Darlings Steals A Point, Blackhawks Buried By Avs In OT
The Colorado Avalanche came into Tuesday night’s home game 62 points behind the Chicago Blackhawks in the Central Division.
With Niklas Hjalmarsson at home taking care of family business and the top seed in the Western Conference locked-up, the Hawks dressed a few guys who haven’t seen action in a while. Michal Kempny, Michal Rozsival and Vinnie Hinostroza were in while Duncan Keith, John Hayden and Jordin Tootoo joined Hjalmarsson in having the evening off.
And the Avs went after the Hawks immediately in the first period.
Thanks to Scott Darling, the Avs were scoreless in spite of a 16-3 shot advantage after 20 minutes. Both teams had a power play in the first; Rene Bourque had 48 seconds remaining in the box when the second period began.
After an ugly first, the Hawks woke up to start the second period and scored before Bourque could leave the box.
Artemi Panarin’s 30th of the season came 28 seconds into the middle frame off assists from Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.
Less than four minutes later, Ryan Hartman inched closer to joining the six Blackhawks who have reached the 20-goal mark when he put home his 19th.
Chicago kept their foot on the gas and Marcus Kruger, who had the only assist on Hartman’s goal six minutes earlier, scored his fifth of the campaign.
When Francois Beauchemin went to the box 39 seconds after the Kruger goal, it appeared the Blackhawks might blow the roof off in Denver. But the Hawks opted instead to open the door for a comeback with a lazy pass that turned into a Matt Duchene short-handed goal.
Nathan MacKinnon went to the box 2:30 after the Beauchemin penalty ended, and the Avs generated the same result. This time it was Gabriel Landeskog scoring short-handed and the Blackhawks were suddenly up only one.
After putting only three shots on goal in the first period, the Hawks put 17 on net but were still out-shot 18-17 in the second.
When the dust settled from a crazy second period, Darling had stopped 32 shots already and the Hawks were up 3-2. Chicago would have to kill 1:57 with Nick Schmaltz in the box to open the third period, and the Avs had some momentum after the two short-handed goals.
Tonight: 1st time #Blackhawks allowed 2 shorthanded goals in game since 10/5/2005 – the game Duncan Keith & Brent Seabrook made NHL Debut
— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) April 5, 2017
The Hawks killed the Schmaltz penalty, but Colorado still held control of the game. When Mikhail Grigorenko tied the game at three, Colorado had a 10-0 shot advantage already in the third – and the teams weren’t six minutes into the period.
Brian Campbell went to the box 1:40 after the Grigorenko goal and Tanner Kero put a shot on net while short-handed to at least get the Hawks into the box score in the third.
Johnny Oduya spent two minutes alone in the box beginning at 12:42, and Darling once again kept his team in the game with a few terrific saves.
When the Oduya penalty ended, shots were 14-5 favoring Colorado in the third period.
Regulation ended with Colorado showing an even 50 in the shot column. Darling stopped 47. The skaters in front of Darling blocked another 24 in regulation led by five from Kero.
Chicago’s shot leaders at the end of 60 minutes: Hinostroza and Andrew Desjardins with four each.
With 3:03 left in overtime, Erik Johnson – the same player selected by St. Louis two picks ahead of Jonathan Toews – surprised Darling with a quick release and the Avs won the game 4-3.
I realize it was a meaningless game, but jeez that was awful!
Not going to watch last two games before the playoffs-had the urge to smash the TV.
Felt bad for Darling and the Hawk fans that made the trip.
I put my fist through a 52 inch tv in 08 it was worth it, I nailed that sont a bitch who was on the screen. Now I have a 144 inch screen and watched Stanley Cups and counting on it.
This is good for us. Stay awake during these 4 games. You donot deserve 2 short hand goals unless you make 2 outstanding plays defensively to get them, they wernt anywhere close to doing that to earn them.
We want to win half of these games but stay in shape and be smart/carefull. Were changing the oil and filter these games.
