By Michael Calvert
HOSSA, RUNDBLAD SCORE IN 3-2 SHOOTOUT VICTORY AT PITT
Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang were both hurt for last night’s game. Fleury has been so bad the last 11 games he may has well been hurt, but played fairly well last night.
1st period: The first started out pretty slowly with neither team putting up any real scoring chances. At right around 14:00 the Hawks began to turn it on, jumping all over the Penguins for a whole minute finally scoring on a Rundblad rocket slapper.
The Hawks committed the game’s first penalty at 11:21 with a hook by Oduya, it looked like a Pittsburgh penalty to me. The Penguins weren’t able to capitalize; in fact, the Hawks had more opportunities on the PK.
The Blackhawks had their first opportunity on the second most annoying penalty, too many men on the ice at 4:35, they too were unable to capitalize.
The clock got some attention as it stopped a few times towards the very end of the first period. It’s funny to hear the announcers on these unscheduled down times, unlike baseball where it is part of the job, even great announcers like Doc Emrick don’t know what to talk about. We learned that a one time Hawks affiliate in Indianapolis had a scoreboard only one side of the audience could see.
The Hawks were outshot in the first 9-6
2nd period: Marian Hossa started the scoring early in the second on the Hawks second go round on the pp, putting a wrister past Fleury with Bickell providing the distraction. 2-0 Hawks.
Under 3 minutes later, Zach Sill scored the Penguins first goal and his first NHL goal to cut the lead in half, so good for him.
The Hawks answer for the Penguins goal was to go right back on the pk for a pretty clear high stick from Crawford, which again the penguins a penalty they did nothing with.
Steve Downie tied the game up 2-2 picking up the loose change on a scrum in front of Crawford. There isn’t much Crawford could have done, the puck needed to be cleared quicker.
Hawks again are outshot this time 14-9.
3rd period: If a period could feature nothing, this one did just that. The Hawks were outshot by 1 with a 9-8 count. No penalties were assessed and no real great scoring chances, aside from Perron beating Crawford and suddenly forgetting how to put a puck in a wide open net. Thanks to the Perron guffaw, the game goes to OT. Taking 1 point in Pitt is probably worth hanging your hat on.
OT: The big goal scoring opportunity for the Hawks came on a solid individual play by Hossa when he stripped the puck and turned on a partial breakaway, unfortunately pushing the puck past the left post. Fleury was beat on the shot, unfortunately Hossa was going all Perron apparently and missed the goal completely. To the shootout we go.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before:
Toews beats the goalie 5 hole.
Kane puts in the winner on a slow moving deking play.
Crawford was unbeatable on the shootout.
Just more of the same Hawks win.
Hawks lines
Saad – Toews – Hossa
Sharp – Richards – Kane
Bickell – Teravainen – Shaw
Nordstrom – Kruger – Smith
Hjalmarsson – Seabrook
Keith – Rundblad
Oduya – Rozsival
Crawford
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Michael Calvert
