by Gatekeeper
The weather in Chicago was frightful but the Blackhawks play was Africa hot, as of late. The Blackhawks came into Sunday night's game riding a 10 game winning streak, and sitting atop the Central division. Patrick Kane came in hot as well, getting his first regular season hat trick against Toronto, on Friday. The Canadiens, on the other hand, came in 1-3-1 in their last 5 and 3-6-1 in their last 10. Even better yet, they are the team responsible for keeping #AllStarJohn Scott out of the All-Star game, since they traded for him and buried him in the AHL. Eat a dick, Mark Bergevin. Can't you find an ounce of compassion to put just a little fun into that piece of shit All-Star garbage? Anyway, on to this frosty Sunday evening tilt with the Montreal Canadiens.
The Blackhawks started the first period in promising form, but that was quickly snuffed out. The Blackhawks scored in the first couple of minutes of the game, but the Habs came right back and tied the game. All that aside the Blackhawks also led in shots 10-6 as well. After the initial two goals, the game kind of settled in.
The second period was more promising than the first. The Blackhawks built a 2 goal lead after a slow start, and out shot the Canadiens once again, this time 14-10. The Canadiens put themselves in quite a hole, heading into the final twenty minutes.
The Canadiens tried to make the game interesting, cutting the Blackhawks lead to just one goal. As has been typical for the Hawks during this streak, they came almost immediately back which put the game away. The Hawks were out shot for the first time in the game, but they made their shots count. This was all good enough to extend the Hawks winning streak to 11 games.
- It only took two minutes and forty seconds for the Blackhawks to take a 1-0 lead and it was two of the least expected player that were in the middle of the play. Gustafsson made a really nice play a the Habs blue line and deked a Habs forward and was in with Richard Panik. Gus fed Panik with a saucer, and Panik one timed it past Scrivens for the lead.
- Late in the second period, the Blackhawks took a 2-1 lead during a short powerplay. Marian Hossa led the rush and sent a difficult pass to Kane. Kane had to spin to receive the pass, and because of that could not get a shot off. He dished back to Jonathan Toews. Toews was not able to control either, but kicked the puck just past the far post to a circling Marian Hossa. Hossa was able to scoop up the puck and wrap it around the post. Toews got credit for the goal, but I didn't see it that way.
- With under a minute left in the second period, the Blackhawks used a little help from the referee. A negated icing thanks to a hustling Andrew Shaw turned into Jonathan Toews circling from behind the net and reaching around Scrivens to tuck the puck into the net.
- Artemi Panarin extended his honeymoon just over a minute after the Habs cut the lead to 1 goal. He chipped and chased the puck into the Canadiens zone, and dumped the puck off to a foolishly wide open Patrick Kane. Kane just one timed the puck past Scrivens and the lead was back to two goals.
- Corey Crawford played yet another solid game, stopping 27 of 29 shots including one highlight reel toe save.
- The Hawks 4th line was all over 9 minutes, which is much better than we have seen with Bickell playing there.
- The Blackhawks won 55% of their faceoffs.
- Erik Gustafsson made his triumphant return. Everybody hop aboard the #GusBus.
- Four minutes after the Panik goal, the Canadiens tied the game. Jeff Petry was given about a day and a half to walk in and size up Corey Crawford. Crawford made the save but the Hawks defense was sloppy cleaning up the rebound. Lars Eller scooped up the puck and beat Crawford.
- In the third period, the Canadiens took advantage of a Trevor van Riemsdyk delay of game penalty and cut the Blackhawks lead to just one goal, briefly. Corey Crawford made a couple of saves, but eventually Max Pacioretty was able to out muscle Niklas Hjalmarsson and direct the puck into the net.
- As we've become accustomed to the Blackhawks gave up a shorthanded breakaway on their first powerplay and then had it negated with a penalty of their own.
- With this loss, the Canadiens have lost 16 of 20 games for the first time since 1940
- Bryan Stinkell was sent to Rockford before the game, after clearing waivers.
- Duncan Keith and Niklas Hjalmarsson had a rough possession night a worst on the Hawk.
- Best possession defensemen were Trevor van Riemsdyk and Michal Rozsival, of course they had very few defensive zone starts, so that certainly helped. At forward Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin led the Blackhawks.
- Alex Galchenyuk got completely worked, for the Habs.
- Max Pacioretty led all players on the ice with a +12 corsi.
Shaw - Toews - Hossa
Panarin - Anisimov - Kane
Desjardins - Danault - Teravainen
Panik - Rasmussen - Garbutt
Keith - Hjalmarsson
Gustafsson - Seabrook
Rozsival - van Riemsdyk