by Patrick Stankus
Tweet to #Fatrick
Following a brief stop in Calgary on Friday night, the Blackhawks continued their final Circus Trip with a stop in @atomicfroster's land of Vancouver on Saturday night. Unlike years past, the trip to Vancouver did not mark the end of the Western Canada portion of the trip. For Lord only knows why, the Hawks still have to travel back to Alberta for a Monday night match up with Edmonton. With the Canucks struggling, Corey Crawford was given the night off, and it was up to Scott Darling and crew to take to the ice.
The Hawks came out of the gate exactly how a team that played the previous night and had a decent amount of travel would have. Throughout the period the Hawks were sloppy and careless with the puck. A number of their passes didn't connect and led to turnovers. Luckily it was the Canucks they were playing and not an NHL caliber team. The Hawks were playing with fire when it came to the slow start, and it wound up burning them. The Canucks got on the board first with a power play 14 minutes into the game to give themselves a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.
As bad as the Hawks were in the first period, the second period turned out to be one of the worst periods of hockey I've ever seen them play. The carelessness with the puck was at an all time high and the turnovers were multiplied. The Canucks cashed in on those turnovers to score two goals in just over a minute to increase their lead to 3-0. I wish I had more to say, but an accurate display of the Hawks second period is best described when typing in "dumpster fire" on a Google search. For Christ's sake they ended the second period with four shots. Four goddamn shots!
The roller coaster that is the Hawks took a turn for the good in the third period. The Hawks looked like a completely different team. They skated circles around the Canucks for the entire 20 minutes. One by one, the Hawks chipped away at the Canucks lead, and before you knew if, they didn't have the Canucks on their heels. No, no, no, they had the Canucks on a fall to the ground. Ryan Hartman completed the comeback and tied the game at three with four minutes remaining in the period. Despite having a couple more chances, the Hawks couldn't net the game winner in regulation, and we'd head to overtime.
In overtime, it appeared as if Jonathan Toews won it thirty seconds in. However after a video review from the War Room in Toronto, it was deemed Hjalmarsson was offside, and the goal was waved off. Following that call the Canucks rode a wave of momentum and peppered the Hawks net with numerous shots. Scott Darling fought off all those shots, and made all the saves needed, including one without his glove, to give the Hawks a chance. As the Hawks went for a change, Marian Hossa, in a one against three, scored to finish off the comeback and give the Hawks a 4-3 overtime win.
- Scott Darling was flat out, outstanding tonight. I could careless if you think a goalie who gave up three goals is bad. He was not bad tonight. He made too many saves to count that kept the Hawks in the game.
- Another (insert Foley voice) "LOCAL BOY", Vinnie Hinostroza had himself a game. Not only did he score his first career goal, but he also added two helpers to give himself a three point night. My only knock on him is that number he wears. Seriously dude, pick a new one. Anything other than 48. I mean that number screams bench warmer for a high school varsity football team.
- Early in the third period the Hawks got a power play, and while they didn't officially score on it, they did right after it expired. Kane fed a cross ice pass to Panarin who one-timed the puck into the net. #AK72Line alert. Feels sooooo good to say that again.
- The third period the Hawks turned in may have been one of the best 20 minute stretches I've seen them play all season. They simply clowned the Canucks.
- I enjoyed seeing the line of Schmaltz-Toews-Kane again. Perhaps when we unplug the line blender next game, it will stop on this combo.
- Aside from his first period penalty, Michal Rozsival was solid. Admit it folks. Sorry, you're gonna have to find a new scapegoat.
- Ryan Hartman is turning into more than just a serviceable player. Tonight he added the game tying goal in the third, but overall he was noticed for more than just that.
- I hate the term "at least they got a point," but tonight was an exception. If the Hawks had lost in overtime, I would have taken the point. They had no business getting one point, let alone two, with how awful they were in the opening 40 minutes.
- Boy that "steadily declining" Marian Hossa was back at it tonight. All he did was net the game winner. If he keeps this up, I bet the Coyotes won't mind adding him to their "Ring of Cap Hit Honors" in the rafters of their arena.
- The McRib returned to McDonalds this week. I could think of no better way to celebrate than devouring a few of those "saucesome" sammiches. Our photoshop fanatic @Wm_J_LePetomane shared his thoughts on my view of that glorious sammich.
- Michal Rozsival was guilty of a very soft hooking call in the first period. Of course the Canucks scored the opening goal on the ensuing power play.
- In the second period, Marcus Kruger took a penalty right off a face off. Much like Rozsival's penalty, it was a very generous call for the Canucks. Luckily for the Hawks, they killed this one off.
- Vinnie Hinostroza had a horrendous giveaway at the blueline that led to a great scoring chance for Canucks. Thankfully for Hinostroza, Scott Darling made the save when needed.
- I'm pretty sure the Hawks found every which way possible to hit the post tonight. I actually lost track.
- The first 40 minutes of the game, the Blackhawks were a complete shit show. The low light might have been the fact that 30 minutes into the game, they only had 8 shots on goal. None of which were of any quality.
- Late in the second period, while on the power play, Toews turned the puck over at the blueline. While that was bad, the "effort" Brian Campbell showed while trying to stop Bo Horvat on a breakaway brought a new meaning to the word lazy. Campbell never moved his legs, and tried to latch onto Horvat's arm with his stick. It truly was beyond pathetic, and summed up the Hawks play to that point nicely. I can only imagine what the outcry would have been if Rozsival did that.
- Speaking of that power play in the second. The Hawks never managed to get the puck into the zone. It was a complete waste of two minutes.
- Its amazing how the Hawks can just flip a switch and go from looking like Gate's over 40 team, to an elite NHL team. That was the case tonight. Whatever was said in the locker room during the second intermission, I'd like to know what it was.
- I hope everyone enjoyed that fabricated 3 on 3 overtime. Holy shit, it just gets worse and worse. Pray to God players hit the net with their shot, otherwise its a 2 on 1 the other way. I'm sorry, but no sport should change their rules to "make it more exciting." Hockey is exciting enough 5 on 5. Leave it alone.
- Speaking of overtime, @UncleRozsival dropped this gem tonight; "If 3 on 3 is this exciting, I can't wait to see 2 on 2 overtime." Kill me. Kill me, right now.