Observations From Section 321 : The Streak Goes Adam Creighton

The Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks played an amazing game today. Both teams left everything on the ice and when it was all said and done the Hawks just kept their train a’ rollin. Today’s game makes me even more upset that we are losing the Wings as a division rival. It had the feel of a game 7 playoff game from start to finish. Both teams left everything on the ice and neither was willing to give an inch. Corey Crawford and Jimmy Howard played balls out and neither deserved to be tagged with a loss. I am really going to miss these games when Detroit gets their wish goes East next year to get their brains beat in by the Penguins and Bruins every other night.

The Hawks and Wing traded chances through the first 40 minutes but found themselves in a scoreless deadlock heading into the 3rd period. At 2:43 of the final frame, Thomas Tartar got the Wings on the board with his 4th goal of the year. Patrick Eaves checked Nick Leddy off the puck behind the net and got it to Joakin Andersson who found a wide open Tartar in front of the net.

The Hawks got a gift at 17:35 when Jonathan Ericsson flipped the puck over the glass in his own zone for a delay of game penalty. The Blackhawks were able to take full advantage of the mental mistake and tied the game just 23 seconds into the power play. Patrick Sharp blasted a slap shot from the point that was blocked out front. Viktor Stalberg pounced on the puck and quickly got it to Patrick Kane below the right circle. Kane lifted an wrist shot up and over Jimmy Howard for his 11th goal of the season. Kaner was the only player to score in the shootout with his patented “slowing down to almost a complete stop before making the goalie look like a chump” move. The streak lives to see another day.

* It is hard to find things to complain about when you are 19-0-3 but enough is enough with wasting 1st line shifts by throwing Daniel Carcillo out there with Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews. He has done nothing in his time in Chicago to earn that spot. Carcillo took a lazy hooking penalty in the 2nd and played no defense by letting Thomas Tartar get to the net untouched on the Red Wings lone goal. And yet with 12 minutes to go, and down by a goal, there he is skating with the top line! Fucking stop it!!!

* Speaking of Kaner, yeah he’s the real deal. Looking forward to him getting some hardware in Vegas after a long and successful playoff run.

* Corey Crawford is a legit #1 NHL goalie. He has put all my fears and doubts about to bed.

* If you look at the Corsi numbers below you will see the Hawks outplayed the Wings today and the right team won.

Blackhawks Corsi numbers

Red Wings Corsi numbers