Send a McRib to #Fatrick
The Blackhawks took to the ice on Tuesday night, riding a five game winning streak, and for the first time, as a team headed to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Following Sunday night's game, the Hawks were able to clinch their ninth straight playoff appearance, thanks to the Calgary Flames defeating the Los Angeles Kings. The playoffs were never in doubt for the Hawks, but now the question of how much rest will Coach Q give the players as we head down the stretch? With the division still at stake as of Tuesday's game, the lineup was much of the same, with the addition of Marian Hossa following his two game absence. I guess I should mention that the Hawks were taking on the Vancouver Canucks tonight, Look at that. I made it all the way to the end of the intro before I said the Hawks were playing the Canucks. It seems like just yesterday these were the games we used to get pumped up for. My how times have changed.
Once the puck dropped it appeared as if both teams had very little interest in actually playing tonight. The Canucks could barely manage to get the damn puck on net, while the Hawks best chance came from a line of Rasmussen, Kero, and Jurco. Yes, that same Tomas Jurco that looks completely lost out there. Not even a power play for the Hawks could muster up a spark. Finally, with a minute remaining, the Canucks found the back of the net to put the Hawks down one after twenty minutes.
The second period didn't exactly get off to the best start for the Hawks. Following a turnover by Nick Schmaltz, Vancouver found the back of the net less than two minutes in to increase their lead to two. The Hawks however did find some life in the second period. Less than two minutes later, Ryan Hartman cut the Canucks lead in half with a power play goal. That would prove to be the highlight of the period for the Hawks. Just before the midway point, the Canucks redirected another puck past Crawford to increase their lead to two again. Despite having two more power plays in the period, and registering fifteen shots, the Hawks couldn't score another and trailed 3-1 after forty minutes.
If you enjoyed the third period by the Hawks on Sunday night, then you were in for more excitement tonight. The Canucks opened the scoring a little after the two minute mark to give them a three goal lead. That also proved to be the end of Corey Crawford's night, as Scott Darling came on in relief. The spark Quenneville was looking for from the goaltending change happened as the Hawks scored two goals in under four minutes to cut the Canucks lead to one. Late in the period, John Hayden had the game tying goal taken away after a Canucks challenge for offside, but the Hawks didn't quit. Ryan Hartman tied the game with a minute remaining to send the game to overtime.
To start the overtime, the Hawks had some carryover time from a third period penalty by Vancouver. As the Hawks power play came to an end, Jonathan Toews was called for goalie interference, and the Canucks headed to the power play. It took just over thirty seconds for Daniel Sedin to cash in and win the game for the Canucks, by the score of 5-4. The war room in Toronto reviewed the goal to see if there was goalie interference, but there was none, and the Hawks winning streak was snapped at five.
- Marian Hossa returned to the lineup after missing the last two games, and tallied his twenty-third goal of the season.
- As bad as the Hawks power play was in the first period, their power play goal in the beginning stages of the second period was a thing of beauty. A sweet passing play by Schmaltz to Hossa to Hartman cut the Canucks lead in half.
- #DickFuckingPanik scored his twentieth goal of the season. That loud chuckling noise you hear isn't The Joker, its Gate laughing with a cigar in his mouth at all you people who called him crazy for saying Panik would score twenty goals.
- With just over a minute remaining in regulation, Patrick Kane fed a fantastic pass to a wide open Ryan Hartman, in front of the net, and Hartman tied the game at four.
- John Hayden continues to impress by making his presence felt with physicality and play making abilities. While he's been good, lets not get the anointing oil out for him just yet. Its early in his career.
- Despite shitting the bed in the second period, overall the power play wasn't too bad. They ended the night 2/6.
- Ryan Hartman had two goals tonight to give him eighteen on the season. Money well spent Montreal.
- What little momentum the Hawks had in the beginning stages of the first period were killed by a lifeless power play. A power play that managed one shot.
- After scoring on their first power play chance of the second period, the Hawks squandered the next two power play chances in the middle frame.
- John Hayden looked as if he tied the game at four, late in the third period. However, Vancouver challenged the play for offside, and after review it was deemed Panik was offside and the goal was taken away. I'm not saying this because the call went against the Hawks, I've said this all along, REPLAY SUCKS.
- On the Canucks game winning goal, Scott Darling and the war room in Toronto felt the need to look for goalie interference. Thank the Lord, this goal wasn't overturned because of "goalie interference." As I said to Gate, if that was goalie interference, I give up.
- Unlike Sunday night, tonight the Hawks couldn't get the win in comeback fashion. Frankly you deserve to lose when you have to play catch up to teams like the Canucks and Avs.
- Forty-four shots against the Canucks, and the Hawks lost. That should not happen. EVER.
- Who the hell decided to give the Bulls the prime time slot on CSN, and bump the Hawks to CSN Plus?
- Just over ninety seconds into the second period, Nick Schmaltz had forced a turnover while exiting the Hawks zone. Unfortunately for Schmaltz, he had his pocket picked immediately afterward, and the puck wound up in the back of the Hawks net. Not exactly an ideal start to the second period.
- Through two periods, the Hawks held the Canucks to eight shots, but somehow the Canucks managed three goals.
- Tomas Jurco earned himself a set of healthy scratches coming up. Early in the third, Jurco failed to see TVR pinch in, and got caught drifting out of position. This resulted in a two on one, which allowed for a tap in goal for Vancouver.
- Corey Crawford allowed four goals on ten shots. That's deceiving though because a couple of the goals were redirected, and one he was hung out to dry for.
- Speaking of Crawford, I'm gonna feel bad for him when he's stuck wearing a Canucks jersey.
