Blackhawks Escape Pittsburgh With Shootout Win
David Rundblad scored for a second straight night, but it took 65 minutes and a couple rounds of a shootout for the Blackhawks to subdue Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Rundblad opened the scoring in a first period that was dominated by the Blackhawks, but ended with Chicago only leading by one. Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews picked up the assists on Rundblad’s third of the season and second inside 24 hours.
The line of Hossa, Toews and Brandon Saad was buzzing once again. Saad was credited with a game-high seven shots on net; only two other players in the game were credited with as many as four. He was also credited with three missed shots and three hits in a busy night for Chicago’s top unit.
Toews put three shots on net, was credited with one assist and two hits and won 15 of 22 faceoffs.
Hossa scored his tenth of the season on a Blackhawks power play early in the second to extend the Chicago lead to two. But after that goal – scored at 2:41 into the second period – the Hawks offense was held in check by a Pittsburgh team that was down two key players.
Kris Letang was an expected absence after getting hammered by Zac Rinaldo on Tuesday night, but when Evgeni Malkin was scratched after warm-ups the already-depleted Penguins were looking at a shorter bench than they had anticipated.
The Pens battled back to tie the game in the second period, though. For the second straight night, the Hawks allowed a player to score his first career NHL goal; Zach Sill scored 2:40 after Hossa’s goal to cut the lead in half. Steve Downie tied the game at 12:22, and that would complete the scoring for the night.
Each team had chances in the third period, but neither side was able to convert. The story was the same in overtime, and the game went to the skills competition where Toews and Patrick Kane embarrassed Marc-Andre Fleury and Corey Crawford was able to stop both David Perron and Sidney Crosby easily to secure the victory.
Crawford stopped 33 of 35 in the game to earn the victory, while Fleury stopped 24 of 26.
Headed to his first All-Star Game, Brent Seabrook played a fantastic game. He skated 24:50 and was credited with a team-leading four blocked shots and three hits while picking up an assist on Hossa’s goal.
In the second night of back-to-backs and heading into the All-Star break, coach Joel Quenneville still limited the ice time of a few players down the stretch. Teuvo Teravainen was stapled to the bench for the last 13 minutes of regulation and the overtime period, and Bryan Bickell disappeared for the final 11 minutes of regulation and overtime. Brad Richards remained off the ice for the final seven minutes of regulation and the extra session as well.
Five Blackhawks will now travel to this weekend’s All-Star Game, but fans will have to wait a full week to see the team back on the ice together when the Hawks take on the Kings in LA next Wednesday night.
Their coach sheltered Crosby from Toews all game. Wasn’t able to in the shootout.
It’s a win. It’s 2 points. That’s the good news.
The not so good news is that the Hawks gave up 35 shots to the Pens who were without 2 of their 3 best offensive players, and the reason they did is they got outworked in the d-zone again. Part of the reason for that is because not all 5 men on the ice were playing “defense first”. On the Pens 2nd goal, Kand and Sharp were floating around the blue line as the Pens outnumbered the Hawks 3-2 in front of the crease and chipped it in. I don’t know where Richards was on that play but it should never happen that the opponent has more players in the prime scoring area than the Hawks do.
The other reason the Hawks got outworked is because they couldn’t get the puck out of their end and they got tired chasing the puck. Although he wasn’t the only guy to not have a great night – Rozsival was terrible. He had the puck and failed to get it out on both Pens goals. He simply had nothing in the tank and was slow to the puck all night and it cost the Hawks not only on the plays that resulted in the Pens scoring but a lot of other times where they spent extended d-zone time chasing the ouck around because Rozsival couldn’t make a play. I don’t think he plays well when he’s rested 0 but certainly on the second of back to back games he shouldn’t be out there.
Stan, please find a way to acquire an experienced d-man that can play 4/5 so Rozsival and Rundblad can alternate at 6 until TvR comes back.
Toews/Kane 1-2 knockout punch in the shootout yet again. Phenomenal. Could not watch the game so listened on radio…Q is one tough coach at times…not taking any chances with Bickell and TT making a mistake against a seasoned Pittsburg squad…..Seabrook is real leader on this team and always has been. Tabs headline “Blackhawks escape Penquins with shootout win” says it all perfectly and no words can express it better,…anyway I’m happy…. good way to enter into the upcoming Saturnalia!
Please Q, let Rozy take a night off. He looks like he’s skating in sand and has the weakest clearing attempts.
