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To Fill Holes With More Cement: Blackhawks 4, Blue Jackets 3

Posted on by Shepard Price

After taking five of seven from the Blue Jackets already this season, the Blackhawks were looking to add a sixth win against against Columbus on Monday night. With both rosters altered by the trade deadline, the Blackhawks scored in overtime for a 4-3 win in the final meeting of the 2021 season between the two teams.

The Blackhawks began the game by losing Adam Boqvist, as the young defenseman was hit in the face with a puck. Boqvist retired to the locker room and did not return after playing just one shift of 42 seconds. After the game, coach Jeremy Colliton provided an update on Boqvist’s status that was not encouraging:

The Blue Jackets started the scoring as Stefan Matteau, son of former Blackhawk Stephane Matteau, scored past Kevin Lankinen on a breakaway. New Chicago defenseman Riley Stillman was caught out of position on the play, which led to the goaltender getting beat.

Chicago answered on their first power-play opportunity. Duncan Keith launched a shot from the point which found netting:

It’s the Blackhawks’ second power-play goal in their last two games after going four games without one.

Patrik Laine scored early in the second period to put the Blue Jackets back in the lead for his second goal of this two-game set and third in 16 games. Five of the eight goals Laine has scored for Columbus this season have come against Chicago.

Late in the second period, Max Domi did some insane things after taking a penalty against Connor Murphy which lead to the Blackhawks ending the second period and beginning the third on the power play:

Domi took two minor penalties and a 10-minute misconduct for this behavior.

Philipp Kurashev scored to tie the game after those two penalties ended in the third period:

A little over two minutes later, during his first game as a member of the Blackhawks, Brett Connolly scored to make it a 3-2 game:

Connolly scored the goal unassisted, and made the play happen himself.

Laine took the puck 200 foot to score his second goal of the game. It’s Laine’s fourth multi-goal game of the season and second against the Blackhawks.

Regulation ended in 3-3 deadlock and, in overtime, Brandon Hagel scored on a 3-on-2 rush to seal the Blackhawks’ sixth victory against Columbus in 2021.

Notes

  • With both lineups altered by the trade deadline, two newcomers to the Blackhawks in Stillman and Connolly made their debuts. Stillman played 21:22, fifth on the team, and had a 47.09 percent expected goal share at 5-on-5 and was on the ice for two goals against. Connolly played 13:04, scored a goal and led Chicago with 0.85 expected goals.
  • The Blackhawks saw a clean goal called back in the second period for intent to whistle, which is just a bad rule. Many times, a player will answer a question with the cliche: “We play to the whistle”. It’s a cliche in this sport for a reason. It’s not, “When we think the ref thinks the whistle should be.” If the refs want the whistle to come faster, they can blow the whistle faster. It is impossible for a player to know what is happening in a referee’s head but it’s very easy for the vast majority of them to recognize a sharp whistle. It’s a bad rule and the goal should have stood, coming as it did before the actual whistle.
  • After the first power-play opportunity resulted in a goal, the four straight minutes the Blackhawks received between the second and third periods were not as great. The Blackhawks had just one high-danger chance and six shots during those four minutes.
  • Domi, in an ideal world, would face some supplemental discipline for his actions. We’ll see.
  • With Calvin de Haan limited — he played just 16:31 at 5-on-5 — and Boqvist down early, Chicago played Stillman and Wyatt Kalynuk more than 20 minutes each. Kalynuk scored on assist on Hagel’s OT goal and had a 31.25 share of the expected goals at 5-on-5. Kalynuk also played 39 seconds of power-play time during which the Blackhawks had three shots. If Boqvist is out long term, Kalynuk could take more power-play responsibility. /

Game Charts

Three stars

  1. Patrik Laine (CBJ) — 2 goals, 3 shots
  2. Patrick Kane (CHI) — 2 assists, 0.63 expected goals
  3. Brett Connolly (CHI) — 1 goal, 0.85 expected goals

What’s next

The Blackhawks head to Detroit to conclude their eight-game series with the Red Wings, starting with No. 7 on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Talking Points