The Blackhawks took the trip to Cheesesteakville, Wednesday night, for the first of back to back road games versus the Flyers and Capitals. The Flyers had a little hoopla of their own planned with the return of Kimmo Timonen. It was appropriate that they decided to have this celebration with the Hawks in town, since he won his only cup with them, last spring. The Hawks came in on a 2 game winning streak after sweeping a home-and-home with the Isles.
The first period was "clunky", at best. Lots of bouncing pucks and a few sloppy penalties, but no scoring. The Flyers had the best of the chances, and out shot the Blackhawks 8-6. That said, Corey Crawford looked really on point. This is great for the Blackhawks, if they the one place that they don't have to worry about consistency is in net.
The second period turned out to be one that Hawks players AND fans would want to forget. Several bad Blackhawks penalties helped contribute to a 15-9 Flyers shot advantage and a 2-0 Flyers lead. The Blackhawks we all love would be dangerous in the third period, down like that, but this isn't the same team.
The Blackhawks DID show more life in the third period, but the Flyers goalie played out of this world. A 15-6 shot advantage earned the Blackhawks nothing, in the end, but when you put yourself in a hole, you can't always assume that you will be able to crawl out of it. When the final horn sounded, the Blackhawks had not won a regular season game in Philadelphia in SEVENTEEN years, so it is not like this result should have surprised us one bit. Next up, Washington. Where maybe they can learn from a team with a REAL powerplay.
- Michael Neuvirth was outstanding. He shut the Blackhawks out, saving all 30 shots he faced. Credit where its due.
- Viktor Tikhonov's promotion to the top line was deserved and he finally showed some promise.
- Crawford deserved a better fate than he was given. He kept the Blackhawks in the game in the first period.
- El Capitan was 15 of 20 at the dots, which is insanely good, but Anisimov and Shaw evened that out, going 5 for 17. Overall, 54% looks good, but Jonny Toews skewed that number a smidgen.
- About 5 minutes into the second period a careless Ryan Garbutt high stick turned into a Flyer powerplay. Noted Blackhawks killer Sam Gagner used a Sean Couturier and Viktor Svedberg screen to beat Corey Crawford on a pretty straight forward shot, high to the glove side. Not a great goal, but help your goalie a little, eh? Garbutt played one second period shift after that.
- The Flyers really took advantage of Viktor Svedberg's slow feet in the middle of the second period. The flyers ended up getting a break, but Seabrook and Crawford bailed him out. The back checking Hawks, mosre specifically Vik Tikhonov, ended up taking a penalty on the play.
- The Blackhawks just took way too many penalties early in the game. Five in the first two periods alone is way too much for this team to endure.
- The Q Lineblender was on display for two brand new Blackhawks, in Viktor Tikhonov and Ryan Garbutt. This was good news for Hossa and Toews but awful news for Teuvo Teravainen.
- I get the attempt to try a new camera angle on the powerplay, but the moon telescope cam isn't the answer. You have to zoom in some, so we can see the puck. The Flyers hit the post and the only reason anyone watching knew was that they heard it. This is VISUAL MEDIA, people. If I wanted to experience the game that way, I'd be listening on the radio and not a 65" HD TV. Sprinkle it in. It should be an added perk, not a forced evil.
- If this is a sign of thing to come it's going to be a long season, but not deserved. Every time Patrick Kane touched the puck he was booed. I can't even complain. Kane and the Hawks brought this on themselves.
- The Flyers made it 2-0 with about 3:30 remaining in the second period. The Hawks got caught in a sloppy change that resulted in Seabrook and Daley scrambling in their own zone. Claude Giroux found a fat rebound in the slot after Crawford was caught trying to stop a Raffl stuff in at the right post. Giroux doesn't miss many of those, and he didn't.
- With about 2:30 left in the third period, the Blackhawks got caught with the first line out for a very long shift. Tikhonov and Hossa couldn't get the puck past center ice when the forwards were in dire need of a change. The Flyers turned the play back the other way on a rush that was nearly offsides. Wayne Simmonds ripped a high shot that nearly hit Crawford in the yap, and the rebound fell right in Matt Read's lap. Crawford was still able to get a piece of the initial chance, but the puck somehow squirted through him. This goal was just the punctuation on a pretty bad night.
- Guys. 0-5 on the powerplay? With this group of players? I guess that since it has been this way forever we are just "OK" with it? That's not how this works. Shape this shit up. There is too much talent to NOT be like Washington on the PP. C'mon Laz.
You want to kick and scream about the power play stinking, but it always stinks, and yet the #Blackhawks always contend anyway.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) October 15, 2015
Sure, imagine what it would be like if they had a GOOD power play. But it's hard to get TOO worked up about it given the track record.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) October 15, 2015
Garbutt - Toews - Hossa
Panarin - Anisimov - Kane
Bickell - Teravainen - Tikhonov
Desjardins - Kruger - Shaw
Keith - Hjalmarsson
Svedberg - Seabrook
Daley - van Riemsdyk