It was Denis Savard bobble head day at the United Center Sunday afternoon for a rivalry game against the very smelly and primitive St. Louis Blues. There were definitley standings position slots at stake with this one. If the Blues won, they could jump the Preds for the division lead, and if the Blackhawks won, they could leapfrog the Blues and tie the Preds. That always makes for a high energy and high intensity game versus the good squad from St. Louis.
The first period was what you would expect from a late season Blues/Hawks game. There were big hits, forces mistakes, quality chances and a fairly low score. The Blackhawks were the only team to score even though they were out shot 16-12.
The second period was turned up yet another notch, with play getting more chippy and physical. The Blues scored two goals to take the lead, despite the Blackhawks out shooting the Blues 16-12. This would have made one expect a brutal third period.
The third was a little more surprising, as far as play went. There were less shenanigans and more clean playoff type play, which didn't end up benefiting the Blackhawks, even though you would think that it would have. There were no goals, and the Hawks out shot the Blues 12-5. When the final horn rang out, the Blues held on to the win and took the division lead.
- After killing off a Corey Crawford delay of game penalty, the Blackhawks took advantage of a Blues turnover. Jonathan Toews took advantage of TJ Oshie rushing to clear the puck and Hossa swooped in to circle back. Hossa got around a defender and hit a wide open Versteeg in front of Allen for a 1-0 Blackhawks lead.
- Crawford deserved better than a loss, here. He kept the game plenty close, and if you score less than 2 goals, don't expect to win.
- Have to give credit where it belongs. #ChicagoWolvesLegendJakeAllen made 38 saves. He's no Brian Elliott; luckily for him.
- Andrew Shaw and Bryan Bickell had another 2-on-0 and AGAIN came away with nothing. The Blues had to be thinking, "Oh shit, those two aren't anything to worry about".
- Shaw felt he needed to make an impression by leaving his feet to take a shot at Jackman. While I'm all for abuse Barrett Jackman, you can't leave your feet like that.
- Midway through the second period, while killing a Michal Rozsival penalty the Blackhawks got caught watching the puck rather than covering their guys, and David Backes bunted the puck past Crawford. The Hawks actually had the Blues out numbered around the net, but looked like chimps fucking a football.
- With under a minute to go, Marian Hossa made a rare mistake. He tried to stickhandle around Oshie and had it stolen. Oshie tried to go for the empty netter on the backhand, and it turned into an icing.
- The Blackhawks were beat at the dots and one draw, in particular, cost them the game.
- Kimmo Timonen was cross checked, in the back, deep in the Blues zone by Ryan Reaves and never returned. That left the Blackhawks with 4 and a 1/2 defensemen. That's always nice.
- Late in the second period, the Blackhawks lost a faceoff in their own zone and the puck shortly ended up in the back of the net. Michal Rozsival missed tying up Olli Jokinen and he picked up a loose puck and barely beat Crawford to take the lead.
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