The Blackhawks were in Minny-haha Friday night trying to take a 3-1 series lead back to West Madison Street. The Blackhawks were without Andrew Shaw once again, who was out with alleged leg injury. Hawks Coach Quenneville scratched Kris Versteeg, while dressing both Jeremy Morin and Joakim Nordstrom.
The first period was even on the scoreboard at 1-1, but the Blackhawks only managed fur shots on net to seven Wild shots. The second was no better for the Blackhawks, as they were out shot 18-9 and out scored 2-1. Once again, the Hawks were left with a deficit in the third period, and were not able to come back. When all was said and done, the Blackhawks lost 4-2 and were out shot pretty convincingly, 31-20.
Next game is at the United Center Sunday night at 8pm.
- Patrick Sharp finally broke his goal drought with a first period goal, to tie the game at one with 40 seconds remaining in the first period. Even though he scored, it wasn't really a vintage Sharpie goal he rushed up the boards and banked the puck off Bryzgalov. I'll take the goal, but something still seems wrong with Sharp. He had a breakaway in the second period that would have tied the game and couldn't beat Bryzgalov.
- Even after all the BS of the Wild scoring a pretty soft second goal to go up 2-1 the Blackhawks battled back with Handzus tipping a long point shot from Seabrook just enough to beat Bryzgalov, and tie the game.
- Morin did have a penalty, but he also had a great chance on a Bryan Bickell set up. Bryzgalov made the save, but Morin was in position, driving the net, and engaged. More than we can say for Versteeg, well, ever.
- Everybody's idiot hero, Brandon Bollig, took a stupid penalty for checking from behind. Absolutely no need for that in his 4:44 of ice time. When are we going to finally relize that he's bringing NOTHING to this team in the playoffs?
- Hjalmarsson and Kruger hurt in the second period, but both returned for the third period. Kruger actually looked like he was more seriously hurt, but apparently wasn't.
- Following a Michal Rozsival penalty for closing the hand on the puck, the Wild put he nail in the Blackhawks coffin with a powerplay goal. Kruger had actually played the pass well, but Koivu was able to get the pass up and over Kruger to Spurgeon, for an easy back door goal.
- Not only were the Hawks grossly out shot but they were beat a the faceoff dots too. Toews was the only Hawks center that could manage to win a faceoff, and in a game where they could have used better possession numbers they were not starting the plays off very well. Mikael Granlund won 8 of 9 faceoffs for the Wild.
- Clayton Stoner and Keith Ballard were minus 2 for Wild. Quenneville needs to exploit that, period.
- According to the stat lines, Duncan Keith had no shots on net and 4 shots blocked. Back to "I love shin pads" Duncan Keith.
- I didn't think he would make a difference, but Matt Cooke had a good game back following his suspension for a knee to knee hit in the previous series. He had an assist, 5 hits, 3 blocked shots and 2 takeaways.
- Hawks turnovers were glaring and plentiful. They started off with a Michal Rozsival turnover deep in the Blackhawks zone that the Wild pounced on and Justin Fontaine snapped from a tight angle past Crawford. when you're running around in your own zone like clowns, some of the last people you want to see defending are Roszival, Leddy, and Handzus. Well, that's exactly what the Wild had.
- Both the second and third Wild goals, just terrible. The second goal, by Pominville, was atrocious but I've certainly been there. Jason Pominville picked up a puck behind the net, that Suter had lost, and banked it off Crawford's skate into the net. The third goal
- The back breaker of the game was the Wild third goal from Nino Niederreiter, just 44 seconds after the Handzus goal tied the game. Niederreiter just skated to Crawford's left, up the wing, and snapped a shot past Crawford, who looked surprised, and off his angle. The Blackhawks were never really the same after that goal.