The Blackhawks traveled back to Trashville Tennessee, Thursday night, to face the PERDS and a take a shot at being the second team to move on to the second round. After playing just over 5 periods of hockey just under 48 hours earlier, both teams were, no doubt, tired and sore. That is playoff hockey though.
The Blackhawks and #Perds went into the first intermission tied at 1, with the action being fairly even. The shots favored the visiting team 13-10, but that also included two powerplays. It was honestly a gift that the #Perds were even able to tie the game, but there was still a long game ahead.
The second period was not without its action, but there were no goals, and the #Perds out shot the Blackhawks 11-7. For the first time in the game, the #Perds actually looked dangerous enough to actually take the lead, but the Hawks held tough.
The third period was a disaster for the Blackhawks. The opened up the third giving up a goal 47 seconds in and 2 more just 12 seconds apart. Would have been nice if Quenneville used his timeout but he has 2 cups. He doesn't need timeouts.
- With just over 5 minutes remaining in the first period, Brad Richards got a step on Cody Franson. Yes, THAT Brad Richards. The Brad Richards with concrete skates. So, he blew around Franson, who should be completely embarrassed, and went in 1-on-1 with Rinne. Richards sized up Rinne and beat him 5-hole for a 1-0 Blackhawks lead.
- With 5 minutes remaining, and the Blackhawks down 4-1, Patrick Kane whipped out his gorilla balls and slapped them on the collective foreheads of the #Perds. He drove the puck up the slot and pulled a spin-o-rama. Instead of shooting he sent a backhand pass across to Kris Versteeg, who was wide open. Of course he was wide open, because he is still basically useless. A three year old could have hit the wide open net, and Versteeg did. 4-2, but too little, too late.
- Scott Darling was pretty aggressive playing the puck. He made a couple of very confident and aggressive plays to play the puck and get it out of harm's way. He's definitely confident in his puck handling skills
- It didn't take long for the Blackhawks to show their dogshit powerplay, early in the first period. Just all in a days work for our heroes from West Madison. They were a little better on a late first period powerplay, but still came away with no goals. Once again, a chance at running away with the game turned into the complete opposite.
- Patrick Kane made a possible goal saving back check late in the second period and then led an end to end 3-on-1, back the other way. Then he decided to pass to Bryan Bickell. WOOOF!
- Just 47 seconds into the third period, the #Preds took a 2-1 lead when Darling lost his net and James Neal wrapped the puck around off Duncan Keith's skate and into the net.
- Shortly after the Neal goal, Michal Fucking Rozsivasl took a stupid interference penalty and just about 30 seconds into the powerplay Colin Wilson took the puck in front of the net, spun and beat Darling for a 3-1 #Perds lead.
- TWELVE FUCKING SECONDS after the Wilson goal, Filip Forsberg sniped Darling for a 4-1 lead. Didn't hear the meatballs screaming for Darling to get pulled, did ya? Fucking meatball idiots. Eat shit.
- The only one to play less than Antoine Vermette was Kimmo Timonen. I'm sure he's going to see the press box again soon.
- Jonathan Toews won 7 of 19 faceoffs. Ouchie. The only player other than Toews to take even 10 faceoffs was Brad Richards.
- Just over a minute after the Richards goal, the Blackhawks got caught napping on a defensive zone and Filip Forsberg snapped a shot past Darling to tie the game. The goal was pretty soft, and from a really tight angle. With Darling's size there should be no way that puck makes it into the net.
- It was announced on NBCSN that the Shea Weber injury in game 2 was a torn ACL. If that didn't spell the end for the #Perds, nothing does.
- Pat Foley rambles on endlessly about hits every single fucking game. This time he rambles and then proceeds to tell everyone that "you can't hit people if you always have the puck" and then reminded everyone that the only game they out hit their opponent all year was game 2, which they lost. IDIOT!
- The empty netter was fucking glorious. Poop stain Michal Rozsival and virtually useless Kris Versteeg were out on the ice which tells you all you need to know. No one can actually give a shit with those two out on the ice at the same time, down by two goals, with the goalie pulled and under a minute remaining. Didn't we all discuss this just a few weeks ago?
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