Blackhawks vs. Panthers - Win Recap

"Snow Blown"



Fresh off their thorough spanking of the shell of the team formerly known as the Buffalo Sabres, the Hawks were back on the ice Friday night for a tilt with the Blackhawks Miami Chapter, otherwise known as the Florida Panthers. Kind of like getting the band back together, wasn't it? Just in case you've been living under a rock since June 2010, the Panthers feature no less than 5 recent former Blackhawks and their former GM, old Uncle Dale Tallon. The Panthers are really in a unique situation because they had to try and acquire higher salary players, to get to the salary cap floor. Must be nice, eh Uncle Dale? In doing so, they brought in and over paid some former Blackhawks talent and other discarded players like Tomas Fleischman, Marcel Goc, Ed Jovanovski, Sean Bergenheim, and Canuck for a second Marco Sturm. With this formula, Florida had put together a nice little first half. Coming into Friday night's game they were 21-14-10 and sat in the 8th spot for the Eastern Conference playoffs. They were just recently overtaken in 1st place by the recently awaken Capital, but had spent a good deal of time in first place, in their division. The story lines were abound for this one, and what better to do during Snowpocalypse 2012?

AS one would expect from game that was delayed 30 minutes because of the weather, it started out slow, and uneventful. That all changed when a Hawks breakaway goal opened up the scoring and then they followed that up with a powerplay goal to sent the Panthers into the locker room down 2-0. The second period was similar to the end of the first. The Hawks tacked on another goal, and almost had a fourth of the game, but it was waved off because of a high stick. The Panthers were the only ones to score in the third period, but all that did was ruin the shutout bid. The Hawks walked away with a 3-1 win.

The Good

• Kaner wasn't scoring recently, but his passing shoes still have some miles on them. His rocket touch pass sent El Capitan past Garrison and in on Theodore. Jonny did what Jonny does, with a sweet backhand goal to put the Hawks up 1-0.
• The third time was the charm for the powerplay as the Hawks finally capitalized on the third powerplay of the first period. Deuce blew a long slapshot through a Bruno screen and past Theodore for a 2-0 Hawks lead, going into the intermission.
• To the relief of everyone watching both in the UC and at home, Kaner finally cracked the score sheet with a nice 5-hole goal. He made a nice play to poke the puck past a pinching Florida defender, and was in on a 2-on-1. Stalberg drew the defenseman over and even though he looked like he really didn't want to shoot, he did anyway, and beat Theodore. Lets hope this ins the end of the Kaner yips. He seemed to have a jump in his step after that goal.
• While he wasn't asked to do all that much, Razor played a good game. So nice to not have goaltender worries. Furthermore, the defense held the Panthers to 19 shots. You really can't ask for much more than that.

The Bad

• Just to remind everyone that scoring powerplay goals against Buffalo is no grand achievement, the Hawks proceeded to open up the game blowing 2 powerplay chances. Nothing is fixed until WE say it's fixed.
• Bruno nearly put the Hawks up 4-0 with a gaol that was waved off because of a high stick. It didn't look like a high stick on the replay, but apparently the officials in Toronto agreed with the on ice officials.
• #ShawFact: Shock&Shaw got his bell RUNG, when Keaton Ellerby checked him from behind in the corner.
• Jason Garrison wasted no time taking advantage of a Toews penalty early in the third, to bring the Panthers within two goals. Not much more can be said. Razor didn't make it all the way across on the shot and Garrison blew it by him, low glove side.
• The Kids are finally coming back down to earth, but I'm still convinced that Purple Hazer and Shaw have earned longer looks. Smith isn't really showing much that makes me think he needs to stick around. When Sharpie is back, Smith heads west.

The Ugly

• There was a moment of concern in the second period when Toews seemed to injure his arm. He labored through a shift and then went off the ice holding his arm. He finished the game, but lets home nothing bad comes of this.
• Shaw and Bolland were absolutely hog tied at the dot, going a combined 5 for 20.