None of the details matter, when we play good/full 60 things go hand in hand. Better win next game so we can feel good about things.
Hawks played like lazy slugs tonite. Embarrassing!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Colorado is a terrible team and they made the Hawks look like a team of Bantams . They were just horrible tonight.
Again – these last three games were not about winning or losing – points in the standings do not matter. What these games were supposed to be about was for the team to play the “right way”. They failed miserably at that tonight. They played like they really didn’t give a shit … so much for playing the “right way”.
From what I could tell there was only one possible good thing to come out of this game and that would be if Q decides that Campbell has played himself into the press box. There were a number of Hawks players who didn’t bother putting out much effort tonight including Kane, Panarin, Toews, and Seabrook – but none of them were as awful as Campbell. From his brain dead drop pass on the PP that led to the 2nd shortie, to his mugging of the Avs player behind the net and then the “who me” look when he was called for the penalty, to his poor decision to skate the puck behind the Avs net in OT and let himself get engaged with the Avs player who promptly took the puck away and started the break where Johnson scored the winning goal by shooting it under Campbell’s stick because Campbell was just standing there doing nothing.
Q, please, I beseech you, put Campbell out to pasture and give Kempny a chance.
Seabrook’s inability to get back/change direction…. FUGLY!!!!!
Ernie–How many D-men in the league make more than him (Seabrook)???
Ouch!
It’s all about Kane trying to win the scoring title back-to-back and no one getting hurt.
Trying to take something positive from the game – the three goals were good plays. There were no serious injuries. I guess that’s about it.
As ebonyraptor said, they did not play the “right way”.
Pointless game, as long as the Hawks make it out healthy that’s the point. curious to see who they face 1st.
Fair and just, I have to give Kruger credit, his second credible goal lately, nice move, let’s hope he can maintain some semblance of an offensive skillset thru the playoffs, it will help the Hawks and his trade value.
Seems to be a common thread here ,.,.,Game was meaningless ,.,.,bull shit ,.,.you think any of our Hawk player thought that ??????? NO . the only excuse that should be talked about here is the fact that the Hawks were out worked in every facet of the game ,to many players making bad choices ,..,Darling got us an Undeserved point .
At this rate it will be 1 round and done for the Hawks . Do you think with the addition of Odouya all our defensive woes were solved BIG GLARING Hell No !
Our defensive lapses will be exploited big time ,as they have of late . Nuff Said .
Hawkhead, do you think we’ll see the same bullshit NON-effort in the playoffs? I don’t think so, but I guess we’ll see…
The last game they need to play all and play well-then 4 days off. Next game rest whoever they think needs it.
Also Kane ain’t winning any scoring title-and he knew it last game based on his play.
This an experienced team, with many runs-they can turn it back on. Funny time of the year with teams not feeling pressure and others lots–but they need to go into the playoffs with a good game.
You can see the diff. between when we play like we just did TAM/PIT/CLB, and when we coast/not full speed which is usually midtier or bottom 10 teams like we just did COL/VAN/DAL/FLO/COL. It goes hand in hand cant get highlow on details but do your homework.
At times we do/have before play to the level of the competition which can be smart theres no need to waste any extra energy when we are preparing for lots and lots of full 60 efforts.
We win game in ANA as they won that other game they had no right to.
So I’m to understand it’s time to put Seabrook and Campbell out to pasture for the betterment of the team come playoff time. Mkay.
The Hawks’ do trail far behind the rest of the league in meaningless game effort. You’d think they wrapped up the most points in the conference or something! Lazy asses.
The Hawks only have to stay healthy and rest a couple of players before the playoffs start. Winning or losing means nothing, right now. When the light turns green they will be ready. They’ve done it MANY times before.
As with ANY sport team at ANY level, “some games you’re the windshield and some games you’re the bug”!!
Ask Washington what it means to finish first in the East Reg .