Patrick Sharp, Blackhawks Down Ducks
Duncan Keith picked up his 400th career point and Patrick Sharp picked up three assists as the Blackhawks rebounded from a mediocre third period in Los Angeles with a dominant effort to beat the league-leading Anaheim Ducks.
A bad Ryan Kesler turnover ended up on the stick of Patrick Kane who continued his lethal play. Kane found Jonathan Toews and Chicago’s captain opened the scoring with his 15th goal of the season at 5:30 into the opening period.
Keith deposited his seventh of the season to reach a career benchmark in the middle of the second period, only 60 seconds after an awful power play came to a close. Less than six minutes later, Sharp found Kane and Chicago’s Hart candidate scored his 24th of the season to extend the lead to three.
The puck was an adventure all night, and Corey Crawford had his hands full just trying to judge where dump-ins would go. Luckily for him, the Hawks dominated the play in the opening 40 minutes and his teammates were able to keep the puck out on a couple occasions when he wandered away from the blue paint.
In the game’s opening two periods, the Hawks out-shot the Ducks 27-14.
In the middle of the third, the Blackhawks put themselves into a tough spot. With Andrew Shaw already in the box, Niklas Hjalmarsson was sent off for tripping and Anaheim had a two-man advantage for 25 seconds. Crawford made a big save as the Shaw penalty expired, however.
On the Hjalmarsson penalty, however, Corey Perry made a nice pass over an outstretched Brent Seabrook to a wide open Rickard Rakell who broke up the shutout. But Sharp found Kane for another Hawks goal to push the lead to 4-1, where the score would end.
Sharp’s four assists move him past Eric Nesterenko into 15th on Blackhawks career points list with 498 in the Indian Head. Kane’s three points push him into second in the league, only two behind Philadelphia’s Jakub Voracek.
Crawford only faced 22 shots, but had to make a number of tough saves to earn the victory.
With the Hawks heading to San Jose for another game on Saturday night, the strong performance gave coach Joel Quenneville the confidence to spread out the ice time. Kane led Hawks forwards in ice time, but skated only 17:44 in another stellar performance.
Hjalmarsson led the team in ice time, but only skated 22:28 in the game. He was credited with a team-leading four blocked shots, one hit and two takeaways, and could have picked up at least one save while Crawford was under Ryan Kesler during the second period.
Brad Richards won seven of ten faceoffs and picked up an assist with four shots on goal. Michal Rozsival skated 18:30 and led the team with five hits.
Tab, let’s give Sharpie 4 assists, he really earned all four.
Sharps 4 assists and great passing on the primary assists won us this one. Rosy had a great game. What up with Crawford going for strolls? Stop doing that! Anyway we sent a nice message to the league leaders. Big tip of the hat to Sharpie…a tried and true Blackhawk to the core.
See I don’t see Sharpie’s age making him decline at all. Especially those accorded 4 assists! ????????
Not supposed to be question marks they were supposed to be emojis. Lol. :D
Nordstrom finished his checks tonight, really good to see!
Maybe this year Kane gets the Art Ross and perhaps the Hart as well.
Was there a tour for Chicago fans to the west coast tonight? The Hawks always travel very well but tonight was over the top…there was much more red evident in the stands than Dux colors. It seemed like a home game.
88 is on fire…
would like to see what Rasmussen can do sometime on the trip…
Teivo has exceptional vision and passing skill…
…GO HAWKS!
Lets go now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLEYKDX_zTk
Get out there and F***ing stick em.
Nice dominant win after an annoying loss. Mean, physical game by Rozy, hey, it’s been tough going so far but there comes a point when you’re not that quick any more, but you can still take NHL punishment, and when you go against a team that just doesn’t have it one night you might get to push some people around. It was fun to watch. And Hoss has to take that gamble every time it seems close enough, or it’s time for him to hang ’em up. Kane and Sharp, gimme a break, it’s almost not fair. What a season Seabrook is having, looks light on his skates and just punishing or poke checking anything coming to the slot. It seems like he is finally playing to his strengths and expending energy more efficiently, he’s a stay at home sniper and gets how to do it now. So nice to have a laugher every once in a while, few and far between, and stoked I got to watch it live (from the Anaheim feed, interesting perspectives but they might announce better if they actually watched the game). Just turned on a Super Bowl preview show with Dave Wannsted hosting and choked on my Bulleit, must be PTSD. Good night all.
Sharp is obviously getting his campaign ready for a spot on World Cup ’16
Selfish bastard
the first 2 PP’s tonite… might have been the worst we have seen this year…
42 has put together 3 really good games…
patrick kane wow
Watched the Ice Hogs – Wolves game on TV and switched back and forth when the Blackhawks started – Ice Hogs pulled it out in overtime. Entertaining game, pretty loose on both sides, lots of transitions.