FYI..Listened to Toronto radio after the Blackhawk game to hear a fan call in show. 3 wins in 17 games, lost six in row now, meltdown so many times in so so many years…whole Leaf fandom is going to need serious physicartric treatment..what a mess…bad contracts, up against the cap, leaderless, and so on….makes me appreciate the Blackhawks management and fans going back many years, never this bad for us even in the darker times. They ( the NHL ) need a second team in the greater Toronto area and shake it up, not entertaining a silly franchise in Las Vegas.
Not too many fans mentioning or talking about the All Star Game…we all know what it is but I,m kinda looking forward to seeing Toes and Kane flying around on the ice in those goofy looking jerseys. Should be fun. Would be better if they made it count for something, like home ice East vs. West in the Cup final. Never happen I guess.
FYI…Canadian $ hit 0.80 today…Bettmans 73 Million $ cap estimate was based on an 0.88 dollar….so right now the cap will be considerably lower.
Crude oil always goes up in spring/summer.
Back to back wins heading into the all star break, 30-15 heading into the latter half of the season, much much better than the 7-6 start.
Q’s affinity for Roszival is mind boggling. The fact that he is playing that many minutes is troubling. He is a number 6 who should be playing 10 to 12 minutes. We all know that. But Q is playing him as a 5 who slides into a bigger role in the second half of the game of only a 5 man rotation of players that Q “trusts”.
I think Stan trades for a veteran defenseman at the deadline, knowing it might be a 2 month post season.
Escape is right, Rundblad got another goal not by accident, his size and skill level requires patients he has a large upside, and as big of a TVR fan as I am, he was just starting to play well, sooo we’ll see. Rundblad is solid to me at least as good as our fourth guy. TT as predicted would sort of be invisible (ie. the good big ones) but due to Coach Q concerns which are mine too, I would “judge” TT on how or if he plays vs. St. Louis. Preds or the Kings teams that play tuff, skilled and fast and will target players and take them right out of the game. Below average teams I might lace them up and give it a go! YES few shots on goal and we gave up to many and YES we should of lost the game but dat da black disc! My only insight if any is JOAKIM NORDSTROM is playing a lot more physical very Shaw-like I know Hawks gave him a chat up about being much more physical and he is really really play very well, much improved in the corners less stick but more body and right in the mix in tuff areas, proud of that kd get little attention and can play a SHAW like role and if TT had that get into tuff corners we’d have Stan Makita! just sayin.
TT/29/65 were weak… I blame 65 for one of the Pens goals
Sharp is really not playing well
Richards skated-like bruno again… last guy in O zone- often…
When 10/91/88 get hemmed in D zone… the odds of a goal being scored by Opp. increase exponentially by the second…
4th line looked good again
I felt like the Hawks ran out of gas towards the end of the game. The first 20 was all Hawks and the halfway through the Hawks had it on cruse until the Pens scored the greasy goal. I thought Crow played well to. Was in control and played his angles perfectly.
Found it amusing Crosby was avoiding Toews. I think most hockey fans like Toews game more then Crosby. Sid is a generation al talent but so is Toews. Good game from 2 good teams
Agreed…..29/65/86 did not do a good job last night. I put that on Bickell at least for this game. He was nowhere and played pretty soft while his teammates took 50 hits.
The best part of last night, besides the 2 precious points, is the play of the 4th line. Not a knock on Carcillo…..but Nordy is just a better player. Nordstrom needs these games so that he is ready for the playoffs. I hope Carcillo watches from the press box more often than not. Smith is an animal and Kruger is relentless.
When Versteeg gets back some hard choices, at least for us fans. Assuming Versteeg is back with 91 and 88, who gets bumped….86, 42 or 13??
As several have said, huge game by Seabs. Cyndi just could not get around him one on one. 4 hits by 42 last night. The kid can really skate and is an excellent forechecker. The goals will come eventually. Big Hoss could have had 3 goals last night. I also do not understand the man crush Q has on 32. I have far more confidence in 5 than 32. I hope we never see 13 again. The guy is a worthless goon.
“Q’s affinity for Roszival is mind boggling.”
He’s got 3 choices for his bottom 2 slots. What about Erixon makes you any more comfortable with him on the ice than Rozsival?
At this stage in the game, the facts that there is a salary cap and that the Hawks can only carry up to 23 players before the deadline should make Quenneville skating Rozsival as much as he is painfully clear at this point.
