The Blackhawks were back home, at the United Center, to face the Ducks for game 6, Wednesday night. The Ducks were coming off an overtime win which put them in position to close the series out Wednesday. The Blackhawks were starting to look like they were at the end of their life span, and desperate measures were in full effect. David Rundblad was in the lineup for Kimmo Timonen which was an ever so slight upgrade. On to the game...
The first was a lot like most Blackhawks periods in these playoffs. They started out fast and furious but petered out towards the end. The Duck led in shots 10-6, but no shots ended up in the net. The later the game went without the Hawks taking a lead, the more tense Hawks fans got.
The second period was quite the period for the Blackhawks. They led in shots 13-9 and out scored the Ducks 3-1. There was still plenty of time to go, but the Blackhawks finally looked like the team we knew they were. Funny what happens when you ice 18 players that can actually skate AND play.
The third period was surely tense. The Blackhawks were out shot by a large margin, 13-4, but they were able out score the Ducks 2-1. That was the game. This "bend but not break" defense seems to be working. Bring on game 7 in California.
Since I recapped all the series wins, thus far, I'll see you all Saturday night.
- Early on the Blackhawks powerplay looked better than it has, but still no success. There was a lot of quick passing, which is what I have been screaming for all year. Quick, short passes to open up lanes.
- The Hawks won the first 14 faceoffs of the game en route to a 15-4 advantage after 20 minutes and were 33-17 for the game. 66% is fine by me.
- Bryan Bickell actually looked like he gave a shit. Nice of you to join the playoffs, ya dopey Gorilla. He had 3 hits in one shift and 5 total. How does that even happen?
- Half way through the second period, Brandon Saad got a step on Hampus Lindholm and ended up on a partial breakaway. The future very wealthy man beat Andersen five hole, and the Blackhawks had a 1-0 lead.
- Two minutes and eighteen seconds after the Saad goal, the Blackhawks smelled blood. Duncan Keith held the puck and faked what seemed like 5 shots, drawing all the attention. Hossa slid out to an open spot on Andersen's back side, and Keith hit him with a pass and he had a wide open net. 2-0 Blackhawks
- A minute and seventeen seconds after the Hossa goal, Patrick Kane put a magical stick handling clinic on the Duck defense and ended up beating Andersen for a 3-0 Blackhawks lead.
- Duncan Keith was playing some next level hockey. He was actively involved in all of the first three second period goals.
- Late in the third period Andrew Shaw did some Andrew Shaw shit scoring the final 2 goals of the game. One was an empty netter, but the 4th goal was a hard nosed Andrew Shaw goal that held off some serious Ducks pressure.
- Cumiskey and Rundblad didn't kill the Hawks. Stick with it. They only played a total of 13 minutes, but at least they can both function.
- Shortly after the Kane goal, Brad Richards took a lazy hooking penalty. I'm sure you know how this story ends. Right after the faceoff, that Kruger couldn't win, the long shot from Cam Fowler knuckled its way to the stick of Patrick Maroon and he directed into the net past Crawford. TERRIBLE time to take a penalty.
- Maroon, Getzlaf and Perry all minus 3. #Clutch
- Not even two minutes into the game, the Blackhawks had already taken a "Too Many Men" penalty. You have to be kidding me. Of all the bitching Quenneville must do, how does this not get resolved?
- Just a couple of minutes into the third period Clayton Stoner cut the lead to 1, when Silfverberg interfered with Corey Crawford's glove so he couldn't stop the shot. Of course, they called Desjardins for goalie interference just over a minute later.
Saad-Toews-Hossa
Bickell-Richards-Kane
Teravainen-Vermette-Sharp
Shaw-Kruger-Desjardins
Keith-Hjalmarsson
Cumiskey-Seabrook
Oduya-Rundblad