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RECAP: Blackhawks Crush Coyotes 7-1

  
Perlini Blackhawk Coyotes
Photo by Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images

The Blackhawks welcomed the Arizona Coyotes to the United Center on Monday night. This game was very important for Arizona as they sit only one point out of a wild card spot in the Western Conference.

The Blackhawks are still trying out numerous players who’s futures are uncertain with the club going into next year. Notable players in the lineup that fit that bill include Brendan Perlini, Dylan Sikura, Dominik Kahun and Gustav Forsling. The lineup for the game was as follows:

Saad – Toews – Sikura

DeBrincat – Strome – Perlini

Kahun – Anisimov – Kane

Kunitz – Kampf – Kruger

Keith – Gustafsson

Forsling – Seabrook

Dahlstrom – Murphy

Crawford

First Period:

The first period began with the home team falling behind quickly to the boys from the desert. Under five minutes into the game, a ring-around attempt from Carl Dahlstrom hit the referee and was picked up by the Coyotes. Richard Panik found the puck in front, held on just long enough to get Corey Crawford out of position, and buried his 12th goal of the season to make it 1-0 early.

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Under three minutes later, Alex DeBrincat outletted a pass to Brent Seabrook on the right wing boards near the red line. Seabrook quickly found Brendan Perlini at the blue line going in with a solid pass. The pass was slightly tipped, but Perlini still found himself on a breakaway and he beat Darcy Kuemper to tie the game.

Less than two minutes after Perlini’s tally, the Blackhawks struck again. Jonathan Toews made a sweet move on the right wing side of the ice to shake his defender. Upon creating space for himself, he put a perfect pass on the tape of Brandon Saad standing right outside the blue paint. Saad tipped the puck past Kuemper to give the Blackhawks the 2-1 lead.

Despite the Blackhawks controlling play for the rest of the period, the Blackhawks could not generate anymore offense and took their 2-1 lead into the first intermission.

Second Period:

The Blackhawks would not stop the scoring in the middle frame. Just over three minutes into the second, Brendan Perlini added his second tally of the game. Dominik Kahun dug a puck out of the corner and found Dylan Strome on the right side of the slot. Strome quickly found an oncoming Perlini who snapped the puck glove side on Kuemper to put the Blackhawks up 3-1.

With the “second line” clicking, it was time for other lines to step up and continue the scoring. About three minutes after taking a 3-1 lead, the Blackhawks fourth line got involved on offense. After a scrum out in front of Darcy Kuemper, David Kampf picked up the loose puck and sent a backhand pass from the right wing side of the crease to the low slot. The puck ended up perfectly on Chris Kunitz’s stick and he had an easy tap-in for the 4-1 lead.

The goal would be the last puck Kuemper saw for the night, as he was pulled in favor of Calvin Pickard.

The Blackhawks were able to take advantage of turnovers by the Coyotes. After almost nine minutes passed in the period, Dominik Kahun forced a turnover in front of the Coyotes’ net and dropped the puck back to Patrick Kane. Kane quickly found Artem Anisimov on the other side of the slot, and without hesitation, Anisimov sent the puck back to Kane for an easy goal giving Patrick Kane 41 goals on the year and the Blackhawks a 5-1 lead.

The play was perfectly set up by the “third line”. It is certainly encouraging when all lines are clicking the way they were tonight.

Before the period ended, the Blackhawks added yet another tally on the board. This time, Jonathan Toews was hooked by young defenseman Jakob Chychrun when going in on a breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot. On the attempt, Toews went five hole on Pickard and scored his 30th of the season to make it 6-1 heading into the second intermission.

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Third Period:

The third period was quiet in comparison to the first two frames. Fans thought they’d be able to see a hat trick as Brendan Perlini had yet another breakaway in the third, only for the puck to squeak through Pickard and sit on the goal line. The goal would have been Perlini’s 11th of the year and 3rd of the night. However, fans would have to wait.

As time was winding down, the Blackhawks took one last rush up the ice. Alex DeBrincat gained possession of a high toss into the zone from Connor Murphy. Despite DeBrincat easily being able to shoot, DeBrincat found Perlini for his third goal of the night with only three seconds remaining to give Perlini his first career hat trick against his old team.

The Blackhawks take the 7-1 victory against a good team full of familiar faces. The Coyotes still sit one point out of the playoffs and the Blackhawks sit five points out of a playoff spot.

 

Quick Hits:

  • Former Coyotes: Brendan Perlini and Dylan Strome certainly had something to prove Monday night against their former team. Perlini registered his first career hat trick, nearly tallying four goals, and Strome tallied one assist in the Blackhawks’ win. Strome found his game quickly after the trade to Chicago, but it is nice seeing Perlini get hot down the stretch as he is playing for a new contract after this season. It’s safe to say the Blackhawks will be interested in returning the big winger after his late season performance.
  • The Return of Kampf: David Kampf has been excellent since he returned from injury. The fourth line has been noticeable both on the score-sheet and all over the ice. It is clear that Kampf, Kruger and Kunitz have good chemistry and they delivered with a big goal from Kunitz tonight.
  • Playoffs?: The Blackhawks are mathematically still in the playoff race. They would need a lot of help, but these last three games have shown the Blackhawks can be a good team. They have only given up a combined three goals over those three games and Corey Crawford looks like a starting goaltender once again. It will be intriguing to see what happens with the Blackhawks down the stretch.  

The Blackhawks travel to Canada on Wednesday, March 13th, to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. Puck drop is at 6:00pm CST.  

 

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