In a bit of a schedule wrinkle the Blackhawks were in Boston to face the Bruins in a matinee game, Saturday. This game was the top half of a very rare matinee home-and-home series. Before the game, it was announced that Vinnie Hinostroza, who had already made the trip to Boston, had to head back home to attend a family issue. As a result, John Hayden was recalled on an emergency basis from Rockford.
Jean-Francois Berube played his third game in a row for Hawks coach Joel Quenneville.
These were the Blackhawks starting lines:
Brandon Saad – Jonathan Toews – Patrick Kane
Alex DeBrincat – Nick Schmaltz – John Hayden
Tomas Jurco – Artem Anisimov – Matthew Highmore
Patrick Sharp – David Kampf – Anthony Duclair
Duncan Keith – Connor Murphy
Erik Gustafsson – Brent Seabrook
Jordan Oesterle – Jan Rutta
The game was not a defensive struggle at all, right out of the gate. The Bruins took a 2-0 lead on a power play and a shorthanded goal, before the Blackhawks were able to claw back.
Before the Bruins broke onto the scoreboard, Bruins rat-faced-fink Brad Marchand clotheslined an unsuspecting Anthony Duclair. Unfortunately, Duclair was not prepared to be absolutely mugged, and got his leg caught underneath his body falling to the ice. He was helped off the ice and never returned.
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 10: Anthony Duclair #91 of the Chicago Blackhawks gets helped off the ice after a play against the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden on March 10, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Bruins first goal was scored during the Blackhawks resulting Marchand power play, on a turnover at the Bruins blue line. Sean Kuraly, who had already had a spirited fight with John Hayden earlier in the game, had a shorthanded break-a-way on JF Berube. The Blackhawks goaltender made the initial save, but the rebound was not cleared by the Hawks defense and ended up turning into a pretty easy goal for trailing forward Noel Acciari.
About three minutes after the Bruins took the lead, they were able to take advantage of some mental Blackhawks mistakes and increase their lead to 2-0. Duncan Keith left the front of the net in anticipation of a puck going behind the net, but the puck never made it. David Krejci parked himself right in front of JF Berube in the spot Keith vacated. With no forwards back to help cover the rotation, Berube was hung out to dry. When the puck found its way to Krejci, he easily beat Berube and the Bruins led 2-0.
Seventeen seconds (remember that, Bruins fans?) after the Bruins grabbed that 2-0 lead, the Blackhawks came right back and cut the lead in half. Erik Gustafsson was left, pretty much, alone and unloaded a clapper towards the Bruins net. Jonathan Toews redirected the puck, which Tuuka Rask was not able to see.
Twenty nine seconds after the Toews goal, Erik Gustafsson was involved in an offensive play and scored the game tying goal. In and innocent enough play Nick Schmaltz set the puck on a platter for Gustafsson, and Gus blew it by Rask with a nicely placed shot.
After a wild first period, the teams went into the break tied at two goals each, and the Bruins led in shots 13-12.
With six and a half minutes away in the second period, John “#BigJohnStudd” Hayden picked up a Bruins turnover at their blue line and raced in on Tuuka Rask. Hayden used Patrick Sharp as a decoy and snapped a great shot past the Bruins goalie to celebrate his call-up. With Duclair expected to miss 1-2 weeks expect Hayden to stay with the Blackhawks.
David Krejci scored his second goal of the game, on a Bruins powerplay, at the halfway point of the first period. Youngster Jake Debrusk picked up a Blackhawks turnover and fed Krejci, who was wide open on the back door once again, and the game was tied.
With four minutes remaining in the second period, Blackhawks rookie Matthew Highmore put them ahead 4-3, with his first NHL goal. Erik Gustafsson, who had a goal and assist already, fed Highmore with a nice cross ice pass. Highmore hesitated for a second, which might have thrown off Tuuka Rask slightly, and then snapped the puck into the net.
That was how the middle frame ended. The Blackhawks were up 4-3 while getting out shot 12-7.
The game remained tied until the six and a half minute mark of the third period. David Pasternak found a loose puck in the Blackhawks crease after a Brad Marchand rush up Berube’s right side and swept the puck past the Blackhawks goalie and Gustafsson.
Shortly after the Bruins tied the game, Patrick Kane took a sloppy high sticking penalty which gave the Bruins a four minute powerplay. On the resulting double minor power play the Bruins scored, not one but, two power play goals to take a solid lead they would never relinquish with half the third period still left to play. Brian Gionta and Rick Nash had the power play goals for the home team.
Minus an empty net goal, this was how the game ended. The Blackhawks were not able to keep up with the pace of the Boston team, and showed that they just aren’t a great team.
Pluses
- Matthew Highmore looked good for most of the game and was rewarded with his first NHL goal.
- While I don’t expect it to last (and neither should you), Erik Gustafsson has been an offensive juggernaut since signing his two-year extension.
- Patrick Kane’s late, lazy, double minor penalty was a killer. Team leaders need to be smarter than that.
Minuses
- When your opponent goes 4/6 on the power play, you generally lose.
- When you get out shot 40/27, you generally lose.