Jonathan Toews, Blackhawks Take Care of Business Against Awful Flyers
There was one game on the entire NHL calendar for Monday night. The Chicago Blackhawks came into the game with 63 points — only five teams in the league were worse. One of those teams, the Philadelphia Flyers (61 points) was on the other bench at the United Center. The two teams were almost identically bad entering the game; Chicago had scored 210 goals to Philly’s 208 and the Hawks had allowed 284 goals to the Flyers’ 287.
For those scoring at home, that means Monday night’s showcase game on ESPN+ and Hulu provided a matchup of teams with a combined minus-154 goal differential in their 80th games.
The big difference in this one was one specific guy missing in orange. While the Blackhawks kept most of their bigger names at the trade deadline, the Flyers traded Claude Giroux to the Florida Panthers.
Kevin Lankinen got the start between the pipes for the Blackhawks against Felix Sandstrom (not Sandstorm… that came later).
In the Blackhawks’ penultimate home game, it was Erik Gustafsson opening the scoring just 104 seconds into the contest — of course. Jonathan Toews got everyone’s attention and Gustafsson ripped home the snipe to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead.
Toews and Dominik Kubalik picked up the helpers.
Four minutes into the first, Toews was called for a penalty. As always, the captain wasn’t happy about the call but the replays we got from the broadcast didn’t clearly show where he supposedly slashed former Chicago draft pick Kevin Hayes.
Well, Toews sat in the box pissed off for two full minutes as Lankinen struggled to control a rebound but the skaters around him helped clear the puck. As the penalty ended, Sam Lafferty took the puck away and found Toews streaking for the net. He was able to slip the puck past Sandstrom to give the Hawks a two-goal lead.
Hayes would get one of the goals back for Philly a couple minutes later thanks to an ugly, blind pass by Gustafsson to the middle of the ice in the Hawks’ offensive zone.
Chicago would take a 2-1 lead to the room at the end of 20 minutes. The Flyers out-shot the Hawks 14-13 in the first. Toews won six of his nine faceoffs and Reese Johnson won all five of his draws in the first period.
Gustafsson went to the box after a terrible clearing attempt went over the boards six minutes into the second period. He was personally making this a very entertaining hockey game in the opening 30 minutes. The Hawks killed the penalty despite the Flyers controlling the puck for most of the two minutes.
Nothing happened for a while. Literally, nothing. The Hawks got a power play with 3:44 left in the second period and it was amazing that there were still three minutes left in the period… and that it was still the second period. It was just tremendously mediocre hockey from both teams.
Shockingly, the Blackhawks did nothing with the advantage.
The Flyers went 12 minutes without a shot on goal and Jake McCabe got hooked to put Chicago back on the power play inside the final minute of the period. The 58 remaining second in the period ticked off the clock without a power play goal and the Hawks headed to the room with the same 2-1 lead they had 20 hockey minutes prior. Chicago out-shot Philly 9-7 on the middle period.
Alec Regula (14:16) was Chicago’s ice time leader after two. He also led the way with two blocked shots and was credited with two hits. Alex Vlasic was on the ice for 11:54 and was tied for the team-lead with three shots on net. So the kids were doing alright on the back end. Toews won 11 of 15 faceoffs in the first two periods. And for Lankinen, 11 of his 21 shots faced came while the Flyers were on the power play.
The Hawks wasted the rest of the power play to start the third period but two minutes into the final frame Riley Stillman unloaded on Bobby Brink after Philly’s touted rookie released a shot. Brink was okay but it was a good, clean hit from Stillman.
Less than 30 seconds after the Stillman hit, Lafferty was able to draw a penalty on the Flyers. The Blackhawks were able to get Kane on the ice for a bit but couldn’t get a clean shot on net before the Flyers were able to stop play.
This time, the Blackhawks were firing at will. Patrick Kane, Alex DeBrincat and Seth Jones were ripping shots wide, off bodies and on net but couldn’t get one through. And another advantage disappeared without a goal.
The likelihood that this game would end with only three goals scored was highly unlikely given how terrible both sides are defensively, so the next goal was going to be big. And it came off the stick of DeBrincat, who received a ridiculous cross-ice pass from Kane and ripped home a one-timer for his 41st of the year — which ties his career high.