In a perfect world, TvR doesn’t get hurt and the Quenneville has the option of flipping Rozy w/ Rundblad at the 6th defenseman and Erixon isn’t even in the picture. But life happens.
Last night’s game should make it clear that Q has no intention of playing TT once Steeg is back. If Q doesn’t trust him to play 10+ minutes on the road in the regular season, how can anyone expect him to get any kind of playing time in the playoffs?
Whether or not you think Q should trust him and play him more is irrelevant, it is clear that Q thinks TT is effective when he can be sheltered and the matchups can be controlled.
I think the forwards look something like this once Steeger comes back:
20-19-81 (and no, Hossa will not be spending any significant time on the 4th line this year)
23-91-88
10-65-29
28-16-42
Sharp + Richards is a bad fit unless Hossa or probably Saad is on the other wing. Richards is a floaty does whatever he wants kind of player. Sharp is a north south, flees the zone, usually in the OV position at all times, kind of player that does not compliment Rad Brichards at all. With a guy with a very specific skill set and a lot of tread on the tires there needs to be some accommodating roster decisions made.
Basically there isn’t anyone in that unit to dig down low, play fetch or pursue in the neutral zone except for Kane and its silly to expect him to play pack mule. Versteeg has been surprisingly good at all of those things this year, who woulda thought.
Anyway, my point is that Richards worst games have been with the Patrick’s on either side and for good reason.
Great finish by Hossa. Hopefully more to come after the break. That first line is something special. Tough to find a better group in the NHL right now. The team in general looked like they mailed it in but at least Crawford was able to end the week on a high note.
H58… the Hoss on 4th line is my compliment to 81- can be effective anywhere…
but it is/was predicated on success of 29/65/86 .. great 1st nite… invisible 2nd nite…
they have more time to “right” the ship while 23 is out… but last nite was not good… for all on that line
BUT- like AJ said… 10/91 looked bad… 10 has been bad weak w/o 19/81-
and the 3rd line of 10/65/29 is not good either…
Biggest Hope is TvR can come back and play to 95% of what he had been…
then they can actually go for forward to compliment 3rd line/Sharp dilemma – cuz- imo Sharp has not played well except for PP…
Lines — to me, Richards and Bickell both were playing better with Kane. Kruger and Smith play better together…Nordstrom is a pretty good fit with them. Teravainen needs to play (- Q), so Sharp (skill) and Shaw (grit) may compliment? Nothing wrong with 20/19/81.
Also, I believe the “new look” d pairings…2/5, 4/7 , and 27/32 was a pretty good idea. It affords the L&R shots and in theory, increases Rundblad’s ice time and cuts Oduya’s. It didn’t last long.
Hopefully, everybody comes back recharged and strong.
I would like to see 86 with 88 and 23 when he comes back. TT needs to be with skilled finishers. Pairing 86 with 88 will give 86 more space in time since teams are so worried about 88. 88 more than anybody on the Hawks has the ability to handle and finish 86’s laser passes.
Hawks1961, “with skilled finishers” — good point, valid. But, maybe 23/86/88 sacrifices “balance”? Shaw or Nordstrom is odd man out?
Compliment: to offer praise, for example “That’s a nice tie you’re wearing today”
Complement (with an “e”): goes well together or adds to, for example “Ketchup and mustard complement a good burger” or “Teuvo will complement any line with snipers due to his passing and play making ability” …
/word usage pet peeve mini rant :)
A.J. – very good point on Sharp-Richards compatibility. Versteeg and Bickell are more suitable linemates for Richards. However, Kane plays well with Richards so it’s best to keep them together. I’m not sure why Q replaced Bickell with Sharp on the second line because it seemed playing with 91-88 lit a fire under Bickell which seems to be a good thing. Sharp should be able to play with anyone but his 5v5 play this season isn’t very good. Not sure the right move but there are some mismatched pieces right now.
Regarding Q’s options if not playing Rozsival – yep, not any “good” options. But, playing Rozsival in the 2nd game of a back to back is probably worse then playing Rundblad and Erixon (just not on the same line). Rozsival was terrible last night and more than any other player was responsible for the Hawks getting hemmed in the d-zone for long stretches, and by a large margin. He simply can’t move quick enough, especially when playing more than 10-12 minutes and even more so in the second game of B2B.
…guess I failed the committed homonym test?
Dickie- 23/86/88 admittedly would lack a degree of defensive grit but I think they would make up for it in offensive skill level. 88 has been much better back checking this year and 86 has displayed good positioning and a quick stick defensively. It would be interesting to see how teams would match up with the skill level of that line.
