by Gatekeeper
Yell at Gatekeeper
The Blackhawks returned to the ice after a five day NHL mandated bye week, Saturday night. Based on the past records of teams coming off their bye week (3-10-3), we were not to expect much from this tilt, which is not exactly ideal for the Blackhawks. They were red hot before the break, and five days off is no way to keep that momentum up. Aside from that, Blackhawks veteran Brent Seabrook was suiting up for his 900th NHL game, which moved him into 7th in Blackhawks history. He will move up to 6th, passing Dennis Hull, when he plays his 904th. Congrats to the big guy. That wasn't the only milestone in this one, though.
Much to my surprise the Hawks looked well rested and alert in the first period. Of course a couple of powerplays helped, but they had a jump in their step and peppered the Oilers for a majority of the first period. The Oilers didn't get a legitimate scoring chance until the period was well over halfway expired; in fact, the Oilers has a grand total of only four shots on net, while the Blackhawks amassed twelve. The only really bad part was the penalty that the Blackhawks took with four seconds remaining.
The second period looked a little more like what we all expected for the opening frame. The Oilers took a 1-0 lead on an utterly stupid goal, and the Blackhawks ran around for a good portion of the period. The Blackhawks also played very sloppy at times, which had Corey Crawford clawing for his own sanity. It's really disheartening how many times the Blackhawks have played one really good period and turned right around to lay an egg. The period ended with the Blackhawks getting 16 shots on net to 9 shots for the Oilers, but the Oilers lone goal had the Hawks playing from behind going into the third period.
The Oilers came out in the third and took a 2-1 lead, after the Blackhawks failed on yet another powerplay, which was the theme for the night. That would prove to be all the Oilers would need to win, in this one. The Hawks out shot the Oilers for the third straight period, 11-9, and were able to break the shutout but they eventually fell short 3-1. When you out shoot a team 39-22, you need to win.
- The Captain Double Dick line had a pretty decent night out there. I've been hard on Schmaltz, but he's finally looking like an actual useful NHL player. He was getting way too many undue accolades early on. #DickFuckingPanik scored his 15th goal of the year, on a nice give and go with the El Capitan. Don't say I didn't warn you. Panik is going to easily hit the 35 point mark, I predicted, if he can simply get 6 points in his final 24 games. The Jonathan Toews assist was his 600th NHL point.
- I'm not really the biggest Cam Talbot fan but that Ghostbusters mask he has is slick as hell. That said, he had a helluva night.
- Artem Anisimov turned the puck over to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins late in the first period, while on the powerplay, and had to really be crafty to strip RNH from behind without giving up a goal or taking a penalty.
- Andrew Desjardins had a team low 6:29 of time on ice. I have a feeling that John Jaeckel's assumption that Michael Latta could be replacing Desjardins soon could be a very real possibility, in a hurry.
- The Blackhawks powerplay had some pressure but they could not get shots through to the net to save their lives, which makes the powerplay suck immensely. Too much talent to be going 0-3.
- Lauren Magiera is just super awkward for these WGN games. I'm not sure why they have her out there floundering, but Frankenberry Roan would be much better. Everything she says sounds like she's confused, and she not sure what she's talking about. Combine her with Steve Konroyd and you have the most bland, confusing intermission show possible. But, hey...
- Tanner Kero damn near had his head taken clean off by Eric Gryba at center ice. Luckily Kero was not injured on the hit but Ryan Hartman went after Gryba and earned himself 17 minutes in penalties "defending the honor of his teammate". Kero then got his clock cleaned once again, after the powerplay, as well. He is going to end up eating his meals through a straw, at this point, if he doesn't protect himself better.
- Speaking of the powerplay to follow, Matt Benning threw the puck to the net and Trevor van Riemsdyk, who was the only player in that entire section of the ice, had a wonderful deflection off his skate and into the Hawks net. Corey Crawford certainly wasn't expecting his own defenseman to kick the puck into his own net, yet there was the amazing TVR. Why the fuck would you kick at a puck going through you crease like that? There was absolutely no other place that puck was going once van Riemsdyk stuck his skate out.
- Milan Lucic fucking sucks! For a player that will be making $6 million for the next six years, he's the worst. If I didn't know better, I would have thought he was either hurt or scratched. Not so. He got a gift goal in the third, when Michal Kempny tripped over his own two feet which gave Lucic enough time to beat Corey Crawford five hole. He still sucks.
- The United Center crowd was absolutely dead as hell most of the night. Not that the Hawks gave them much to make a fuss about but, shit, act like you care. Well, except for these fucking guys...
- The Hawks won an incredible 65% of their faceoffs, and Jonathan Toews won 19 of 24 by himself.
- Based on the inflated shot advantage, the Hawks overall Corsi for number was 83 to the Oilers 40.
- Kane, Toews, Panarin and Keith possession numbers were all grossly in the positive to the tune of +18, +26, +27, and +18.
Left Wing - Center - Right Wing
Schmaltz - Toews - Panik
Panarin - Anisimov - Kane
Hartman - Kero - Hossa
Rasmussen - Kruger - Desjardins
Keith - Hjalmarsson
Kempny - Seabrook
Campbell - van Riemsdyk
