by Gatekeeper
The Blackhawks took on the Ottawa Senators for their first game of 2016, Sunday night at the United Center. Previous to the game, it was announced that David Rundblad had basically played his last game in the Hawks organization, and was sent to Switzerland to play for the ZSC Lions. The Blackhawks also honored Patrick Kane and his point streak with a video montage on the scoreboard, before the game. This, of course, dredged up some stale feelings. All this while everyone sauntered by, and possibly took pictures with, a huge Bobby Hull statue on the way in the building. Tell me all about your outrage, intarwebz!
By the way, the reason that this isn't a #Fatrick recap is that no one was going to be throwing McDonalds burgers on the ice. Call it a hunger strike, which means he'll be good until the end of Duncan Keith's contract.
Forgive me if I wasn't at all impressed with the first period of this tilt. The scoring was sparse, rather non-existant, and the shots weren't far behind. Both teams got a shot at the powerplay, and neither could manage to get their act together long enough to accomplish anything of substance. The shots were only 7-6 in favor of the Blackhawks. There was literally nothing more to report.
The Blackhawks made sure that the second period was SLIGHTLY better than the first, scoring the first goal of the game in this frame. Other than that goal, you could count the number of total quality scoring chances on one hand. The Hawks led in shots 11-9, but if you count a couple of post shots, the Sens would have tied that total.
The third period was much more of the same muck but the Blackhawks were able to get some breathing room. The period was so exciting that the Blackhawks announced a trade, smack dab in the middle. The Hawks scored their second of the game and added an empty netter towards the end. On to Pittsburgh......
- It took nearly half the game to get any sort of pulse in this game. Duncan Keith gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead on a long half clapper that #ParkRidgeNativeCraigAnderson should have probably stopped. Marian Hossa set a nice screen that most assuredly had some bearing on the play.
- Artem Anisimov gave the Blackhawks a 2-0 lead, six minutes into the third period after a Patrick Kane feed to Michal Rozsival led to a nice tight angle shot on Anderson that was saved. The rebound plopped down at the feet of Artem Anisimov who just poked it into the net.
- Andrew Desjardins scored his 4th goal in 3 games, albeit an empty netter. Congrats to the big guy.
- Sorry, but I'm an Erik Gustafsson fanboy. I love that he can step right in and play second pair with Seabrook and not be a downgrade.
- Corey Crawford saved all 26 shots he faced for his league leading 6th shutout. Crawford haters are all but extinct right now.
- Too bad the honeymoon is over with that #AK72 line. They were only tops in possession numbers. Bums.
- Poor Jeremy Morin was finally given his reprieve, getting sent to Toronto for Richard Panik. That's how eventful this game was. They had enough time to initiate a trade.
- I know they were on the ice for the Anisimov goal, but the pair of Trevor van Riemsdyk and Michal Rozsival are pretty fucking slow. You might say, "But, Gate, they can't be any slower than Scrozsival". I would agree, but they aren't far behind.
- How do you watch that game, credit the Sens with SIXTY hits, and Mark Borowiecki alone with 11? Fucking christ that stat is terrible.
- The first period. The second period. The third period.
- The line of Stinkell - Rasmussen - Fartbutt averaged 8:30 TOI and did nothing.
Shaw - Toews - Hossa
Panarin - Anisimov - Kane
Teravainen - Danault - Desjardins
Bickell - Rasmussen - Garbutt
Keith - Hjalmarsson
Gustafsson - Seabrook
van Riemsdyk - Rozsival