H61 I would be afraid of that line especially during away games. The opposition would throw their checking line out every chance they had to physically neutralize 23/86/88. Additionally they ain’t payin Kane $6500 per SHIFT to back check or worse hold up the D end for 23 or 86.
Mike- 91 is a bigger defensive liability than 86 IMHO. At least 86 can get back on D and has a much quicker stick. How many times have we seen 91’s inability to get back?
Rozy served us well in 2013. Today he is laboring at best. He has played 36 games already, he will never make it to April and beyond. Last year he was well rested heading towards spring. It didn’t help much. 17 was better nearly all season I thought. I am glad we picked him up when we did, but the 2 yr ext was a little too kind.
Guys,
Stan told Scott Powers today that he’s satisfied with what he has seen out of Rundblad. Here’s the quote
“I think David has probably grabbed the reins the most of all those guys,” Bowman said. “He’s really shown he’s kind of emerged as a guy that’s getting more comfortable. He’s always had the talent. I think as a young defenseman it’s trying to gain the game-to-game confidence. He’s moved from the left side to the right side. Having not only not played the left side much, that was an adjustment for him, but I thought he got pretty good at it. Now last game he was moved back to where he was more comfortable on the right side.
“I think the long and short of that is you got a lot of candidates whether it’s van Riemsdyk when he gets healthy, or David or Erixon;
Hawks1961 – I was thinking of the more immediate future (no Versteeg) when I posted. The problem I have wiith 88/86/23 or whoever until he turns is mostly Sharp (not having his best season so far) Richards and Bickell (or Shaw) playing together. I may be stuck on how good it was to see Bickell *alive* with 91 and 88. Sharp has been a finisher – playing with Teravainen and Versteeg might work?
Craig N – Rundblad has been playing well lately. I think the goal vs Winnipeg when Ladd knocked him off the puck was more Shaw’s coverage mistake. Erixon so far has looked about like Rundblad when he first arrived. Maybe in time he’ll turn out to be a player? I believe Stan B. knows what he’s doing.
Well Richards can’t play any pivot but the 2 pivot sooooooo at this point options are limited.
I don’t think he can’t get back, I think he picks his moments to exert himself. Not a lot of turbo there and there probably never was. Not sure he was ever too keen on playing in the defensive end.
He’s mostly a power play specialist and a set up guy who makes crafty passes and creates space. He’s close to pace for when he won the Smythe in terms of even strength scoring FWIW so there’s that.
Really not a huge pain point IMO.
I really don’t have a problem with Richards except for playing the point on the PP which I think is too risky with his lack of quickness and speed. He makes the kind of nifty plays tha complements Kane and he’s got a decent shot.
Richards is not a defensive forward, Hawks knew that when they got him for practically FREE and the entire second line on the power play is the problem, for jumbling lines Hawks need to solve that second unit today! Richards should not be on that line for many reasons they are just horrible and often can’t even get the puck on a frick-in dump in? Rundblad is a player and we have not collectively seen enough of TVR to go crazy, Runblad is a young kid he has that KRUG potential in Boston, yep I said it, but he is getting there. I wish we had Ryan Suter but wont come cheap or free like Richards. But damn it the HAWKS ARE VERY GOOD!
Tab, I am by no means saying skate Erixon with Keith for 20+ minutes a night. Like ER, it’s just not in the Hawks ‘ best interests to skate him 40 straight games before the playoffs. I was a big fan of Rozy during the 2013 Cup run (game 4 vs. LAK with Keith suspended sticks out the most), but he would be much more effective if given his necessary rest.
Rundblad is growing on me. Hopefully he continues to be an effective and CHEAP option for the Hawks during the next few years. I just don’t like it when he skates away from contact and coughs the puck up (see Andrew Ladd’s assist a week ago).
