The Blackhawks finally made it back to the wintery midwest, after a sunny west coast trip ending in Vegas, and that Vegas visit showed in their performance, especially in the second period. The Blackhawks were not only coming off a, most likely, drunken Vegas visit but a mediocre west coast swing. The Blackhawks were able to hold off the Ducks, but they dropped games to the Kings and Sharks. This one SHOULD have been a slam dunk, but the Minnesota Wild had other plans.
As I just mentioned, the Blackhawks laid an enormous egg in the first ten minutes of the first period. They gave up two goals, and looked generally hungover. It's a miracle that the Blackhawks weren't out shot worse than they actually were, at 11-9 clip. Putting yourself in a 0-2 hole, on the road, isn't a smart idea, no matter WHO you are playing.
The second period was even worse than the first for the Blackhawks. The came out and gave up a Wild franchise record 24 shots, all while throwing only 5 shots at the Wild. The Hawks were really lucky that they didn't give up 2 or 3 goals, in the middle 20, but they were only down 3-0.
There wasn't much the Blackhawks could do in the third the way they were so severely out played in the first two periods. They were in too deep of a hole, and they just has no motivation or jump in their game. There are games when the losing team has a chance to come back and then there are games like this.
- David Rundblad. Funny how a player can develop when you give him some actual real NHL opportunities, not just 3rd pair mop up bullshit work. Maybe Quenneville should write this down in his crusty old angry coach handbook because he is going to need more players like this in about 6 months.
- Normally, giving up three goals isn't something good, but Crawford kept the game from turning into a 6-0 game. By all means, let's all keep blaming him for their, now, 6 goalless periods.
- Roughly seven minutes into the game, the Wild took a 1-0 lead. Crawford made the first few saves, but the defense couldn't clear the rebounds. Mikko Koivu was able to locate the loose puck in the slot and shovel it past Crawford for a 1-0 Wild lead.
- Not even two and a half minutes after the Koivu goal, Marco Scandella found Jason Zucker sneaking in behind Duncan Keith, and sprung him in on a breakaway. Zucker made a nice move and beat Crawford for a 2-0 Wild lead, just 10 minutes into this game. The funny part was the broadcast team, blaming Ben Smith for not dumping the puck in deep enough, and completely absolving Keith. Wake the fuck up, Jammer.
- Someone want to tell me where the hell Brad Richards has disappeared to?
- The Hawks were schooled at the dots, once again, 45% to 55%. Sharp and Shaw were a combined 3 for 14.
- The Blackhawks were shutout for the first time in back to back games since 2006.
- With about five minutes remaining in the second period, after blowing a powerplay and nearly giving up two shorthanded goals, the Blackhawks defense finally broke....again. Quenneville put Oduya and Rozsival out to finish the powerplay and it turned into a 5-alarm barn fire, in about 15 seconds. Rozsival turned the puck over at the Wild blue line and the play ended with Mikael Granlund driving a heavy one timer past Crawford. We can't break this play down without mentioning Rozsival handing the puck over to Zach Parise on the half boards, uncontested.
- The Blackhawks got a late second period powerplay and it lasted about twenty seconds before Andrew Shaw took a completely idiotic penalty for interference. By all means keep putting him out there in crucial powerplay situations though. Brainless Twit.
- The Blackhawks giving up a WILD FRANCHISE RECORD 24 shots in the second period. The final count was 43-24.
Saad-Toews-Hossa
Sharp-Richards-Kane
Shaw-Teravainen-Bickell
Smith-Kruger-Nordstrom
Keith-Rundblad
Seabrook-Hjalmarsson
Oduya-Roszival