After spending a balmy week in Orlando Florida, it was time pull up my big boy pants and gear up for a Blackhawks playoff run, that starts against the Boston Bruins. Quenneville had a present for my comeback on "Hockey Day in America".
The Blackhawks came out a little flat in the first period, but that could have had something to do with the wild line combinations. Before the Blackhawks knew it, they were down 1-0. It didn't help their effort any, when they gave up a powerplay goal with about 6 minutes remaining. Luckily for the Blackhawks, they drew a late powerplay and were able to capitalize. After all the bull, the Blackhawks even led in shots 12-8.
The Blackhawks came out in the second period with a bit of a flame under their asses. For about 3 minutes. Then the bottom fell out of the game. The Bruins scored four fairly soft goals on 16 shots. This period was a complete nightmare, and the game was over after 40 minutes.
The third period was just a mere formality, with the Bruins just trying to get out of the building with no injuries and the Blackhawks getting thoroughly embarrassed in national TV.
- A Tuuka Rask penalty for handling the puck in the restricted area very last in the first period turned into a quick Jonathan Toews goal, on a feed from Patrick Kane. The biggest part of the play was Rask throwing a tantrum after the goal, trying to break his stick on the post and whacking Versteeg, which drew another powerplay for the Blackhawks.
- Patrice Bergeron opened the scoring for the Bruins. Reilly Smith held on to the puck long enough for Bergeron to get in behind Michal Rozsival, and one time the puck past Crawford. I'm getting so tired of Rozsival being in the middle of scoring plays against the Blackhawks. WHY is he playing 1st pair?
- The Bruins took a 2-0 lead late in the first period on the powerplay. Loui Eriksson tipped a Torey Krug snap shot from the high circle, just inside the far post and past Crawford.
- The Bruins went up 3-1 with the duo of Hjalmarsson, and our favorite old nag, Michal Rozsival staring at his skate. Milan Lucic knifed right up the slot and just whacked the puck past Crawford. Thanks for the help, Defense.
- By the time the Bruins scored their 4th goal, Crawford was just getting eaten alive. Gregory Campbell found the soft spot in the high slot and let a long wrist shot go. Crawford 100% should have stopped it. Not that the team around him was helping him any, but Quenneville was justified in pulling Crawford.
- Yeah, Bryan Bickell scored a late Blackhawks goal....so what? No one was there to see it, and the Bruins were just looking to get out of the building without any injuries.
- Anyone see Patrick Sharp doing anything out there? I sure didn't. Time for the "A" to step up. Everyone is opening their fat cake holes about Crawford's $6 million salary, but what about Sharp? He has been dropped to the 3rd line AGAIN. That is a $12 MILLION THIRD LINE!!
- Same goes for Brad Richards. Did he even dress? This is what they acquired him for, and he has been invisible.
- The lineblender. Look at those stupid line combinations below. WHAT was Quenneville doing?
- Versteeg had a shorthanded break-a-way late in the first that he wasn't able to capitalize on, and shortly thereafter the Bruins took a 2-0 lead. Two goal swing, and pretty much the game.
- Johnny Oduya was hurt in the first period. That's just lovely, with an already shitty bottom 3. This is clearly a BIG problem.
- Gorilla Salad and Adam McQuaid was a joke.The only good part was that Carcillo actually stayed standing while he ate fists.
- Shortly (very shortly) after Ryan Hartman and Dan Carcillo took a couple of douche face penalties, Dougie Hamilton snapped a long wrist shot past Raanta to take a 5-1 Bruins lead. But lets all blame Crawford, stupid assholes.
- AND then two minutes later Raanta gave up another woofer which, of course, is Corey Crawford's fault. Don't point the finger at the terrible fucking defense. Assholes.
- I spent a majority of the third period explaining how trading your #1 goalie in the second half of your season will never equal a Stanley Cup. That is the level of stupidity this game smoked out.
- The Blackhawks got their balls chopped at the dots, winning only 41%.
Bickell-Toews-Hossa
Versteeg-Kruger-Kane
Carcillo-Richards-Sharp
Saad-Shaw-Hartman
Keith-Rozsival
Seabrook-Hjalmarsson
Oduya-Rundblad
