The Blackhawks pushed on an ensuing power play and got the tie-breaking 2-1 goal from Andrew Shaw. The defenseman ended the game with two points and Chicago’s first goal of the match with five seconds left in the middle period that tied the game at 1-1.
Advertisement
(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh). In a single period, they put an end to Chicago’s long run of dominance when leading after two frames, scoring twice and eking out a 3-2 victory over their first-round rival. 2, St. Louis, Parayko 1 (Pietrangelo, Fabbri), 12:11 (pp). The tally was waved off after Chicago successfully challenged that the Blues were offside on the play.
The Blackhawks were 4-1 in overtime last season in the playoffs, including a double-overtime win at Nashville in Game 1 of their opening series. “We came out and executed again today and we did a good job of that”.
But, Keith’s return aside, Game 2 will likely generate some buzz for the balance of the calls. “I think both of us are better that way so we’re just going to have to get the guys who go out against what he wants and then we’ll have to outplay them”. Look for this to be improved upon tonight as we watch this great series continue into game number two. “Obviously can’t take a penalty at that time of the game, especially when the score’s 2-2”.
“They took care of their home ice”, Detroit left wing Henrik Zetterberg said, “and we’ve got to go home and do the same”. In the second period he made a big stop stretching out to rob Vladimir Tarasenko in a sequence that included a save on Schwartz off a rebound.
The Blackhawks pulled Crawford for an extra attacker with 1:10 remaining, but Elliott and the Blues held on.
So, we’re on to Game 3 of this outstanding matchup between the No. 3 (Blues) and No. 4 (Hawks) seeded clubs entering the playoffs.
If Blues fans felt coach Ken Hitchcock was going to rip into the officiating, it didn’t happen. “I’ve been there on the other side of things. It’s new to us but we have to get used to it”.
About a minute into the second period, Artem Anisimov looped a shot over Brian Elliott to give the Blackhawks the lead. Crawford stopped 33 of 36 shots on goal.
The Blackhawks did what it took to send a sellout crowd home sour. Patrick Kane’s secondary and primary assists, on the first and second goals of the game, earned him the third star.
“We had more chances in the second than we had in any period all year”, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said after the game. “That’s the way we have to look at it. It’s a tough one”.
Holtby’s brilliance combined with Washington’s special teams domination (3 for 8 on the power play and 7 for 7 on the penalty kill) has made this a lopsided series so far, but the shift in venues can often cause a change in momentum. Schwartz snapped a low shot past Crawford’s left leg pad for the goal. That’s incredibly hard to do though when you never know how things will be called game to game and even period to period.
Chicago outshot the Blues 46-36 in a high-shooting affair.
Advertisement
It was Luongo’s first playoff win since Game 5 of the 2011 Stanley Cup finals, snapping a streak of seven consecutive lost postseason starts. Crawford in the win as we have all probably stated before topped Tony Esposito for the All-time lead in Chicago Blackhawks victories as a goalie. F Richard Panik also was active, while Fs Andrew Desjardins and Brandon Mashinter were on the scratch list.
