The Blackhawks were in Boston for an early 6pm game, Thursday night against the struggling Bruins. For the Bruins, Lurch Chara returned to the lineup, after missing 19 games. The Blackhawks were enjoying the second game back from one of their leaders, in Patrick Sharp.
You wouldn't know it statistically, but even though the Blackhawks were out shot 14-12 in the opening period, they went into the intermission leading 2-0. The Bruins even won 15 of 24 faceoffs, which also turned out to be an anomaly. Up 2-0 early, on the road. More please.
Speaking of anomalies, the second period was just that. The Blackhawks were dominated for a good majority of the play but somehow, someway, they came away with a 1-1 tie for the period. It was so bad that they only had one shot on net for the first half of the period, and didn't get a single shot on net for a 5-on3 powerplay. If not for the several Blackhawks power plays, they may have been out shot by even more than the 10-7 margin that they were.
The third period was more of the Bruins domination. They out scored the Blackhawks 1-0, and out shot them 10-2. When the final horn blew, the Blackhawks narrowly escaped Boston with a 3-2 win. Getting out shot 34-21 and winning is barely getting out alive.
- Ben Smith put the Blackhawks up 2-0 in the final minutes of the first period with the Bruins running around in their own zone. This was shortly after Smith set up rookie Klas Dahlbeck for his first NHL goal. Can't really complain about a 2-0 lead after one period.
- After the total shit show the Blackhawks put on in the previous 13:30 of the second period, the Bruins defense once again coughed up the puck like a hair ball, and "Vezina Trophy Winner" Tuukka Rask took himself out of the play quickly. Chris Kelly did his best to stand in behind Rask, but Kane found some daylight and put the Blackhawks up 3-0.
- Scott Darling had a strong 32 save effort. I was saying all day that if the Blackhawks are so in love with him, keep him. Dump Raanta in Rockford and just move on.
- After a terrible first half of the middle period, the Blackhawks football fucked their way through three powerplays eventually taking a penalty of their own. The Clownshoes powerplay is back.
- The Bruins were finally able to beat Scott Darling on a slick play by little douche face Brad Marchand. Marchand looked like he was going behind the net with the puck but instead he banked the puck off the net perfectly to Reilly Smith, who had time to beat a surprised Darling.
- With just over 7 minutes left in the third period Milan Lucic looked to be snuffed out by Roszival and Dahlbeck on a bull rush up the ice, but somehow was able to hit a streaking Torey Krug to beat Darling. After the play Shaw managed to lay a big hit on Lucic, late albeit. All hell broke loose with the clutching, grabbing and hugging, until Chris Kelly and Shaw had their little slap-n-tickle.
- With their top faceoff guy out and another one in the box for 5 minutes, the Hawks were pretty powerless. It showed. 41% was not good at all. Bergeron was an absolute beast, winning 22 of 30.
- I didn't know who Seth Griffith was before this game, but god damn he's terrible.
- Gorilla Salad tried to sucker Brad Marchand into a fight, mid second period, and Marchand had no interest past yapping like a little girl.
- Dennis Seidenberg damn near killed Jonathan Toews behind the Bruins net, earning himself a boarding call. I was one of the many Chicago fans holding their breath. The league will take a look at that one. I don't know that he was trying to do what happened, but he was careless. Toews played another shift or two, but then disappeared into the locker room, never to return. Call me a conspiracy theorist but I feel like the Blackhawks might have kept Toews out to also shine more of a light on the hit. We all know that dangerous hits resulting in injuries incur more wrath from the league office.
- With Toews out and Shaw playing with his head up his ass, the Blackhawks were left with Kruger and Ben Smith as their only centers, and I use that term loosely for Smith.
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