Here are your video highlights:

Blackhawks at Florida - SO Win Recap

"Steal Panthers"



After coming off a barnburner Monday, which was probably the most intense regular season game I've seen since last season's closing game, our Blackhawks began the annual "Fathers Trip" on sunny South F-L-A. No need to act like we weren't familiar with half their roster and their GM. Skille, Versteeg, Kopecky and Campbell all dressed for the game. Florida sat at 6-4-1 coming into this contest, which isn't too bad, considering they are the Winnipeg Jets of the states. This one was sure to bring out the bad blood from the players that were on the Hawks "discard" pile. It was going to be interesting to see how the currents Hawks treat someone like Skille and Versteeg. Jacob Markstrom, the player that pushed Alex Salak out of the organization, started in net for the Panthers. All that aside, this is the fist game in quite a while that they were without the services of Duncan Keith, as he sat out with an injury.

The opening period went the Hawks way, with the good guys scoring on one of their seven shots, but game up far too many shots themselves. As luck would have it, they were able to keep the puck out of their net, though. The second period was much better in terms of Hawks momentum, and they virtually made up all of the shot differential, and each team was able to put up a goal. In the third, the Hawks blew their one goal lead late and neither team was able to score in the OT frame, so it took a shootout for the Hawks to win this one.

The Good

• Nice to see the Hawks open up the scoring on a team, in road game, no less. Bruno got a steal deep in the Panthers zone and Tazer jumped into the play. Bruno fumbled a bit and fed El Capitan, who was falling down. He still got a stick on it and directed it into the net. Just how they drew it up, eh Edzo?
• I'm beginning to become a big fan of MegaMayers and his fighting prowess. He took a big hit at the Hawk blue line from Matt Bradley, and before Car Bomb could come to his assistance, Mayers had already gotten up and begun to pummel Bradley. He takes no shit, and I like this. A LOT. Keeps Car Bomb from doing dumb things, which is good for everyone.
• Watching Frodo pick Skillington's pocket in the Hawks zone, and seeing Skillington take a bad penalty on Frodo later in the game both made me snicker. Win-Hawks, hands down.
• The goal that put the Hawks up 2-0 in the second was a thing of beauty. Kaner led the rush in the zone and waited; and waited; and waited. He waited for Bruno to clear the slot and hit Boss 81 on the back door, who one timed it past Markstrom. Hoss and Kane are just men among boys. And when I say the back door, I mean the "back, back, back, back" door. I didn't think he had anything to shoot at, yet it ended up in the net.
• Great close up of Car Bomb saying "Fuck", after missing his great chance in the second period, where he split 3 Panthers and was almost 1-on-1 with Markstrom.
• Frodo seemed to be inspired by his former team, and was the Blackhawk that was most involved in the Panther's zone, in the third period. He's still snake bitten, but it's not stopping him from trying.
• All things considered, they didn't look bad, missing their top D-man. Officer Seabrook had a bit of a mean streak with his hetero lifemate watching the game from the cheap seats. He painfully punished the Panthers forwards a few time, both during the play and after whistles.

The Bad

• Frank the Tank and Pistol struggled a little bit, early on. A bad turnover on the back end, set up a couple of great chances. Frank the Tank only played four shifts in the 3rd period, but three shifts in OT, and Pistol only played three shifts in the 3rd, but two in OT. Punishment for earlier gaffes?
• Looks like Pick-to-Click Vik was channeling his inner Versteeg when he turned it over late in the second before hitting the Panthers blue line. It resulted in a good chance coming back, and Edzo was sure to point that out.
• The Panthers were able to cut the lead in half with under 2 minutes left in the second period. The Panthers money line was able to pull some zigging and zagging, and Weiss ended up with the puck on his stick, and put it past Crawford. Hearing Versteeg with the assist made me cringe.
• The Panthers tied up the game with 2 minutes to go in regulation, as Seabrook was left alone with two Panthers players, and one of them scored the equalizer. The Hawks weren't able to get the puck out of the zone, after a big Crawford save. It was dumped in by Kulikov, and tipped past Crawford by Jovo-Cop, who for some odd reason was standing in front of the Hawks net. I'm not really sure what O'Donnell thought he was doing, but he left his partner to thwart two defenders all by his lonesome.
• That Sharpie OT break-a-way would have been money. Let's not forget to point out the beautiful pass Hammer gave him. It's not often Hammer gets lauded for his offense, so here it is.
• Dineen, why you no Versteeg in shootout? I would have liked to see that.

