The Blackhawks had their final preseason game versus the Dallas Stars Saturday night and also had to face a few familiar players. Antti Niemi, Patrick Sharp and Johnny Oduya were all wearing green instead of red which was awkward to everyone. On top of that, the Blackhawks had made some curious moves Friday, waiving Bryan Bickell and sending youngster hotshot Marko Dano to Rockford. That whipped the fan base into a frenzy, but Bickell was right back in the lineup Saturday. On to the highlights:
- Artemi Panarin came out in one of his first shifts and dangled his way through all 3 Stars forwards. If we can see much more of this, that would be just fine by me. He dangled some more later in the first, feeding Kane. Still, though, Let's not all swing on his nuts just yet. Let this play out.
- Just after the halfway point of the second period, the Blackhawks took a 1-0 lead on the powerplay. Jonathan Toews took all the focus and fed Artemi Panarin on the back door with a nice spin around pass. Panarin's one timer was actually saved by Niemi, but the rebound was flopping around and was slammed home by Marian Hossa. 1-0 Blackhawks.
- Just over a minute into the third period the Blackhawks won a faceoff deep in the Stars zone. Artemi Panarin gathered the puck, spun, and fired the puck at Kari Lehtonen, who had just entered the game. The rebound dropped to Lehtonen's right and Kane chipped it into the net.
- Late in the 3rd period, Marian Hossa caught Kari Lehtonen cheating as Hossa was heding around the net, and banked it off Lehtonen into the net.
- With a minute to go Andrew Shaw, who was bumped to the third line, Stole a Stars pass at their blue line, deked the ever loving shit out of Jason Spezza, and then beat the Stars goalie for a pretty goal.
- Crawford and Darling combined for a 29 save shutout.
- Word has it that Corey Crawford was supposed to play the entire game, but #LemontNativeScottDarling came in halfway through the second. I'm not too worried. He took a few high shots and there is no reason to beat the shit out of the goalie in the preseason. Of course Pat Foley had to attempt to send everyone into a panic by saying it was very concerning.
- Teuvo Teravainen was moved from 3rd line center to first line left wing, but it may have been because he lost 6 of 7 faceoffs. Anything to get Shaw off the first line, right?
- Super Baun Baun came out in his first game after almost assuredly securing a spot on the Blackhawks by taking back to back penalties late in the first period. He took three full shifts in the second and five in the third. Did no good for that spot he supposedly won.
Shaw - Toews - Hossa
Panarin - Anisimov - Kane
Bickell - Teravainen - Garbutt
Desjardins - Kruger - Baun
Keith - Hjalmarsson
Svedberg - Seabrook
Daley - van Reimsdyk