by Gatekeeper
The Blackhawks finally limped their way back home, licking their wounds, Sunday for early game. The Bruins were in town to try and play late season spoiler at the United Center. The Hawks were playing their second game of a 6 game Duncan Keith suspension, and were also without 4th liner Andrew Shaw after he left the game Friday with what looked like a rib or abdominal injury. This was going to be a long week for Blackhawks fans, with Corey Crawford still out and two important personalities missing. As Samuel L. Jackson once said:
The Blackhawks didn't seem to miss Keith or Shaw, in the first period at least, out shooting the Bruins a shocking 19-8. The Hawks had chances early and often. Both teams were a little shaky to start, but the Hawks able to wipe the sleep out of their eyes and jump on a Bruins team that was clearly on their heels. The Bruins tired to resort to their default thuggery, but that backfired with the Blackhawks took a 2-0 lead during late first period coincidental roughing penalties.
The Blackhawks blew the game open like Fatrick's heart after a sack of McRibs in the second period. There is no other term than DOMINATING for this performance; until the final minute of the period, that is. The Hawks came out and scored 4 goals before the Bruins knew what hit them. The Bruins, though, shockingly out shot the Blackhawks 21-12 in the second period alone. We probably shouldn't be all that surprised that they were able to cut the lead to 4 before the end of the period.
The third period was a complete 180 degree turn from the first 39 minutes of the game. The Blackhawks gave up 2 more goals and could have very well easily given up the lead, based in their piss poor effort. How this team goes from 0-60, and back down to 0 is beyond comprehension. You need consistency in the playoffs to succeed, and this team has been the exact opposite of consistent. The roller coaster of emotions from beginning to end left us all with a sour scowl, despite the win. You're going to need to give me an effort better than this for me to expect a deep playoff run. I can see right through this charade.
I would, also, like to point out the celebration of linesman Andy McElman's retirement. Bravo to a brilliant career, and thank you for your service, sir.
- With just over 13 minutes gone in the first period, Artem Anisimov broke his slump with his first goal in forever, to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead. Artemi Panarin foul tipped a one timer from Brent Seabrook at the left circle and the shot turned into a pass, right to Anisimov's stick. Anisimov swept it into the net past Rask, who had committed to the initial Panarin shot.
- Very late in the first, with Toews and Chara off for roughing, Patrick Kane picked off a half ass low percentage pass by the Bruins' Joe Morrow, and had himself a breakaway from the Hawks blue line in. Tuuka Rask really didn't stand much of a chance with Kane having all the time and space he needed. Backhand, goal, Daggar.
- The Blackhawks hot play continued early into the second period. Suddenly hot Artem Anisimov started the play behind the Bruins net, feeding Patrick Kane with a slick behind the back pass. Kane out muscled Adam McQuaid, and chipped the puck past Rask for goal number two of the game.
- Sixty six seconds after the Kane goal, Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews snuck in behind the Bruins defense after a change and ran a 2-on-1 to perfection. Hossa saucered a beautiful pass over the aforementioned Adam McQuaid to Jonathan Toews, who chipped it past Rask and into the net. The route was on, so we thought, but Tuuka Rask was done for the day.
- The Blackhawks weren't done there, though. Jonas Gustavsson got a rude awakening when the #AK72LINE struck again. Matt Beleskey turned the puck over, in the neutral zone, and the Blackhawks flipped it back the other way. Artemi Panarin, stole the awful pass and chipped it to Artem Anisimov at the Bruins' blue line. Anisimov quickly dumped the puck off to Patrick Kane, who brought it in and waited for the trailing winger. Kane then sent the puck back to the guy who started the play, Panarin, for a one timer.
- Patrick Kane got his 100th point of the year, on his hat trick goal, which was pretty fitting. This time it was on a powerplay rush after the Bruins took a too many men penalty. Hats rained on the ice, and everyone was celebrating; then...
- Patrick Kane got his 40th goal and 100th point. Both commendable milestones.
- On the surface, Scott Darling looked like he has a pretty bad game, but the fact of the matter is that The Blackhawks gave up FORTY SIX shots. He had a respectable .913 save percentage. The rest of the team just allowed him to be teed off on.
