The Blackhawks were in the middle of another feel good media story, Saturday night, when they visited Toronto to face the Leafs. Trevor van Riemsdyk faced brother, James, for the first time in the NHL, which was the subject of every interview before the game. To make the story of the game a little thicker, James was facing the one player that was selected #1 before him in the 2007 draft; another American born player named Patrick Kane. The Blackhawks clearly made the right choice.
On to the game, the the First period was a little sloppy and no without scoring. Each team managed a goal, while each team had 10 shots on net. The Blackhawks didn't quite have the jump or the advantage one might expect against a team that was playing an early game on the ass end of a back to back.
The second period was basically identical to the first with both teams scoring goals. The Blackhawks out shot the Leafs by a single shot, 11-10, which set up the two clubs for a tight third period.
The third period was all Blackhawks, except for goals. They out shot the Leafs 26-7 for the last twenty minutes but couldn't manage a goal, while the Leafs were able to score the game winner. Another goalie win against the Blackhawks.
- Just moments into the game and Patrick Kane had set up TVR for a prime chance at his first goal, against his brother's team. The story would have been magnificent, but it was not to be.
- About 2 minutes after the Kadri goal, Brad Richards took, what seemed like, 20 seconds that the Leafs PK team gave him as well as an 8 foot cushion and just blasted a clapper from the top of the circle by Reimer's blocker, tying the game up. Nothing fancy, but the job was accomplished. Did I mention it was on the powerplay?
- With just under 5 minutes gone in the second period, the Blackhawks got a fortunate powerplay against Tyler Bozak. After a little fiddling around, Brent Seabrook got a pass in his wheelhouse and beat Reimer with a long clapper from the point.
- The game wasn't even three minutes old and the Blackhawks were already killing a terrible penalty call, against Bryan Bickell.
- With about 5 minute left in the first period Nazem Kadri took advantage of what looked like an offsides play and ended up wide open on the back door. Andrew Shaw did his best to not help Duncan Keith or Brent Seabrook, coasting back and tying absolutely no one up.
- When all was said and done it was the James Gang, Reimer and van Riemsdyk, that were the downfall of the Blackhawks.
- Just 64 seconds after Seabrook took the lead for the Hawks, Johnny Oduya got stuck out on the ice with Roszival and played a full shift of suck by osmosis. Oduya sent a pass right to the tape of James van Riemsdyk who torched a surprised Crawford, to tie the game back up. That was just sloppy as hell.
- Very late in second period, Nik Hjalmarsson took a deflected pass off the noggin which led to a lot of blood. He nly ended up missing one shift, like the warrior he has turned out to be. As if his night wasn't bad enough, he took a shot on the PK thet left him limping off the ice.
- Just over 2 minutes into the third period, the Blackhawks got caught being lackadaisical deep in their own zone. Oduya was knocked off the puck behind the net and it was passed out to a wide open Holland in the slot. The bad puck control aside, Crawford should have stopped the shot. He got a piece of it, but it dribbled into the net.
- Just a few games previous, Andrew Shaw was called for embellishment. This game, Stephane Robidais took a brutal dive to cancel out a Blackhawks powerplay, and no call.
Kane-Shaw-sharp
Morin-Richards-Bickell
Saad-Kruger-Smith
Keith-Seabrook
Oduya-Hjalmarsson
van Reimsdyk-Roszival
