Sorry for the late recaps. I was playing a little puck myself in wonderful Grand Rapids Michigan, where the Detoilet fans are delusional as ever. 2008, guys. That's the last time the Wings were relevant. Since then, the Hawks have 2 cups. LET. IT. GO.
- The Hawks went down 1-0 early in the first and never looked back, scoring 5 unanswered goals.
- the Hjalmarsson goal was a fucking laser beam, and it was all made possible by a nice Marcus Kruger offensive zone faceoff win. Funny how that works.
- Cleanly shaven Brandon Bollig put all us haters who said he has no talent to shame. He rushed up the ice on a 2-on-1 with Kruger and undressed Pavelec with a great snapshot. Even I can admit that it was impressive. Maybe he'll prove to be a worthy player after all. He later assisted on a nice deflection goal by Ben Smith. This 4th line is coming together. Bollig had a goal, an assist, a penalty and a plus 3. Almost a Gordie Howe Hatty.
- Crazy 8s was given a penalty shot against Montoya, and had him beat with a sweet backhand shot, but hit the iron.
- After the first goal, which wasn't his fault, Crawford was excellent. For all the hate directed his way, his good performances need to be pointed out.
- Barely, but the Hawks were over 50% at the dots. Kruger led the way with 73%, surprisingly, while Pirri and Shaw got pistol whipped into the 30s.
- Rookie Reto Berra made his NHL debut for the Flames, and was outstanding. This kid looks like he's going to be a player.
- for the second game in a row there was a penalty shot. This time it was TJ Galiardi against Crawford. Galiardi missed the net, but I can't ever remember back to back games with penalty shots.
- Kane put on a puckhandling clinic for his first goal. The kid is just plain dangerous with the puck on his stick.
- Of course, less than a minute after the Kane goal, Hjalmarsson left Mike Cammalleri in front of Crawford all alone. I'm not sure exactly just what the hell he was doing, because there was no one else anywhere near the Hawks half of the ice. He watched Cammalleri tip Wideman's long shot right past Crawford. Not much a goalie can do in that situation. Nice time to have a brain fart, Hammer.
- Curtis Glencross took advantage of Brookbank's lead skates and was able to separate himself enough to speed up the left wing after a long Bulter breakout pass, and beat Crawford cleanly, early in the third.
- Hossa and Kane tied the game up late, on a Blackhawks powerplay. Kane held onto the puck long enough for Hossa to set up for a one timer about 5 feet away. That was enough to get Berra off his angle and tie the game.
- The overtime winner was a TERRIBLE goal for Crawford to give up. Kris Russell just unleashed a 55 foot slapshot from the blue line, with no one in front of the net. Crawford just whiffed. Just bad timing for an awful goal.
- The Hawks were actually up of 60 percent at the dots; Yes SIXTY! This was with Pirri only winning 2 of 10 faceoffs. Kruger was big, again, winning 9 of 13. El Capitan and Shaw were both at 67%.
- The fact that J-Moe has been logging the least amount of ice time shows that Bollig has moved up the depth chart. Not sure what that means for Morin, though.
- The Hawks also out hit and out shot the Flames. Clearly the win was a fluke, but those nights happen. A point is a point.
- The entire shift of Toews, Kane and Sharp was dominating just previous to the first goal by El Capitan. They had the puck on a string, with behind the back passes and great stick work by Jonny B Goode. By the time the puck was in the net, it just wasn't fair. The play looked like a bunch of adults toying with a midget team.
- Kane followed up with another puck control clinic just two minutes after the Toews goal. When you leave Patrick Kane between the dots, deep in your zone, he's going to eat you alive. Dinner is served, Mr. Kane.
- Ben Smith made a nice steal in the neutral zone and fed Brandon Pirri for a breakaway goal, late in the second period. Credit Smith with getting his head up and finding Pirri across the ice, quickly.
- Shooter McSharpie found a loose puck deep in the Jets zone after a failed attempt to get the puck out, four minutes into the third, and snapped the puck over Montoya for a 4-0 Hawks lead.
- We couldn't count on the Hawks to pay attention long enough in a 4-0 game to get Crawford a shutout. Setoguchi stole it from him midway through the third period. Crawford kicked the rebound out to his right, and Setoguchi jumped on it, before Seabrook could get to him. MEH!
- Bollig continued to make himself get noticed for positive reasons. Late in the third he put Adam Pardy THROUGH the glass in the Jets zone.
- Two games in a row that the Hawks were 60% or better at the dots. Yanic Perreault is doing something right. Give that man a raise and an extension. Captain Serious was EIGHTY EIGHT percent.
- Buff, Ladd, Wheeler and Little were all minus THREE on the night. Woof!
- The Stars actually went up 2-1 in the second after Jamie Benn hit Tyler Seguin, with a wide open net in front of him. Then the Hawks decided to show up.
- The Hawks took the lead, in the powerplay, very late in the second and never looked back. Shaw has proven to be a huge part of this team, and helped set up the goal with a nice touch pass to Kane for the goal. A few minutes later, he sent Kane in on a break-a-away.
- Shooter's persistence along the boards got the puck loose to Hoss for a break-a-way goal with a minute and a half left in the third period, which iced the game. Clutch.
- The Hawks continued to be at, or over, 50% at the dots.
- They Hawks were outshot on the road, by three, and won by 3. I'll take it.