Pardon me if I veer from the usual outline of these, but I think this game just needs a notes format:
-If any of you are fooling yourselves, stop. Tonight was the first game this season where the Hawks were badly outplayed for a majority of the game, at least the last 40 minutes. Vancouver — which has struggled to do this all season — played the exact game they wanted to. Slow, defensive, and built on work along the boards, which the Hawks came second place in all night. Credit to them, they dumped it in for a great portion of the game, but the Canucks D-men simply outdid the Hawks forwards, and that was that.
-As seriously as Coach Q takes a 5-on-3, his team sure doesn’t know how to run one. We all know Q thinks games hinge on this, and yet this season the Hawks have been clueless. Whatever the players out there, they don’t move the puck fast enough. There’s far too much standing and waiting. On a two-man, stretch the kill out, get a forward down, and lanes appear. As far as players, Bolland is clearly not healthy, why aren’t Toews and Kane out there together?
-If Toews and Seabrook are really hurt, there are problems.
–Cam Barker is such a turnstyle he needs a rape-kit.
-Speaking of Toews’ injury: We applaud Versteeg for the thought of going to the defense, but it was clean hit. In the 3rd of a tight game when you’re up 2-1 and you’ve already blown a two-man, you can’t take that penalty. You see the Canucks three more times this year. Take a number, worry about it later.
-Too many penalties in the final frame for two games now.
-This was by far as impressive as Niemi has looked all year. Composed, confident, almost cocky. If there’s a silver lining to Huet’s terrible start, it’s given the Niemi the chance to prove that he can be a more than reliable back up who can take 25-30 stars this season. Displays like tonight could lead to more.
-Kane created Brouwer’s goal, but is responsible for Samuelsson’s goal. We’ll just have to live with it.
-I. Love. John. Madden
-And. Troy . Brouwer.
I think that’s it. McClure will be in to clean up in the morning.