The Blackhawks hosted the Dallas Stars Friday night, in game No. 81 of their season. All that was left was a couple of cups of pride as Blackhawks were eliminated from the playoffs earlier in the week.
Corey Crawford was back between the pipes for Jeremy Colliton, while Dallas head coach Jim Montgomery went with his rock-solid backup, Anton Khudobin. Colliton also sat Marcus Kruger and Carl Dahlstrom.
This was your Blackhawks starting lineup:
Drake Caggiula – Jonathan Toews – Patrick Kane
Alex DeBrincat – Dylan Strome – Brendan Perlini
Brandon Saad – Artem Anisimov – Dominik Kahun
Chris Kunitz – David Kampf – John Hayden
Duncan Keith – Erik Gustafsson
Slater Koekkoek – Brent Seabrook
Gustav Forsling – Connor Murphy
Period one
Both teams spent most of the opening period feeling each other out, with the Blackhawks getting a majority of the shot and scoring chances. The goalies at each end were solid and held each other’s team off the scoreboard.
The period remained 0–0 until there was 3:15 left in the first period. A really nice stop at one end of the ice by Crawford was turned around the other way by Kane into an improbable 1-on-3 goal. Kane took it upon himself to lug the puck into the Stars end while his team made a change and snapped a puck between the legs of Dallas defenseman Justin Dowling and past Khudobin.
That’s pic.twitter.com/onsmDA9stQ
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 6, 2019
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That goal was Kane’s 43rd of the year, which put him three short of his career high of 46, in 2015–16.
Dallas took a late penalty prior to the period end that rolled over into the second and the Blackhawks led in shots on net 9–6 as they went into the first intermission
Period two
The Blackhawks’ power play rolled over into the second period and they even had a short 5-on-3 advantage, but the home team cold not strike on either power play.
Just prior to the midway point of the of the second period, Crawford was replaced by backup Cam Ward. Crawford was responding gingerly after a slightly awkward save he made in the first period and was ruled out for the rest of the game.
At the 8:49 mark of the period, Saad used a burst of speed to get an open look on Khudobin, but the Stars goalie was able to square up and make the stop. Kahun, however, shoveled the rebound into the net for his 13th goal of the year.
Two minutes later, Kunitz picked up another loose puck in front of Khudobin and chipped it toward the goal line. The puck flipped and flopped towards the goal line but the call on the ice was no goal. The situation room checked the replay and ruled that the puck did indeed cross the line, giving the Blackhawks a 3–0 lead and making for a fun celebration with the veteran forward at the bench in what might be his final NHL game.
Absolutely one my favorite “good goal” reviews of all time! Kunitz!
pic.twitter.com/dicaGKA0E9— Niko From the T.O.🏒 (@NikoFromTheTO) April 6, 2019
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With under two minutes remaining in the middle period, Strome was in the right place at the right time, and out-waited Khudobin long enough to give the Blackhawks a 4–0 lead on Strome’s 20th goal of the season. With an assist on the play, Gustafsson eclipsed the 60-point plateau, as well.
After an eventful second period, the teams each at 14 shots on net, but it was the Blackhawks up big.
Period three
The goal flurry carried over into the third period when Koekkoek put the Blackhawks’ fifth goal of the game past Khudobin just 44 seconds into play.
We’re no geometry wizards but that angle looks cute, er, acute #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/hIZOmGYtFX
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 6, 2019
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As happens with the Blackhawks this year at an epic rate, the Blackhawks lost the shutout with 13 minutes left in regulation, on the penalty kill. It was clear the Stars would score eventually, with the Blackhawks’ penalty kill giving up opportunity after opportunity. Joel L’Esperance finally slammed a wide open back door chance into the back of the net.
The cherry on top of the sundae was Kane’s 44th goal of the year with 3:49 left in regulation. He was sent in on a breakaway by a nice Caggiula snap pass. Khudobin was no match for the Blackhawks MVP candidate, as Kane beat him five-hole.
Goal No. 44
Point No. 109#Showtime pic.twitter.com/ru2hGzAiOd— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 6, 2019
When the final horn sounded, the Blackhawks walloped the Stars 6–1 while getting out shot 35–32. The season wraps up tonight in Nashville at 7 p.m.
Pluses
- Kane is now just two goals from his career high, but he will have a rough time trying to pass that high in Nashville.
- Gustafsson getting his 60th point is noteworthy.
- 20 goals from Strome has been a nice surprise this year.
Minuses
- Not much to point and complain about other than Crawford getting injured. Reports say that Kevin Lankinen will be recalled on and emergency basis to backup Cam Ward tonight.
- Okay, I was wrong. The penalty kill did what the penalty kill does: give up the only opposing goal of the game.