Pokka played a solid game, very dependable and I thought Matt Carey has a good game too although it didn’t show on the score sheet. Hartman had a rough 2nd period with several turnovers in the neutral zone which turned into quality chances against.
Same two teams go at it tonight, should also be on the tube in Chicagoland.
Too bad these guys can’t play against a team that bangs. They are soft and need some more size on the blue line. Penguins 2.0 all right…
Sharp’s best game of the year even without the points. He was really engaged from the start. Not sure why Runblad isn’t getting more ice time – he has come a long way from early in the year, particularly offensively. Teuvo continues to get more comfortable – had good chemistry with Shaw. Thought we played a bit loose with a 3-0 lead. Given the number of leads we have given up I hope we develop more of a “lock-down” approach when ahead in the 3rd period.
Question to all you wiser-than-me hockey folk:
Why do we seem to handle the Ducks far more easily than we do the Kings, and what does this say about our team in the playoffs?
Ivan b, the Kings are a better team than the Ducks, hence the two Cups in the last three years. But for a real answer rather than a wisecrack, the Kings have a better defense, especially because they have Doughty who is one of the top d-men in the league and plays basically half the game. The Kings also have more speed up front than the Ducks in their main guys. Carter, Toffoli, Gaborik are the big players for the Kings and they all have very good speed, whereas the big players for the Ducks, Getzlaf and Perry, are not speed demons. Just my opinion.
MS, i believe the boys are 17-0-0 when leading after two. Seems like they are finishing well from there!
Let’s go and pound the sharks tonight!
Chev and Ivan B… the Hawks will have to escape their Division- before they face either most likely…
and Chev… the official Pens2.0 starts next season… when 88/19 $$$ kick in!!!
A very well executed game by the Hawks, quick to the puck they absorbed the hits in the corners and believe it or not wear down the DUCKS over 3 periods. Sharp is still one of the best in the NHL so no surprise but it felt like KEITH who plays at a high level every night played at a higher level last night, just a little quicker and more aggressive but under control. Kings play hard but under control and DUCKS have thug tendency and if the HAWKS had any power play at all, they would have won by 8! In fact as I have said the only core issue for bloggers is with the HAWKS power play, they take too many hits, hard hits, punished in fact, guys like Kruger they sacrifice to draw penalties soooo when they don’t score or control the power play it SUCKS. Not acceptable but seems it is! Again second unit is a no show and first unit does well but must be able to establish puck possession. CROW played very well too! In fact one of the BEST TEAM efforts all year! Oh yeah, Bick and Shaw together is a sure thing have ONE Line that get physical and can score, don’t spread it out own the ice for 45 seconds, very good line and play last night.
Ebony Raptor > great answer on KINGS all night we watched and all I kept saying is how slow the DUCKS big three are, in fact at one point it became a running joke here , Pat Foley says here come the Ducks on a 3 on 2 and then, ohh never mind . . . because Hawks back checked and eliminated the advantage, but on a power play Ducks Rock! Kings D men are bigger and clog up the middle of the ice and really control the blue in front of Quick, Drew is very good offensively and his size covers up some flaws on his D, But both west coast teams are good, beware of Pred’s and Blue’s speed and physical is deadly combo. Very even teams . . . if CROW can play at the level like last night HAWKS have an edge!
Sharpie hasn’t slowed down at all. I think he won the physical fitness contest at camp AGAIN this year. The cat is ageless!! I guess the message to the rest of the league is “don’t piss off the Hawks”!!
As an old fart I must say that any article that mentions Eric Nesterenko puts a smile on my face.
@ Ivan its already been mentioned that Doughty is a future norris trophy winner but for my money its Quick. There isnt a goalie id rather have then him in playoffs. As good as Rinne and Lundquist are neither has been as money as Quick. Thats why despite having better teams he’s the reason LA has advanced over Ana and SJ.
My final comment on the bullsh** about the Hawks becoming Pittsburgh 2.0
One team has a major financial commitment on their blue line to Kris Letang. The other has Duncan Keith.
CC and JQ32 are nearly identical as playoff numbers go, of course Q32 has a 2nd ring. I cant get behind all the praise but he’s very capable. It felt like they won last year almost in spite of him though. He was god awful some games. And SJ is their own reason they cant ever advance, not Q32. LA had never played the Ducks in post season before last year 7 game series. They are 2-1 in series vs SJ, first meeting in ’11 playoffs.