The Ugly

• The powerplay took a step backwards last night, but I'll cut them some slack when they only got one to work with.
• 43 shots is just FAR too many shots to me giving up in ANY game. Luckily, Crawford was on fire for the night.
• Incredi-Bolly got faceraped at the dot again, going 9-25.

The Shootout

• Crawford was better than Kopecky
• Toews was bested by Markstrom
• Goc couldn't put it past Crawford
• Markstrom beat Bolland
• Fleischmann was stopped by Crawford
• Kaner was the money man, and beat Markstrom for the win

Here are your video highlights:

Made With Bits of Real Panther, So You Know It's Good

Last night the Hawks were playing the 1st of the final 10 regular season games, against a recently familiar foe, the Florida Sex Panthers. With all the Brian Campbell and Marcus Kruger hoopla going on, in the days leading up to it, this game almost seemed overlooked. Once again, the Hawks would have to face former GM, Player, and Color man Dale Tallon. This was also the first time the Hawks faced their former player, Jack Skille. There is no doubt that the Panthers will use the win earlier in the month and the Tallon/Skille revenge factor as motivation in the game. The drama was abound, and the Hawks HAD to have this win and these two points.

The Blackhawks looked a little sloppy in the first couple of shifts, but tightened up a little later in the period. Even with some decent scoring chances either way, both teams were scoreless in the period. In the second period, the Hawks took a 1-0 lead and were outshooting the Kittens 24-13. In the third period, the clouds parted and the sun shined through, with the Hawks scoring 3 more goals and decidedly shutting out the Sex Panthers 4-0. Exactly what needed to be done.

The Good

• In the second shift of the game, Pick-to-Click Vik used his speed AGAIN, to drive hard to the net. He was blasted into Tomas Vokoun by Mike Weaver, but he had a couple of steps on the defenders, and drew a penalty. That's exactly what Vik needs to continue doing. He did the same thing, again, in the second and fed Kaner for a nice chance. He also scored a big goal, but I'll expand on that more later.
  
• Kruger started on the third line, and second powerplay unit. As would be expected and as I predicted, he wasn't very noticeable. Maybe our new swede is broken!
  
• After three pretty bad powerplays, Seabs unleashed a howitzer of a one timer on a feed from Deuce, to put the Blackhawks up 1-0. It was really a matter of time, because the Hawks had an advantage in chances. The new configuration, with Deuce at the point and Seabs on the trigger side, could work nicely.
  
• Kaner, El Capitan, and Vik played tic-tac-toe, forty six seconds into the third period, and got the Hawks off and running with a 2-0 lead. It SHOULD look that easy all game. The chemistry between those three is going to be important, if the Hawks expect to do anything but get booted in the first round.
  
• Kaner added to the lead, on a hot pass from Deuce. The shot changed speeds after it hist a defender and squirted through Vokoun's 5-hole. Might have been a softy, but Vokoun was pounded like an porn star all game long. The percentages were with the Hawks.
  
• Open up the flood gates with a little Czech connection. Boss 81 lead the rush and fed Frodo, who sent the puck back across the ice to Tomokop, who hit a GAPING net, and the Hawks were up 4-0.
  
• Crow earned a well deserved shutout, but lets face it, the Hawks SHOULD shut this team out. They are inferior and really should be whipped all over the rink.

The Bad

• Even with the Seabrook powerplay goal, the Hawks should have had MANY more chances against a team like the Panthers. I'm not sure what happened, but it started before Sharpie got hurt. Again, not a time to go cold, gentlemen.
  
• When Tomas Kopecky (3-4, 75%)leads the team in faceoff percentage, and Frodo (7-11, 64%)is right behind him, your team had a rough night at the dots. El Capitan was over 50%, but Kruger, Snake, and Johnson were all under 50%.

The Ugly

• In a 4-0 shutout, there can't really be much UGLY, so I'll give the team a break. I can't be a "Debbie Downer" every night.

Here are the video highlights for your viewing pleasure:

All Good Things Come to an End

After a few quiet days off the Hawks were up for a south Florida match up with Dale Tallon's Panthers. This team wasn't looking real good in the standings, but came out with some attitude. Maybe it was for Tallon, or maybe it was for Skille, but they clearly had an agenda, in that first period, and it held on. They should all take Tomas Vokoun for dinner after that game. It had to end some time, and hopefully the Hawks can start a new streak tomorrow night.