Jake McCabe picked up the second assist on the DeBrincat goal. Kane’s apple was his 66th of the season, which ties his career best total from the 2018-19 season.
the ONLY player in the NHL with more points than Patrick Kane since the start of the 2015-16 season is Connor McDavid.#Blackhawks
— Tab Bamford (@The1Tab) April 26, 2022
The Hawks got a fifth power play with Hayes in the box 11 minutes into the third but failed to do anything yet again. This most recent failure made the Hawks 3-for-35 with the alleged “advantage” over their last ten games, which is terrible for those scoring at home.
Philly emptied their net with 3:30 to go in regulation chasing two goals.
McCabe was sent off to give the Flyers a power play with 83 seconds left, keeping the door slightly ajar for Philadelphia.
Within the first ten seconds of the Flyers’ advantage they hit a post, and Stillman was there to keep the puck out of the net on behalf of Lankinen.
Toews tried to shoot at the empty net while short-handed but it went wide. Lafferty was in pursuit and got cross-checked into the boards in the corner by Joel Farabee. Lafferty didn’t like the play and whacked him back. Both guys were sent off for a couple minutes with 50 seconds showing on the clock. Philadelphia remained on a power play.
After head coach Derek King told his players to show up for the fans in their final two home games, they did just that. The final seconds came off the clock without any damage and Lankinen earned a victory.
Can’t say enough good things about Regula and Vlasic. Those 2 guys give me hope about the defence core moving forward. Gus needs to go.
We all watched coast to coast in Canada on HNIC and Hometown hockey from the west coast with interviews with a lot of Canadian players ! End of season for that Canadian Monday night tradition with millions of viewers ,a lot being chihawks fans !
Great to see a Hawks win ! They have a few good youngsters coming in through the system that played well tonight ! Though ,at times it looked like Beer League or Canadian Shinny ! Good luck ! From the 74 year old that played in the 60’s and has been a hawks fan from 1955 ! POPS 4
Why is Gus playing ? Are they thinking of bringing him back? If not then why??
When Dominic Moore started talking about bringing back King as a good thing I got chills down my spine – does he know something?
Gus and King back for another year??
Tell me I’m dreaming
Regula was on the ice for more then 21 minutes tonight
Toews had a good night
Vlasic 3 sog
Kurachev 5 sog
Lank had a very good. Game with 970 save%
Just read a credible rumour that Rick Tochett is being considered for HC position
I think I’d be ok with that
This game was two bad teams competing to see who was worse. Tonight, it was Philly. Although, the Blackhawks stats were anything but impressive. The Blackhawks PP was 0/5. Philly was 0/4. It really was a battle for the least worst team. How does Kurashev lead the team with 5 SOG?
Vlasic and Regula had a good game. They made some rookie errors, but it didn’t bite them. Maybe because it was against Philly.
Lankinen was good. But…again…Philly.
One concern, Strome should have had a good, strong game. But, he had 0 SOG and his FO% was 40%. Kane is trying to feed DeBrincat so the kid tops his PR of 41. That may be all the team has left to really go for. Kane and DeBrincat with the development of Vlasic and Regula. I want to see Strome finish on a really strong note.
If de Haan is being shut down for the remainder of the season, how about bringing up Ian Mitchell or is Rockford being in the playoffs more important? Maybe so. If that’s the case, let Caleb Jones finish out over Gustafsson. The kid should be able to make a statement, to management, for his Blackhawks future.
Borgstrom is not going to be here…at least not with the Blackhawks. Maybe Rockford. He just brings nothing. Really nothing. Florida really missed the boat with that draft pick and he didn’t do anything to show that he belongs in the NHL.
They won one for the fans i guess, pretty well settles up that they will finish 6th for the lottery draft. Good performances from the youngsters, something good to finish on.
Good to see the ice time for R&V. That Schmaltz trade looking better and better. Some trades need to develop also. Can’t wait for the Hagel trade to mature. Lot of tentacles on that one.
Yes beyond me why Gus is playing. C Jones should be in or anyone else. Trying to give Borgstrom the benefit of the doubt that he belongs. We have one more year with him so let’s see.
Does look like we are locked in at 6 for the draft. Ping Pong balls give us 7.5% for Wright. Anyone remember what they were for Kane? Tankathon had us taking a 5’8″ European dman and another 5’10” European dman in a mock draft with our picks. I instantly got an upset stomach and sharp pains. I jumped off that site.