- oh right, and #NeverForget:
Looks like he might need a bucket of chicken after this penalty call
- That big dope, Zdeno Chara tried to take a swipe at El Capitan early on and Jonny was having none of it. How is anyone afraid of that big ancient clod, anymore, is beyond me. I found myself hoping for Toews to break his face with a cross check in the yap. Enjoy Las Vagas, you big ugly toad.
- Some time in the third period Marian Hossa left the Blackhawks bench after a collision, and it looked like a left leg injury. JUST FUCKING SWELL!
- The Blackhawks couldn't even get the empty net goal right. Marcus Kruger "zoom zoomed" into the zone early, and negated an Andrew Desjardins empty net goal. This stupid crap is just absolutely maddening.
- Usually you see a team take a 6-0 lead and you assume they out shot their opponent heavily. Not so, at all. The Blackhawks were out shot by TWELVE, 46-34. Be concerned.
- With Hossa out and the Hawks playing like crap, Quenneville really pulled out the "slap chop" in the third period.
Lines will be 16-19-12, 72-15-88, 25-22-86 the rest of the way with 11 & 53 stapled to the bench. #Blackhawks
@TheChiTownKid April 3, 2016
- He's not someone you notice until he's not around, but Gene Honda's distinct voice over the PA was missing, and it just wasn't the same. Too bad they weren't able to get Harvey Wittenberg back for a game.
- Of course, the Manshitter goal on Friday earned him first shot at taking Shaw's spot. Excuse me while I slam my head in this closet door for 2 1/2 hours. I happened to agree with Thom Pauly from CTA when he said the following:
- The Blackhawks got a little ahead of themselves in the last minute of the second period, letting David Pastrnak in behind the third pairing of Gustaf-Ival and he scored on a breakaway. No harm right? Still have a 5 goal lead right? But then...
- Just 11 seconds after the Pastrnak goal the Blackhawks fell back into their recent, "give zero shits mode". They let their foot off the gas and let the Bruins break into the zone pretty easily off the faceoff. The puck worked it's way around to the point and Adam McQuaid let a harmless shot go and Patrice Bergeron deflected it past Darling. Quenneville tied to pull a rabbit out of his hat and went for the "offsides replay challenge". Denied. They'll pull it back together during the intermission, right?
- The Blackhawks continued to show their lost momentum by giving up yet another sloppy goal, this time two and a half minutes into the third period. The Bruins just played simple grinding hockey, throwing pucks at Darling and then sweeping the blocked shot into the net. Bergeron was the goal scorer, getting his second of the game.
- The Bruins continued their third period onslaught just over the halfway point, Brad "The Nose" Marchand was able to deflect a shot into the net off his skate.
It's debatable whether there was a "distinct kicking motion" but I'm with Pat on plays like this. Either let them all in, or none. Period. When you cloud the rule with terms like "distinct kicking motion" the rule is completely subjective. You want more goals? Blame the goalies equipment, but keep kicked goals out, right? Safetly, my ass. Most players do not kick pucks like the Super Toe Football toy. They try to use the full length of their skate blade SIDEWAYS and redirect it. Kicking the puck straight away is practically impossible, so don't give me that safety bullshit. You will not see guys pulling a Shawn Michaels and superkicking the puck. They still kick the puck on any other part of the ice and it's gone alright.
- Given the point totals and the score, the #AK72LINE was pretty normal as far as possession. Panarin and Anisimov were under water, despite having 7 points between them.
- The Blackhawks overall corsi was dogshit, once again (44%). This team is no longer a puck possession team, because they simply don't possess the puck efficiently. They haven't for a majority of the year. They jump on mistakes and score off the rush.
- The one Bruins pairing the Blackhawks absolutely ate alive was John-Michael Lilies and Joe Morrow (-10 and -13 overall corsi, respectivly), even though Adam McQuaid wasn't far behind (-8 overall corsi).WOOF!
Ladd - Toews - Hossa
Panarin - Anisimov - Kane
Fleischmann - Teravainen - Weise
Mashinter - Kruger - Desjardins
van Riemsdyk - Hjalmarsson
Svedberg - Seabrook
Gustafsson - Rozsival
