The Blackhawks were in New Jersey Friday night, to face the Devils, in the first of a rare "two time in one week" tilt versus an eastern conference opponent scenario. This was very similar to the Isles series in the opening week, the Blackhawks face the Devils twice in six days, then don't see them again this season. Not only that, but the game started at 6PM locally which had them in the first intermission before they are used to even starting. It showed.
The first period was a rollover from the colossal Blues disappointment two days prior, as they coughed up a three goal deficit before most people were even home from work. The Blackhawks had pressure, but every turnover or bounce seemed to end up in the Hawks net. Shots were only 13-8 in favor of the home team, which is not alarming, in and of itself, but the score was.
The Blackhawks came out in the second period with a different goalie, but their play and luck really didn't change at all. The Hawks gave up a fourth goal, and nearly surrendered a fifth later. As shocking as it was, the Blackhawks actually finished the period breaking the shutout. The shots were 8-7 in favor of the Devils but to the naked eye, it was much worse than that.
The third period was pretty much just a formality, as far as the game and score went. So much so, that Quenneville just threw up the white flag and pulled his goalie with just under seven minutes remaining. Even then, it took the Blackhawks five full minutes to capitalize. When the game finally mercifully ended, the Blackhawks had out shot the Devils 14-5 in the final 20 minutes, but not many were actual dangerous scoring chances.
Lets hope that the dejected Connor McSavior-less Oilers are just what the Blackhawks need, on Sunday.
- With about a minute left in the second period, the Blackhawks actually finally found something positive. Patrick Kane threw a long forty foot "seeing eye" shot towards the New Jersey net and, thanks to an Andrew Shaw screen, it ended up floating past Cory Schneider.
- After the Blackhawks had their goalie pulled for FIVE full minutes without much sustained pressure whatsoever, rookie Tanner Kero used an absurd amount of time and space in front of Cory Schneider to get his first NHL goal. Awesome for Kero, but excuse me if I'm not the least bit fucking impressed with the team's effort.
- Hey, Bryan Bickell scored in his first Icehogs game. Well worth the $4 million, if you ask them.
- The best part of this game and night, is that is was over before 9PM.
- Hindsight is always 20/20 but a missed Ryan Garbutt breakaway, early in the first period, could have changed the momentum some. Instead, the Devils ran away with the game.
- Quenneville didn't even take a full period to fire up that line blender. Ryan Garbutt was sent to the 4th line, and Andrew Shaw to the first. The lines were up for fucking grabs after the first intermission.
- I'm not sure what exactly sparked this, but after the second Devils goal, Jonathan Toews took issue with Adam Henrique, and the two came to blows. Blah, blah, blah...fart....leadership. Guess what happened with Toews in the box? Lost defensive zone penalty, and a goal. Not fan of this stunt. Not the time to remove yourself from the ice for 5 minutes.
- To add to a terrible first period, Corey Crawford found himself riding the pine for the remainder of the game.
- Seven minutes into the second period, and following a thoroughly shitty Blackhawks powerplay, the Devils took a four goal lead thanks to Mike Cammallari. There wasn't much more to say at that point.
- Piling on to an already terrible night, Artem Anisimov went out of the game in the second period with a lower body injury.
- Minus 4 for Niklas Hjalmarsson. OOF
- It might be time for Andrew Desjardins to take a seat. He is getting sloppy and played a team low 10:40.
- A huge Hjalmarsson turnover early in the first period with almost 4 minutes gone in the first, ended up with Lee Stempniak in all alone on Crawford, and slipping the puck into the net. Hjalmarsson got stuck on the half boards after he had plenty of time to clear the zone. Teuvo Teravainen did Hjalmarsson no favors, when Teravainen lobbed a live grenade back at him, and forced Hjalmarsson to react quickly with Stempniak closing quickly.
- A late lost first period faceoff by Andrew Shaw, deep in the Blackhawks zone, was quickly thrown on net and beat Crawford. A set faceoff play with Kyle Palmieri curling around the circle to pick up the puck worked perfectly.
- Just 26 seconds after the Palmieri goal, and with Jonathan Toews in the box serving a fighting penalty, Travis Zajac picked up his own blocked shot and be an already committed Crawford for a 3-0 first period lead.
- The Blackhawks nearly gave up the 5th goal of the game, halfway through the second period, when Kyle Palmieri followed up a Sergei Kalinin rebound, after Kalinin beat Trevor Daley. The rush left Scott Darling prone and helpless but, luckily, there was a goalie interference call made.
- Because when I think of coaching geniuses, I think of Patrick Roy. Joel Quenneville pulled a Roy by yanking his goalie with almost seven minutes left in the third period. I mean I understand the Blackhawks are so fucking good with the man advantage. Right? Fucking STUPID.
Panarin - Toews - Garbutt
Teravainen - Anisimov - Kane
Dano - Kero - Tikhonov
Desjardins - Kruger - Shaw
Seabrook - Svedberg
van Reimsdyk - Hjalmarsson
Gustafsson - Daley
