through the second period.
- Once again, I love seeing the Jolly Swede Giant, Viktor Svedberg, playing out there. He didn't look over matched, but Rockford is the best place for him. Nice depth guy with great size.
- With just under 7 minutes left in the game, Brandon Bollig continued his hot play on a feed from this year's first rounder, Ryan Hartman. There was a scrum in front of the net and Vokoun was stuck on the ice. Hartman dug the puck out and shoveled it over to Bollig, who had a fairly open net.
- Ben Smith looks like the new Frolik, as he was thrown out there with Kruger for the PK, and looked very comfortable doing so.
- The Hawks out shot the Pens 33-30, but that's still more shots than they should be allowing. Preseason...meh.
- The Pens took advantage of the Brookbank instigation penalty, and tied the game back up, about halfway through the first period. The Pouliot shot was deflected by the Hawks Svedberg and past Khabibulin. Not much Khabby can really do on that one.
- The Pens took a 2-1 lead with just over 3 minute remaining in the first period. Deryk Engelland rushed up the ice and took a long shot on Khabibulin, but Khabibulin left a juicy rebound. Joe Vitale knocked the rebound into the net, to put the Pens up.
- I'm not going to rag on the powerplay too much, because the lineup was a fraction of the actual players you're going to see on the season opening powerplay.
- Sid Crosby took a Kunitz feed, after a bad Marcus Kruger turnover, and didn't miss a gaping net. Sid's goal gave the Pens a 3-1 lead just a couple of minutes into the second period.
- Johnny Oduya was a Blackhawks low, minus 2, on the night.
- Sheldon Brookbank took exception to a big Robert Bortuzzo hit on Pat Kane, and took few hammers to the dome. Wake me up when it's over.
- Teravainen was the only Hawks center that had a faceoff percentage over 50%. Same old, same old. The Pens Zach Sill clowned the Hawks centers, going 8 of 11 at the dots.
- Kane never really got a shot off, with his slow approach
- Bennett beat Khabby glove side.
- Teuvo was beaten by Vokoun's glove
- Sid Crosby waited too long, and Khabby made the save
- Drew BlahBlah missed the net.
Kane-Teravainen-Bickell
Sharp-Leblanc-Smith
Broadhurst-Saad-Hayes
Bollig-Kruger-Hartman
Oduya-Hjalmarsson
Stanton-Brookbank
Clendening-Svedberg