Tocchet all right with me. Thought some here didn’t like him cause he would be too tough. Like in a Torts mold but not as bad. He does talk respectable during the breaks. Sez he likes to build from the back on up. Also some old school in him which I like.
Thanks for the Canada references Philip, there were many fans from Eastern Ontario growing up, especially when only 6 teams. I was a legit fan just a couple of years before the 1971 collapse to Montreal. The younger fans have been a bit spoiled with three Cups and 100 teams.
Patience is a long gone virtue.
JR, Wrap the issue i have with Tocchet is his resume as a head coach is not very impressive. He has had opportunities in Tampa and Arizona without any success. What is your end game with him, he doesn’t appear to be a coach who can take them all the way to contender status, maybe be a place holder like alot on the roster right now but find it hard to be onboard with that.
Ian – without checking I had thought Tocchet had a pretty good run with a bad ARZ team at least for a while (2 – 3 years) had them playing hard and with structure and in the playoff mix despite talent that was definitely sub par
Am I wrong?
We don’t need Mitchell and we don’t need Reichel with the Hawks just let the kids play those playoff games then send Vlasic,and Regula to Rockford to help them get experience in playoff and to have Fun .
Kid’s wants to have fun and learn with their teammates.they like the challenge off being underdogs in Rockford.a few off those kids will be with the Hawks in 1-2 years .
Tocchet coached the 2018-19 Yotes to 86 points with a roster whose leading point getter was Clayton Keller at 47 points and leading goal scorer at 19 goals Galchenyuk and Brad Richardson- so yeah a bad team yet their record was 39 -35
That what I was thinking of – next year was not as good but not that bad either for the talent there
Maybe he’s not a HOF coach and would be replaced once the Hawks are good again but he seems an upgrade over King and seems to be able to get a bad team to play with structure something neither JC or King could do and eventually with better players than he had in ARZ he may work out
If not he can be replaced as Hawks improve – the fact he could instill a structure on a bad team is a a positive
I was all in favor of hiring Tocchet when they fired Kid Coach and people laughed. Wherever he’s coached he’s had bad talent and he made them respectable and coaches a physical style which is needed here. Who else would you have here?? King again??(I wouldn’t be too surprised if he’s back here next year honestly). Arizona is a crap organization, and he got a lot out of them and they have been worse since he’s left. Your not going to get a “name” coach with the roster you have now. I don’t even know if he’d take the job.
Wrap only season they made playoffs was covid bubble. Had some decent young talent there and undrrachieved why he wss let go. Raanta and Keumper in goal, with Oel and Chychrun on D, Keller, Dvorak, Kessel, Schmaltz etc. should’ve been enough talent to be better.
there will not be a line of hof coaches at kd’s door begging for this job. other than a few players, the nhl roster is littered with mostly has beens, never weres, and never will bes. rockford is in similar shape. this is a rookie gm finding his way in terms of developing a supporting staff, player procurement, scouting, and drafting. who with an established reputation would want to step into this situation? it is not a plum job.
any coach who can have them ready to play from the first puck drop, play physical, compete for a full sixty minutes, play smart, has patience with kids (there will be a lot of them in the next several years), and does all of those things 82 times a season is needed now. when the quality of the roster has been brought up to snuff they can go shopping for the “the guy who can take them all the way.”
i am all for a young guy looking for his first head coaching job who appears to have the ability to do all of the things i enumerated. maybe he can motivate them to play the right way and grow as a head coach as the players and team mature.
If you look at our coaching history it is not a good one. Of the names I know only 3 coaches have coached more than 3 seasons of 82 games. Billy Reay 1012 games. Q at 797 and Iron Mike at 320. Hartsburg B Sutter and add up all of Pulley’s stints are exactly at 246.
Thinking Tocchet builds up the structure of a team game. We will know then if he can get wins once he has structure. Something like Savy built a team concept of playing FOR each other. Then Q can get them to WIN for each other.
Start with Tocchet then go to Zettler. Q was assistant in Colorado when he came over. Or vice versa?
