After obliterating the Washington Capitals, Saturday night, the Blackhawks welcomed the Los Angeles Kings to the United Center, for a (now meaningless) mid-February tilt. The Kings came into the game nine points ahead of the Blackhawks after a win against Buffalo, Saturday, while the Blackhawks tried to win their second in a row.
With Michal Kempny being sent to Washington earlier this morning only Tomas Jurco, and Anthony Duclair took the night off in the Joel Quenneville Shrimp cocktail suite, while Anton Forsberg made the start in goal once again.
The Blackhawks lines for this game were:
Brandon Saad – Jonathan Toews – Tommy Wingels
Artem Anisimov – Nick Schmaltz – Patrick Kane
Patrick Sharp – Ryan Hartman – Alex DeBrincat
Lance Bouma – David Kampf – Vincent Hinostroza
Duncan Keith – Jordan Oesterle
Carl Dahlstrom – Brent Seabrook
Erik Gustafsson – Connor Murphy
Just moments into the first period, a brutal Connor Murphy turn over resulted in a Tyler Toffolli shot off the crossbar. This was not the start the Blackhawks were looking for, or needed. The play, and results, only went down hill from that point.
After killing off a Kings power play, the Blackhawks continued to have major issues clearing their own zone. As a result, Torrey Mitchell raced up the middle of the Blackhawks zone, took a pass from Nate Thompson, and blasted a clapper past Anton Forsberg for a 1-0 Kings lead. There was some question as to some possible goaltender interference, but Forsberg was outside the crease. This outcome is a likely result when you allow a road team to out shoot you 11-2 in the first half of the first period.
While now out shooting the Blackhawks 12-3, the Kings bit once again with 3:23 left in the opening period. A couple of Kings bottom six forwards executed a nice little weaving play, similar to the Saad/Hinostroza play from Saturday. Andy Andreoff eventually redirected a Jonny Brodzinski shot past the Blackhawks goaltender.
The period ended with the Blackhawks returning to their uninspired selves. At home, the Blackhawks opened the game getting out shot 15-4 and out scored 0-2.
With the first period ending up as a disaster, Joel Quenneville fired up the defensive line blender, flipping Swedes Erik Gustafsson and Carl Dahlstrom.
This did little to help, as the Kings soon took a 3-0 lead on the power play, following a Lance Bouma penalty. Carl Dahlstrom was saddled with Jordan Oesterle on the penalty kill, and had some issues clearing the puck out of the Hawks zone. Eventually, Dion Phaneuf used Jordan Oesterle as a screen and smoked a clapper past Anton Forsberg less than half way through regulation.
Quite a few very sloppy turnovers led to several high danger chances, including an Anze Kopitar shot off Anton Forsberg’s collar bone following some sketchy Jordan Oesterle coverage.
The Blackhawks certainly spent more time in the Kings’ zone, but could not carve a chunk out of the 3-0 deficit. They were out shot again, 14-11, but the second period was not nearly as dismal as the first.
After over two periods of terrible play, the Blackhawks finally broke the Jonathan Quick shutout less than two minutes into the third period. Carl Dahlstrom took a desperate opportunity to rush up the left side and took a shot on Quick. the rebound popped out to Patrick Sharp, who easily shuffled the puck past Quick.
This was Dahlstrom’s second assist in two games for the rookie.
The Blackhawks showed some spark later in the third period, out shooting the Kings 13-3, but this was simply was not enough to even cut the Kings lead in half. Once again, the Blackhawks fell with nary a whimper, ending their one game winning streak.
Pluses
- I like what I have seen from Carl Dahlstrom’s game. He is still a little raw but he is also only 23. He is as big as a house, and seems to move much better than he had in previous years. Can this organization successfully develop a defenseman, though? Nothing has shown me that they can.
- Why are the Blackhawks not playing Anthony Duclair? Does it really matter if he is in the lineup making mistakes over Patrick Sharp? The answer is no. Unless the staff has already decided that he is not part of the future, PLAY THE KID!
- The same goes for Tomas Jurco. Either play him or send him back to Rockford. The mismanagement of fringe players in this organization is utterly baffling. I’m not a Tomas Jurco fan but if you traded assets for him, you better use him. Otherwise, cut the fat and move on.
Minuses
- Jordan Oesterle had a horrid night. He was beaten defensively several times, usually after taking bad angles or pinches. This is another head scratcher. Michal Kempny would sit for 5 games if he played this way, but Oesterle keeps getting trotted out with little to no consequence.
- In an occurrence as rare as an eclipse, the Hawks officially out hit the Kings 34-33. This, of course, means that the Blackhawks didn’t possess the puck.
- The Kings were credited with 31 blocked shots, while the Blackhawks were only credited with 12.
- One of the Blackhawks top players lately, Tommy Wingels, went to the locker room early in the third period but returned a short time later.
- The depths of Steve Konroyd’s stupid takes just keep sinking lower and lower. These were just a few of his stupid anecdotes:
- “Nick Schmaltz, maybe the fastest player on the Blackhawks”. That would be incorrect.
- Described a “real aggressive play” by Carl Dahlstrom, which consisted of Dahlstrom simply receiving a bad pass from a Kings player. He barely moved three feet.
- Stated that something “was the problem early in Forsberg’s career.” A “career” that began in October.
- Konroyd also completely failed to notice the slight contact that Anton Forsberg dealt with prior to the first goal until Pat Foley pointed it out to him, twice.