The Blackhawks continued their sunny west coast vacation Tuesday night in Anaheim, facing the Ducks for game two of the Western Conference Final. The Hawks were coming off a disappointing 4-1 loss Sunday afternoon, even though they out played the Ducks in just about every way. The Blackhawks made a slight lineup adjustment, adding Kyle Cumiskey to the mix, but the rest was intact. All the Hawks had to do was split in Anaheim, and they would be back in prime position, or come home down 0-2 and listen to the entire league masturbate all over Ryan Kesler for another couple of days.
The Blackhawks looked like world beaters in the first half of the first period, taking a 2-0 lead on two powerplay goals. Shortly after, the Blackhawks lost momentum and spent the second half of the period chasing the Ducks around. The shots were in favor of the Hawks 12-7, but most of those were early. By the end of the period, Quenneville needed to actually use his timeout to slow the Ducks down.
Once again, the Blackhawks came out rested and sharp in the beginning of the second period, but quickly lost steam. By the end of the period, the Ducks had tied the game and the Blackhawks were again running around. The Ducks out shot the Blackhawks pretty handily 19-7. Let's blame it on the long change.
The third period was much more positive for the Blackhawks. The Hawks out shot the Ducks 9-8 and had several long stretches of pressure, with led to quality scoring chances. Unfortunately for the Blackhawks, none of those led to the winning goal. On to OT in Anaheim.
The first OT was exactly what you would expect for a Western Conference Final. Big plays, some defense, and an intense atmosphere. Play was about as even as we would expect, as well. The Ducks held a small shot advantage 9-8. On to OT number 2.
If 2 overtimes weren't enough for you, the Blackhawks and Ducks felt the same way. Overtime number 2 was the same as the first, and the Blackhawks seemed to have won the game, but the goal was correctly overturned. Shots were 14-14 and either team could have legitly won. 12:30 on a school night? No problem. Lets play 3.
It became official in the 3rd overtime, that this game was the longest game in Chicago Blackhawks history. It felt like it. With about 4 minutes remaining, the Blackhawks finally won it on a dirty goal. They pulled out a huge win in the longest game in their history on Stan Mikita's birthday.
- Wasn't more than 40 seconds into the game, and the wonderful Ryan Kelser left Jonathan Toews wide open in front of the Ducks net to size up his goalie.
- Just over 2 minutes into the first period, while working on the powerplay, Andrew Shaw tipped a long Duncan Keith shot past Andersen.
- Shortly after the Shaw goal, dick bag Clayton Stoner took a stupid penalty and did his best to earn another. The Blackhawks wasted little time driving the puck to the net and Marian Hossa was able to get enough on a dribbling puck to get a 2-0 lead.
- I love what Andrew Shaw brings to the Hawks as a 4th line wing. That said, I hate the kid when he's playing anywhere else.
- The PK was amazing, especially in overtime.
- Shaw and Vermette had grade A chances in the overtimes but Andersen was better.
- It took until the end of the third overtime, but Marcus Kruger was the hero. Brent Seabrook, who was my pick to win it, let a long shot go that Andersen stopped, but a rebound dropped right in the crease for Kruger to sweep in for the winner.
- Overshadowed in all of this is Corey Crawford, who made a career best 60 save. SIX-TY
- Duncan Keith was ON THE ICE for nine seconds short of 50 minutes. That is insane.
- This Kesler/Toews storyline is growing tired. It's not nearly as dominating as the media makes it out to be.
- Late in the second period, Duncan Keith left Corey Perry in front of Crawford to deflect a Getzlaf shot into the net. Nothing Crawford could really do. That's fine, Duncs, just stand there and watch your goalie struggle with that screen.
- Right after the Perry goal, Keith took bad crosschecking penalty. The Penalty Kill was able to bail him out, though.
- The Ducks hit THREE posts in overtime. Talk about heart attacks.
- To all the assholes that proclaimed the series over because of one fairly close loss Sunday:
- I was officially worried every time I saw either Cumiskey or Timonen on the ice in the overtimes. They scare the shit out of me.
- Around the halfway point of the first period, the Ducks caught the "slower than Rozsival with a broken ankle" Kimmo Timonen pinching in the Ducks zone. Once the Ducks got into the Hawks zone they just threw the puck at the net, which turned out to be a pretty good play. The puck deflected off not one; not two; but three players and into the net.
- I am officially off the Kimmo Timonen train. At this point the rotting corpse of Kim Johansson would be a better option.
- The Blackhawks were able to get a 5-on-3 advantage early in the third period but could not capitalize.
- Marcus Kruger's third period penalty was just plain stupid. Five minutes remaining in a 2-2 game and takes a dumb penalty like that. To make matters worse, Hjalmarsson took a lazy tripping penalty in the first OT, which didn't do much for blood pressure.
- Brian Engblom is a fucking idiot. Some of the things he says are completely asinine. He said that Bryan Bickell had made several great plays in the series. Bryan Bickell has been IN-VIS-I-BLE. Moron.
- The Blackhawks seemed to have won the game in the second OT when Andrew Shaw "head butted" the puck into the net, but the officials and the war room correctly called the goal illegal. I give Shaw credit, though. He gave it his all, and until yesterday, I didn't even realize that headers were illegal. Not specifically headers, but deliberately directing the puck into the net with any part of the body other than the stick.
Saad-Toews-Hossa
Bickell-Richards-Kane
Teravainen-Vermette-Sharp
Shaw-Kruger-Desjardins
Keith-Seabrook
Oduya-Hjalmarsson
Timonen-Cumiskey