With the demise of the Cubs, Wednesday night, the Blackhawks fan base was rejoined by a vast majority of the loudest meatheads, much to the dismay of us non-baseball fans. To add to the festivities, this was the first game post "Duncan Keith Surprise Surgery", where the Blackhawks were going to be forced to find out just how deep, or thin, their defense was. I'm betting on thin, but god forbid you mention that, because #3CUPZ / #StanzPlan. I digress, though. The subject at hand was the South Florida Blackhawks, aka the Panthers.
Things looked pretty good when the Blackhawks opened up and took a lead just four minutes into the game, but they pulled a double bogey, allowing the Cats to tie up the game less than a minute later. Most of the action was in Florida's zone, and they out shot the Cats 12-4.
The Blackhawks second period opened up much like their first period, but they were able to actually hold their lead, this time around. It also helps your cause when you get five powerplays due to some sloppy play by the visiting team. They scored on only one of those powerplays, which gave them a slim 2-1 lead despite their 9-5 shot advantage. This was a prime example of not pouncing on chances when you're served them up on a silver platter.
The Blackhawks only took seventeen seconds to expand their lead on the rollover powerplay, in the third period, but the Panthers were able to cut the lead to one, later in the frame. The Panthers actually led in shots 9-6, thanks to the powerplay time, and they kept things interesting. In the end, the Blackhawks closed out the game with a 3-2 win.
- Just four minutes into the game, Artem Anisimov took advantage of three napping Panthers defenders and drove from the half boards right through the crease with very little resistance, tucking the puck in around Luongo's right leg. Terrible play by the Cats, but a wonderful catch by the big lumbering center.
- The Blackhawks took a 2-1 lead, four minutes into the second period on the powerplay. Artem Anisimov won a faceoff to open the powerplay and Brent Seabrook let a howitzer go from the point. The puck deflected off Dave Bolland and hopped past Roberto Luongo for a rare powerplay goal.
- Niklas Hjalmarsson definitely showed more offensive flash than we have previously seen from him. That could be a really good thing in the next 6 weeks.
- During a late second period powerplay Quenneville threw out Seabrook, Anisimov, Panarin, Teravainen and Kane. Needless to say, there were some highlight reel passes. I don't hate this unit at all.
- Seventeen seconds into the third period, with the Hawks still on a carryover powerplay, Brent Seabrook found Patrick Kane sneaking in behind the Panthers defense and hit him with a perfect pass. Kane was in all alone and Luongo looked like he just bailed. 3-1 Blackhawks
- Trevor van Riemsdyk had a quiet, but solid night and it needs to be pointed out.
- Crawford had a pretty solid night, as well. He only had 16 saves on 18 shots, but he made a could of grade-A stops.
- The Rundblad/Daley pairing is fucking putrid in their own end. This needs to change, like yesterday. Not only that, but I'll give you one guess which pair was the second pair on the powerplay.
- With the 5 Blackhawks powerplays in the second period, it was a foregone conclusion that the Blackhawks would get dinged in the third; and they did. And if you're going to do something right, you might as well go all in. They did that, as well, with a 5-on-3 disadvantage. The Blackhawks had almost completely killed off the almost full two minute disadvantage when the Cats caught the pairing of Daley and Svedberg out on the ice. I'm not pointing that fact out because of their heroic play, so you can imagine what happened.
- Thirty four seconds after the Hawks took the lead, they allowed the Bjugstad, Pirri, and Trochek line to waltz right into the their crease on Corey Crawford. Crawford couldn't locate the loose puck and cover it, so eventually Vincent Trocheck cued it into the net with a little help from Brandon Pirri. Yes, THAT Brandon Pirri.
I'm told by many people, who apparently know more than I, that he sucks and he couldn't do anything like that for the Hawks, so that goal probably didn't count based on Pirri's lack of talent, right? - I love ol @Strombone1, but there are many times when he just looks like he's mailing it in.
- When your opponent takes eight penalties to your three penalties, that should tell the tale
- Six minutes in the box for Marcus Kruger and a whiff on an open net. Taking lessons from #Fatrick I see.
Tikhonov - Toews - Hossa
Panarin - Anisimov - Kane
Teravainen - Hinostroza - Garbutt
Desjardins - Kruger - Shaw
Seabrook - Svedberg
van Reimsdyk - Hjalmarsson
Rundblad - Daley