After what seems like a week off, the Blackhawks were back at the United Center, Thursday night, to try and carry out some revenge on the pesky New Jersey Devils. Just 6 days previous, the Hawks were curb stomped but the unassuming Devils 4-2. With plenty of rest, it was a perfect time for the Blackhawks to come out with some jump int their step. The Devils were coming off a 2-0 loss to the Blues on Tuesday night.
The home team looked much better in this first period than they did the entire game in New Jersey. An early 2 man powerplay certainly helped their cause, but the other 18 minutes were pretty positive, as well. It seemed like the Hawks ran away with the pressure and shots, early on, but the shots only totaled 9-7 in their favor when the intermission horn sounded. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there.
The second period was, quite simply, painfully boring as all hell. The Devils tied the score under a minute into the period, and then we were all treated to about 15 minutes of completely boring garbage hockey. That is, until the Devils grabbed a 2-1 lead on a pretty atrocious matchup snafu. Looking at the box score of that period is worthy of tears. The Blackhawks out shot the Devils 10-6 and the Devils had 2 goals. WOOF.
The third period wasn't any better for the Blackhawks fortunes. The Blackhawks fought enough to tie the game late, took a lazy penalty, and then gave up a late powerplay goal. Shots were 9-9 but, in the end, the Blackhawks could not generate enough offense to pull this one out. I think we are all glad that they don't have to see the Devils again.
- Marko Dano was noticeable a few times, at least early in the game.
- With just under 7 minutes remaining in the third period a Patrick Kane solo rush, turned into an Artemi Panarin goal. Kane carried the mail into the Devils zone all alone, waiting for the Hawks to catch up to the play. Once they did change Kane hit Erik Gustafsson who made a nice move and attempted a shot. The shot was blocked, but went right to the stick of Panarin who sniped Schneider.
- Seriously, there is nothing more.
- The Devils took a 5-on-3 disadvantage with some sloppy play, 5 minutes into the first period. The Blackhawks looked terrible for the first 1:40 of the powerplay but, eventually, the two man advantage was just too much and they fell "bass ackwards" into the lead. You can't have Hossa, Seabrook, Kane, Toews and Teravainen out on the ice at the same time, on a 2 man advantage, and hope they won't score. That's exactly what happened. Just too much talent with that line.
- At the end of the second period, Andy Greene got away with a pretty egregious slew foot on Andrew Shaw. Shaw was not happy, and he had good reason. No one on the broadcast even mentioned it.
- As I said before, I think Viktor Svedberg's time might be up, very soon. The only guy he's been really noticeably "better" than, is David Rundblad. Gustafsson is a much better all around player and has much more composure.
- The Blackhawks were 1-5 on the powerplay, only scoring on their 5-on-3. This cannot continue.
- The Hawks were even clowned at the dots, losing 26 of 46.
- Not even a minute into the second period and Adam Henrique sniped Corey Crawford with a long, innocent looking wrist shot, from about 45 feet out.
- With about three minutes left in the second period. The Manshitter started off the play by turning the puck over, and it was "off to the races" by the Devils. Sergei Kalinin put a knuckle puck on net and Crawford fought it off. Unfortunately, the rebound ended up on the stick of Kyle Palmieri, who had escaped the clutches of Viktor Svedberg. I forgot to mention that the only thing he had in front of him was a wide open net?
- Brandon Mashinter is pretty fucking terrible. What he's doing on this team is beyond comprehension. He's a slightly better skating John Scott, that doesn't fight. He stood around on the ice for 5:37, and was out on the ice for the second NJ goal.
- Slinging some smoking hot takes right here on the twitterz:
yo, aside from a handful of players the #Blackhawks really suck this season and are prob not going to make the playoffs if they keep it up
— LOUIS x LEWIS (@kericksen80free) November 13, 2015
Little fucking coward was harassing Tracey Myers, and the second I call him out...blocked. Real set of balls on ya, there, slick.
Shaw - Toews - Hossa
Panarin - Anisimov - Kane
Dano - Kero - Teravainen
Desjardins - Kruger - Mashinter
Seabrook - Svedberg
van Reimsdyk - Hjalmarsson
Gustafsson - Daley
