You’ll have to forgive the lateness of the wrap for this one, but a drink or 12 was necessary after what transpired last night. Reliving the narrative last night might cause too much indigestion, rage, and acid reflux, but let me first say that if the Hawks find that effort from last night for every game from here on out, there will be absolutely nothing to worry about.
- First up – the officiating. Yes it was bad, and even Pat Foley, who is loath to call out the refereeing on the telecast (and even complimented Jay Shaerers early on) about lost his shit a couple times. But there was nothing that was going to change any of the calls, and the Hawks had to roll through it, and they almost did.
- Every line except Bolland’s was cartoonishly in the positive in Corsi last night, which backs up the eye test. Brian Campbell was a +22, and was all over the ice, and got flat out robbed by Luongo on a feed from Bryan Bickell.
- As Coach Q loves to point out, the difference in the game was penalty killing. The Hawks had an extended 5-on-3 that they didn’t convert on, and the Canucks got a makeup phantom call on the heels of it which they converted. Though the calls were bogus, the Hawks still had to kill them and they didn’t.
- Luongo was both good and bad last night, if that makes any sense. He was giving rebounds left and right, and got beat on a couple of goofy goals in Boynton’s and Bolland’s, but he was solid otherwise. It didn’t help that the Hawks insisted on shooting the puck directly into his glove.
- Oh, and Nick Boynton still sucks, I don’t care if he scored or not.
- For the rest of the weekend, it’s best not to look at the scoreboard until Monday. There are games all over the docket whose results regardless of the victor will push the Hawks further down in the standings. A hot streak for the rest of the trip would seem within reach if they can replicate the effort, but that’s been the problem all year hasn’t it?