Hawks29 – I favour a younger guy who’s win at different levels as well but I would be ok with Tocchet if that’s the choice
It would be a step in the right direction for now
What coach in their right mind would want to coach this horrible team ?? Hawks will be bottom 5 for the next 5 years….maybe even longer. Only difference between the Hawks and Yotes is the Hawks will play in an NHL stadium, that’s about it.
Anybody see Kane’s comments today, would be happy to stay if Debrincat did and they play together, Debrincat indicatrd he’d be willing to stay around. Also said you don’t have to lose to rebuild, which is true. Interesting to see how it plays out over the summer.
Wrap what i’d like to see is somebody in the Gallant mold, all his intensity is behind the bench during the game. Known as a laid back practice coach joking with the players who lets his assistants run them, expects players to be professionals and do what they need to do, if they don’t then he deals with it. Good at taking time with the youngsters, trusts them when he plays them and gives them their minutes. Thats what i want to see, not somebody who acts like a strict disciplinarian parent, successsful coaches don’t do that anymore. You don’t hire a Gm who is good enough for now or anybody else, why would you do that with a coach, we’ve seen enough of that since Q left.
@Wrap
Where did you read or hear the rumor
Beer League I think there are a few guys that want to take a bunch of rag tags (which we are not) and put their own thumb print on them. A mad scientist test what ingredients do with each other. A good scientist sees and knows what ingredients will do with each other. All we need is a scientist that knows what ingredients do good with each other and know what ingredients are needed to make the chemistry work. It will also take the head of the science department to listen to the scientist and go get the ingredients he needs.
Mr Fenn – saw it on Al Cimaglia’s twitter feed
He’s a well respected Hawks observer – worked I think covering Hawks for ESPN for a while and appears on talk shows to talk Hawks
He said he heard from a credible source
Ian – you’ve done your research!
Gallant would be someone interesting
I’m not advocating for Tocchet necessarily just reporting a rumour and am encouraged that this is perhaps the type of experienced coach (which Gallant also is) that KD will eventually hire
Remember neither Colliton or King had any NHL coaching experience when they were hired – I’d really like to see that trend change
Who are our Coach Candidates ?
You guys notice that the Blowmans did to the Hawks what they did in Detroit ?
They inherited a talented good team, won some Cups with those teams (Good thing) , & then Ran the organization into the ground by riding the good players into the ground… Look at how bad the deadwings & Hawks are… Then look at teams like the Penguins who won, rebuilt in 2-3 years and were back at winning. Colorado, Dallas , T.B. also did the same..
Bottom line is that the Hawks right now as we sit, with our minor league players that we have are in REALLY BAD shape…
@wrap
Thank you
Well the Wild and Fleury got beat by Arizona. His Last 4 SP% games-.840, .840, .893, .867. Now Talbot did have a bad game recently as well but it will be Talbot’s net to lose. Dreams of a #1 are very questionable.
Noonan – was thinking the same – even if Wild get to WC final will MAF win 4 games in first 2 rounds?
With no points in last 6 regular season games in WHL , Jalen Luypen has 2 goals 4 points since Oil Kings start the playoff. He has 11 SOG in first 3 playoff games. The kid will be 20 YO in 2 months ,hope he can get a 8-10 kilos in the next year Now he is listed at 5’10 ‘’ 157 pounds ..that’s really small.
Allan Nolan team was destroyed 10-1 last night ..he was minus 4 . Iff he stay in WHL next year I hope he can be trade to a strong team or just Go play with Rockford . The kid will be 19yo tomorrow and had his best season with 7 goals and 41 pts .
Intetesting both Toews and S. Jones agree with Kane that the rebuild will not be as long as people are thinking and will turn around pretty quick. King said if he was coach he would bring in a couple more of vets to play with the youngsters. Wonder where KD stands on these comments.
An accelerated rebuild?? Toews, Kane and Jones should be traded before they talk management into this quick rebuild bull crap.
King is a complete fool…. Last thing the Hawks need is more vets.
Does this mean the aging vets want a so called retool?
Here is a faster retool Kubalik and TB’s #1 in ’24 for PLB. He’s a nice 23yr old veteran. Heck add Kurashev if you have to.
Teply skates like he has pood himself while skating through sand
Phillips Jones Galvas
size offense smarts
If a right shot can play left point, then to me its definitely Mitchell, Murphy, C. Jones, with Stillman no. 7, if not then it gets to be a little tougher call.