by Gatekeeper
Yell at Gatekeeper
Leave it up to the Blackhawks to create some drama when it's not needed. After a game one shutout loss, the Nashville Predators gained just a bit more momentum in this opening series. Like I said Thursday night, though, I'm not worried one bit, and neither should any of you. The Blackhawks have often start playoff series slowly. They will recover. Quenneville did a little lineup shifting for this game, which was expected, but nothing significant. Unless you're a huge fan of John Hayden or Jordin Tootoo, that is.
The first period of game two started almost exactly like game one. The Blackhawks came out with some serious pressure, which resulted in nothing. The Predators turned the play around and scored on one of their first chances, with under five minutes burned. This, once again, gave the Preds some life. This also forced the Blackhawks to claw and scratch back to gain some momentum and pressure. For the period the Preds led in shots 12-7, which cannot continue.
In what seems to be a pattern, the Blackhawks came out in the second period, put on some pressure, and gave up a goal on one of Nashville's first chances of the period. The Blackhawks then blew another powerplay, and the Preds answered with another goal. This was possibly the most frustrating period possible. If you look at the numbers, the Hawks actually out shot the Preds 14-10, but no one watching felt that.
The Blackhawks were nothing, if not consistent, in this game. They had chances but, as has been the norm, the Preds turned a single chance into a goal.
This game was bullshit.
Screw the shots on net.
I'm not wasting more time than I need to on this. Allow me to be silly while I attempt to hide my immense frustration...
Full disclosure, here, I was looking for GIFs for this stupid recap and this one below came up. Absolutely, made me bust into laughter. Thank you, Internet!
- With only thirty seconds gone in the first Viktor Arvidsson got a partial breakaway, but missed the net. Seconds later, #DickFuckingPanik rocketed a snapper off the post.
- The Blackhawks powerplay was, once again, fuh-king awful. You have to take advantage when you get these advantages and the Blackhawks just pissed away chance after chance.
- With about six minutes left in the second period, even Quenneville's line blending shit sandwich did no good. Some fourth line plug named Colton Sissons parked his awful, slow ass in the crease and just hacked away at a loose rebound, while Johnny Oduya and Nik Hjalmarsson just let him. Goal, and queue up mass anxiety.
- I'd go into more detail on the Johansen and Fiala goals, but I'm putting in the same effort the Blackhawks did.
- Four minutes into the first period, Ryan Ellis had his long point shot blocked nicely by Panik, but the puck ended up right back on the stick of Ellis. Ellis let a shot go trough the screen of Arvidsson and past Crawford. The Screen definitely affected Crawford's position and view of the shot. Not the best goal given up, but not the worst.
- Three minutes into the second period Harry Zolnierczyk jumped off the bench on a change, behind the Blackhawks defense and was hit for a breakaway. Zolnierczyk fended off Johnny Oduya and chipped the puck up and over Corey Crawford's glove for a 2-0 Preds lead.
- Ryan Hartman not only channeled his inner Andrew Shaw, late in the game, by pissing his pants on a clean offensive chance, but he came back on the other end and took a horrible, possibly suspension earning, stick foul on Craig Smith.
- For the second game in a row, we were left asking, "What the hell are you doing, Duncan Keith?". He was having some serious issues controlling the puck in the offensive zone.
- Also, for the second game, PK Subban was almost invisible. For all the teeth gnashing over that trade last summer, Shea Weber has been the bigger acquisition. Not only was he invisible but he had a BRUTAL turnover right next to his own net. This is scary if he actually heats up.
Left Wing - Center - Right Wing
Hartman - Toews - Panik
Panarin - Anisimov - Kane
Schmaltz - Kruger - Hossa
Rasmussen - Kero - Hinostroza
Keith - Hjalmarsson
Oduya - Seabrook
van Riemsdyk - Campbell