Interesting share on the dumpster fire that is the Toronto Maple Leafs, thanks Mining Man. It makes it all the more amazing what Rocky has done with the transformation of our club – and rather quickly, too, when one considers how bad it all had gotten. Add to that the fact that this is 3rd generation ownership and I believe you may have an actual “first” (or quite a rarity) in that it didn’t take someone to kick out the Wirtz family to solve our problems. In banking we say “Lend liberally to the 1st generation. Lend secured to the 2nd generation. Do not lend to the 3rd generation.” Rocky is in fact the best of the clan. Too bad Toronto didn’t fare as well when Stafford Smythe took over from his founding father, Conn Smythe, the man who built Maple Leaf Gardens in the middle of a depression by granting stock in the franchise to the masons, carpenters, electricians, etc. It was Stafford, a spoiled ne’er-do-well, who brought in Harold Ballard (hands-down worst owner in sports history), who subsequently looted and trashed the Leafs. It’s been 47 years for them and they have had a lot more to overcome than the Blackhawks ever did. For those of you who may be interested in this stuff, I highly recommend “The Last Hockey Game” by Bruce McDougall, an excellent book about the last original six SC Final in ’67, the last time the Leafs won it all.
re: lines – Sharp isn’t a hitter, but he’s more physical than Versteeg. I’d skate 86 between 88 & 10 and see what happens…
20-19-81
10-86-88
29-28-23
65-16-42
Tab, No Richards?
Thanks Red Top Parking…great reference to “The Last Hockey Game”..it truly is sad and mysterious in a way how bad the Leafs have become ( and the treatment of fans …getting a “ticket” and banned for a year for throwing a Leaf jersey on the ice). Can you imagine a time ever when Leaf fans would throw a jersey on the ice? Its become epedemic.
To Dickie Dunn…hey your right…Did Tab slip up or is this deliberate…in either case the lines are pretty interesting …very well thought out except the Richards part…in the pressbox I guess.
Mining Man — “and see what happens…” (said Tab), so, I guess it’s the pressbox for Richards(?)
Would Sharp be a potential option on the “4th” line when Versteeg is back? Provide some offensive jump and is he really any worse defensively than Nordstrom/Carcillo?
Just a thought.
So Richards has been a very successful point player on the power play most of his career. It isn’t like he doesn’t know what hes doing out there.
The first string of Kane, Toews, Sharp, Keith + whomever cant for whatever reason convert at an acceptable rate.
I think the biggest issue with the power play is the coaching staff not the personal. And in coaching staff \ scheme I mean Q. Which has been the same story the last hand full of years so should probably be used to it by now.
The PK is pretty killer so that is a plus.
TAKE THAT CROSBY!!!! Love this team!
APOLOGIES – I left Richards off the lines…
20-19-81
29-86-88
10-91-23
65-16-28
I think Richards and Kane play pretty well so I would keep them together. However, Sharp doesn’t seen to mesh well with Richards so it would be either Bickell or Versteeg with 91-88. Those two have been the best third wheel on that 2nd line. I’ve gone back and forth on this but tonight I think Bickell with them as long as he keeps playing like he has been lately.
20-19-81
29-91-88
10-86-23
65-16-28
Just a thought but if the Hawks are looking for a veteran defenseman at the trading deadline, wouldn’t Tim Erixon be a guy they might dangle ? Think about it. On the Sunday he was acquired for Morin, Q said he really liked his game and thought he would be a good partner for Rosy. Since then he has played what a half dozen times and is clearly the number 7. Brennan and Cumiskey easily could serve that role without having to worry about their development being stunted. So at this point , with the development of Rundblad, Erixon is really useless. Why not try to peddle him to a team a non playoff team for a defenseman in the number 6 type mold like a but not specifically Tim Gleason.
Anyone know how much Cap$$$ – SB will have ready for Rental – considering 23 will be LTIR???
Wall, this link shows were the capspace was at the time capgeek.
http://web.archive.org/web/20150102200853/http://www.capgeek.com/blackhawks/
Add 86 .900 were somewhere around .500, when 23 comes back if 86 is on Rockford roster for the 4wks before deadline I think we would go up to somewhere around 1.95m for deadline space (which could be 3.9m at 50% retained). (basing this on when we had 1.4 we would be at 2.2 for deadline)(and that 4wks at .500 and 4wks at 1.4 again, the 8wks before deadline) Basically we keep 86 up when 23 back, 42 goes to that roster for the 4wks (is a diff of .300 compared to that/using the that same calculation). We could always waive 34 and gain .600 (1.2m at 50%) if we needed to to get a certain caphit (deadline trade player) under cap.
I would have to sit down and figure it out to get an closer number. Plus Im not sure well retroactive 23 to ltir since we didn’t need it and it might benefit more to not to, which might gives us a little banked space as appose to none for the 4wks hes injured.
We do a have a little/can make room to add if needed.
Ernies good at these numbers too.
Wall, you were on to that. We did ltir 23, to bring up rasMoose since 13 is suspended.