by Gatekeeper
Yell at Gatekeeper
As with everything in St. Louis, the Winter Classic turned into a complete shitshow, because of the weather. They could deal with almost anything; but rain. So that's exactly what the hockey gods brought us. This just goes to show that even the mythical beings look at St. Louis as a dark, gloomy, ugly, miserable city. Just like their fans and teams. The start time of the game was up in the air, until 7am Monday morning, when they decided that the game would be played at the original time. Also, two entire periods needed to be played to qualify as a "game". If the game was tied after 2 period, there would be a shootout prior to the February 26th game to decide the winner. What a joke. When you over-saturate the market and tempt fake, this was bound to happen. So, in other words, the Blackhawks were going to spend 2 1/2 hour slogging through sewer slush. Just another day in St. Louis, for most. They would have been better off, and safer, skating the Chicago River. Coming in, the Hawks were missing Marian Hossa and Marcus Kruger were out with injuries, and the ice conditions were about as healthy. So be it.
It only took the Blackhawks a minute and eight seconds into the game to take a lead, which was good, because the game slowed down after that. There were a few rushes but the first period was a total slopfest. There were only six shots a side for the entire period which tells you the amount of action we were treated to. Just a complete tire fire from top to bottom.
The NHL kept the silly charade moving in the second period so, of course, the Blackhawks blew their lead. Both teams got their bearings a little more and were able to throw many more shots at the net, which made for slightly more sloppy action, like an awkward Fatrick kiss goodnight in front of the Darling residence. The Blues were able to take advantage of their shots and tie the game up, almost halfway through the second period. I can't say I really saw 26 shots but that is precisely that the NHL claims that happened. The claim is that the Blues out shot the Hawks 15-11 overall.
The Blackhawks had a banner period in the third. Actually, it was a banner two minutes for the Hawks. The Blues only had twelve shots in the entire period and scored on 3 of them. Does this game even matter anyway?
It certainly shouldn't, based on the conditions.
People can get all high and mighty but this is a regular season game that won't mean and more or less than any other regular season game. The only benefit would have been making fun of Blues fans just a little extra for the next 2 weeks.
Remember what the Wild did after clowning the Blackhawks less than 12 months ago? NOTHING!
How about the mighty Capitals beating the Blackhawks in the waning minutes in 2015? Oh, THAT'S RIGHT, the Blackhawks won the cup that year.
Maybe we could go all the way back to the 2009 Detroit Red Wings, in Wrigley Field. No cup there either.
This game meant nothing special.
- Just a minute and eight seconds into the game, and the first shot on net, the Blackhawks had a 1-0 lead from my boy Michal Kempny. Artem Anisimov swung out from behind the net and hit Kempny for a one timer that was deflected by a Blues defender and beat Jake Allen high glove side. I'm so glad to see Kempny producing, after the shaft job he had gotten lately.
- The Blackhawks were out shoe 35-23 and one of the goals was an empty netter. You can't really fault your goalie for that. He was solid enough to win, and Jake Allen only needed to make 22 saves.
- Michal Kempny got his third start in and Gustav Forsling sat. I wouldn't mind seeing more Trevor van Riemsdyk healthy scratches, to be honest, but this is baby steps.
- Both Hawks goalies get 10s for their equipment were throwback sets and top notch. CCM and Brian's did a great job.
- I have be a huge grumpy gus about the Hawks uniforms, because are the ones they should have used last year in Minnesota, and they just slapped a better log on it this time around. That said, the black helmets looks slick as hell.
- They trotted out noted shitbag Bobby Hull and his fat kid for the opening faceoff and someone forgot the whole "faceoff needs a puck" part. Way to start this shit off.
- About 8 minutes into the second period when Patrik Berglund slammed home a 3 foot putt from Jay Bouwmeester through Corey Crawford, to tie the game at 1.
- It's kind of hard to win a game when you only manage 6 shots in the third period. Boy, those score effects...
- Neither team had a clue on the powerplay, as they were a combined 0-7.
- The NBC camera angles were fuc-king TER-I-BLE. They kept ramming that stupid camera-on-a-steek down our throats, and not only did it look bad, but the lens was rain covered. Talk about useless. Why in the fuck would anyone watch this game on HD when you can't even see clearly through the lens? The NBC and NHL people are a bunch of idiots.
on-a-steek
- With just under eight minute remaining in regulation, a stupid blind backhand pass in the Blues zone turned around and ended up with Hjalmarsson kicking the puck in his own net. Just a minute and fifty three seconds later Vlad Tarasenko made it a 2 goal lead. Not the best two minutes for this team.
- Joel Quenneville threw up his hands with over three minutes remaining in the game and pulled Corey Crawford. We're talking about a team that generated low single digit shots in the period, so what might you expect from this? An empty net goal, of course. There was really no other outcome. The Hawks had basically given up before that, and I honestly can't fault them. He get hurt over this bullshit game?
- Not sure analytics mean anything in a game like this, but the #AK72Line were really the only line to drive any possession.
- Michal Kempny was the only Blackhawks defender that had a positive corsi