After over 10 games of excellent play, the Blackhawks came out in this game looking a step slow from the get go. Five minutes in, the Hawks were down 1-0. Ten minutes in, they were down 2-0. End of the first period, and they were down 3-0. Not how you start a game against a last place team, on the road. Some changes were made for the second period, and the team everyone is more accustomed to seeing stepped on the ice, bringing the deficit to 3-2. Even though the Hawks were all over Florida in the third, they could not solve Vokoun, and the Panthers held on for a 3-2 win.

The Good

• El Capitan was the only Hawk that looked like he had any motivation at all in that first period, and it was NOT contagious. He had no help.
  
• Just as we were ALL yelling at Soupie to shoot the friggin puck, he circled behind the net, and found Kaner wide open, and Kaner buried it. Big play by two important Hawks.
  
• It looked like the Hawks were rolling, once they scored the second goal. A Bickell forecheck sent the puck to Dave Bolland, who fed Boss 81 for a deadly one timer, and only a one goal deficit. The second half of this game was looking better, and better. WAS.
  
• I am thoroughly convinced that Marty planned the play where the Panthers almost picked his pocket, with the puck on his stick, in his own corner. He waited for an open pass and SHOULD have given it up to his D-man, but he didn't panic despite the pressure. He felt that pressure and handled it just fine.
  
• The change in net, and something said in the locker room must have woken up the sleepy children, because they came out in the second period, scored 2 goals and out shot the Panthers 15-4.
  
• The Blackhawks looked like the Harlem Globetrotters against the Washington Generals, in the third period. The Panthers barely even touch the puck, and that's not a figure of speech.
  
• Outshooting the Panthers 39-15 sure looked nice, but I'll bet they'd love that first period back, now, eh?
  
• Vokoun is a stone wall, and the only reason that team wasn't blown out of that rink, after only playing twenty twenty decent minutes.
  

The Bad

• The Panthers came out with some attitude, and laid SEVERAL big hit on the Hawks in the first period. Three goals against and two failed powerplays. Piss poor first period, gentlemen, get your .
  
• Bolland feeds Sharpie all alone in front of the net...missed the net. If we could read his lips he would have been saying "FML!"
  
• Campbell picks up the puck 10 feet in front of a wide open net, and he shoots over the net.
  
• The Hawks sure picked a bad game to go 0-3 on the power play. Stellar timing, indeed.
  

The Ugly

• The Hawks looked horribly flat coming out and the Panthers took a 1-0 lead when Nick Leddy failed at getting the puck outside the blue line and Michal Repik send a shot netward. Crow kicked out a fat rebound right onto David Booth's stick, and we all know the end to that sad tale. Goals don't come much easier than that.
  
• Ten minutes into the game and the Hawks were CLEARLY struggling when Hammer decided that a good outlet pass would be right to Sergei Samsonov, which would be great, if he was still playing for the Hawks. Samsonov rolled it into the zone and fed Bergfors, who's shot was blocked out to Clay Wilson. Wilson sent a shot in that Hawk Harrelson might say "had eyes", and those eyes found Crow's 5-hole. Two nothing Florida.
  
• The Hawks put the cherry on top of a BRUTAL first period, by giving up a soft goal with 6 seconds left. Blackhawk for minute, Marty Reasoner, roofed a wrister on Crow, who was not sharp at all.
  
• As one would expect, Marty Turco was the netminder when the Hawks came out for the second period. Crawford was NOT sharp, and needed to be relieved. Turco hadn't played in almost a month, but he looked ready, when called upon, which was RARE.
  

Random Observations and Annoyances

• When I hear the term "Veteran Banger", I think of Ron Jeremy. Just saying, Pat.
  
• Is it bad that the "Iron Maiden, April 16th" on the boards behind the left net had me jealous and distracted?
  
• "Great pickup by our crew". Oh really, Edzo? Isn't that what all those cameras are for?
  
• I have to finally say this, and I love Tony Esposito, but those Binny's commercials are absolutely FRIGHTENING! Those places should be burned to the ground for making a mockery of an NHL Legend.

Here are the video highlights for your viewing pleasure: