Patrick Kane
Blackhawks Emerge from Post-Olympics Funk with Big 5-2 Win over Oilers
Thursday, March 4th, 2010 | Chicago Blackhawks, NHL, Sports, Vancouver Canucks | No Comments
The Chicago Blackhawks emerged out of their post-Olympics funk with a 3-goal 3rd period that propelled them to a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers at the United Center on Wednesday night. It was a much-needed win after the Hawks looked lethargic in a 5-3 loss to the Islanders in Long Island on Tuesday night – the 1st game back since the team reunited.
The Blackhawks controlled the puck for much of the game – out-shooting the Oilers 47-14 on the night. The Hawks took 21 shots in the 2nd period scoring twice and they took 14 shots in the 3rd period scoring 3 times. Cristobal Huet played the entire game in net after replacing Annti Niemi the night before. Huet made 12 saves and notched his 25th win of the season. Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews each had a goal and an assist for the Hawks, while leading-Hawks-points man Patrick Kane added 2 assists in the win.
The Hawks are now tied for the top spot in the Western Conference with the San Jose Sharks. Each club has 89 points in 63 games played. Let’s hope the Hawks can keep up the momentum at home at the United Center as they host the Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings during the next 3 games.
Team USA Crushes Finland, Advances to Gold Medal Game
Friday, February 26th, 2010 | Olympics Vancouver, Sports, Vancouver Olympics, Winter Olympics | No Comments
Team USA came out firing on all cylinders in today’s Semifinals match-up (a 6-1 drubbing) against Finland. Team USA scored 4 goals off of Finland Goalie Miikka Kiprusoff and took a commanding 6-0 lead after just 20 minutes of play. USA Goalie Ryan Miller put forth another solid effort – stopping all 18 shots he faced through the 1st 2 periods and 9 minutes of the 3rd period. Back-up goalie Tim Thomas replaced him in his 1st 2010 Olympics action and gave up 1 goal on a deflection with just over 5 minutes left in the game. Team USA will face the winner of the Slovakia-Canada Semifinal game to be played tonight.
Team USA goals came from Ryan Malone, Zach Parise, Erik Johnson, Patrick Kane (2) and Paul Stastny.
Team USA defeated Canada 5-3 in a hard-fought game this past Sunday which brought an end to the preliminary round of Olympics hockey. It was a major upset and a rematch would be one of the most highly-anticipated Olympics-hockey game in recent history…
Home “Not So” Sweet Home for Bulls & Blackhawks
Thursday, February 4th, 2010 | Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, NBA, NHL, Sports | No Comments
Chicago NBA & NHL fans were eagerly awaiting the return of the Bulls & Blackhawks to the United Center this week. Unfortunately, while each team played a game at home in front of their raucous fans, the desired outcome – a win – didn’t happen as both teams laid eggs in their home court/ice.
Coming off a 5-game winning streak on the road against teams with winning records – the 1st time a team has ever done that in NBA history – the Bulls looked lethargic in their 90-82 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night at the UC. The Bulls shot just 38% from the floor and pretty much trailed the entire game. Luol Deng led the Bulls with 18 points, while Derrick Rose chipped in 16 points. To put the loss in perspective – the Bulls were 14-7 at home during the season entering the game and the Clippers had won just 6 games all season long on the road. Not good. The Bulls get another shot at redemption at the United Center against Dwayne Wade and the Miami Heat on Saturday night.
Although the Blackhawks had lost the final game of their 8-game, 5-3 road trip all over the country, the Hawks were poised to make a good showing at home and improve upon their 21-5-1 record at the UC. After taking a 1-0 1st period lead, the Hawks collapsed in the 2nd period, giving up 3 goals to the Blues in a span of 8 minutes. Marian Hossa’s 16th goal of the season brought the Blackhawks within a goal with over 15 minutes still to play in the period, but the Hawks never tallied that final goal to send the game into overtime. As usual, the Hawks outshot their opponent by a wide margin – 34-19 – but in this instance, it didn’t equate to a victory. Patrick Kane scored his team-leading 22nd goal of the season in the loss. Luckily, the Hawks only have to wait 24 hours for a shot at redemption in front of the home town crowd when they host the Phoenix Coyote on Friday night at the UC.
Chicago Blackhawks Back Home after Successful 5-3 Road Trip
Monday, February 1st, 2010 | Chicago Blackhawks, NHL, Sports | No Comments
Although it ended with a loss to the NHL’s 2nd worst team (the Carolina Hurricanes), the Blackhawks could not have been happier with their 5-3 eight-game road trip away from the United Center in Chicago. The Hawks started it off with wins over division rivals – the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings. After a hiccup in Ottawa with a loss to the Senators, the Blackhawks soundly defeated the playoff-caliber Flames in Calgary. After another bump in the road with a bad loss to the Vancouver Canucks, the Blackhawks took it to the lowly Oilers in Edmonton and then showed why they are considered a Stanley Cup title contender with a big win over the Western Conference points-leader Sharks in San Jose in overtime. Although the Hawks blew a 1st period 3-0 lead, the team never lost hope as regulation ended, striking with Troy Brouwer’s game-winning goal just a minute and a half into the overtime period. This team is built to win, and they proved it will a big road victory over the Sharks.
After playing 7 games in a 13-day stretch, you couldn’t really fault the Blackhawks for dropping Saturday night’s game in Carolina. Knowing they would be heading back home after that contest, it’s not surprising that they laid an egg against one of the worst teams in the NHL (who have been playing better as of late). On the bright side – they rallied to tie the game at 2 in the 3rd period and they outshot the Hurricanes 41-24. Huet didn’t play his best game – stopping 20 of 24 of the shots on goal.
Now it’s time to finish strong over the next 6 games before the Olympics start. The Blackhawks play 4 of 6 games at home at the United Center where they are 21-5-1. The play the St. Louis Blues twice, the Dallas Stars and the Columbus Blue Jackets – 3 teams towards the bottom of the Western Conference. With 2 other home games against the Phoenix Coyote and the Atlanta Thrashers – 2 potential playoff teams – the schedule is set up nicely for the Blackhawks. Winning 4 or 5 of these games is a must for the Blackhawks. Then it’s a sprint to the finish with 15 games in March and 7 games in April before the playoffs start.
Patrick Kane still leads the club with 60 points (21 goals). Duncan Keith (11 goals, 38 assists); Jonathan Toews (18 goals, 26 assists) and Patrick Sharp (16 goals, 27 assists) aren’t too far behind. The Hawks are primed to try to steal the #1 West seed from the Sharks. They trail by only 3 points and would love to be able to get home ice throughout the entire playoffs. That makes each of these games so important – even the “easy” ones. Coach Queneville will have his club ready for this next 6-game stretch – look for the Blackhawks to get off to solid start with a big win over the Blues on Wednesday night…
Blackhawks Back on Track with 3-1 Win over Flames; Is There a Goalie Controversey Brewing?
Friday, January 22nd, 2010 | Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, NHL, Sports, Vancouver Canucks | No Comments
The Chicago Blackhawks got back on track with a 3-1 win over the Flames in Calgary on Thursday night. After a lackluster performance by the Blackhawks in a 4-1 loss to the Senators on Tuesday night in Ottawa, it was good to see the entire team skate well last night. After a scoreless 1st period Patrick Kane got the Hawks on the board with his 21st goal of the season midway through the 2nd period. The Flames tied the game at 2 right at the end of the 2nd period, but Ben Eager’s 5th goal of the season put the Hawks up for good. Duncan Keith iced the game with an empty netter with less than a minute to play and the Blackhawks racked up their 35th win of the season.
Annti Niemi saved 19 of 20 shots on goal and improved to 13-3-1 overall in 17 games played. Niemi has a sparkling 1.85 goal against average. The Blackhawks starting goaltender Cristobal Huet performed poorly in the 4-1 loss to Senators. The Hawks defense limited the Senators to just 18 shots on goal, but Huet let 4 of them go by. Huet has started 36 games for the Hawks and is 22-9-3 with a 2.24 goals against average overall. After the game, Hawks critics throughout the NHL indicated that Huet might not have what it takes to lead the Hawks to a Stanley Cup title. Even former Hawks great Jeremy Roenick (now an NBC NHL analyst) echoed those sentiments on a local sports talk radio show with Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman on ESPN Radio 1000: “A lot of people say they are the best team in the NHL right now, I cannot argue that fact. Their youth, their enthusiasm, the only thing that everybody says, and I’m going to have to agree with them, is the goaltending situation… Can Huet bring them 16 games? I say no, I think he can probably get you through two rounds. To go 16 games, you need a goaltender that is going to stand on his head and is going to steal games… And Niemi is a good goaltender too, don’t get me wrong, they just need that one little extra boost in goal that I think that would make the guys more confident in front of him… They are still two good goaltenders, but I don’t know if they could do it for the full 16 wins.” Ouch.
Now Blackhawks teammates came to the defense of both Huet and Niemi this week, but it does beg the question. The Hawks have not brought a Stanley Cup trophy back to Chicago since 1961. With the team so close to achieving the ultimate goal, it makes you wonder if the Hawks brass brings in a “hired gun goaltender” that could help bring home the Cup if Huet continues to struggle down the stretch here. Huet will be back on goal against the Canucks in Vancouver on Saturday night. Think there will be any pressure on him?!
Blackhawks Still Riding High Despite 2 Straight Losses
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 | Chicago Blackhawks, NHL, Sports | 1 Comment
The Chicago Blackhawks still have the most points (66) in the NHL and are still sitting atop the Central Division of the Western Conference with a 9 point cushion. The Blackhawks suffered 2 losses over the weekend – the 1st time the team suffered back-to-back losses since the team lost to the Ducks in Anaheim and the Kings in Los Angeles on consecutive nights at the end of November. Both losses were frustrating. In Saturday night’s 6-5 OTL, the Blackhawks let a 5-1 3rd period lead slip away as the Wild outscored the hawks 4-0 in the final period. The team earned a point by losing in the shootout. The next night back at home, the Hawks outshot the Ducks 43 to 12, but 2 of the 12 shots found the net against Annti Niemi and the 3rd Ducks goal came on an empty netter. Hopefully these are games that the Blackhawks can learn from -the next time the Blackhawks have a big lead in the 3rd period, they’ll remember that they can’t let their feet off the gas pedal. They’ll also remember the significance of getting off to a good start each game – when you find yourself in a 2-0 1st period hole like they did against the Ducks on Sunday night, it’s often a very hard task to overcome.
The Blackhawks have 1 more home game this week before embarking on a season-long 8-game road trip. The Hawks play the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night at the United Center and then again on Saturday afternoon in Ohio. Then it’s a quick turnaround for the Hawks with a prime-time matinee affair against their hated rivals – the Red Wings – in Detroit on Sunday. Then they play the Ottawa Senators before heading west for a grueling trip against some tough teams – the Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks with 1 game in between against the cellar dweller Edmonton Oilers team. The Hawks finish up the road trip with a game against the lowly Hurricane in Carolina on Saturday, January 30th. If the Hawks can get off to a good start with wins against the Blue Jackets, Red Wings and Senators, they should be able to finish the trip with a winning record. Let’s hope the team can rebound from the 2 losses with a solid effort on Thursday night in Chicago. Something tells me that Coach Joel Quinneville will have his team primed and ready to go.
Patrick Kane still leads the club with 19 goals and 52 points. Duncan Keith is 2nd on the team with 42 points. Jonathan Toews has 14 goals and 36 points while Patrick Sharp has 15 goals with 35 points. As for the goalies, starter Cristobal Huet has proven his worth during the 2009-2010 NHL schedule. Huet is 20-8-3 with a 2.17 goals against average and 3 shutouts. Annti Niemi leads the squad with a 1.84 goals against average. Niemi is has an 11-3-1 record with 4 shutouts.
Go Hawks!
Blackhawks Just Keep on Winning
Saturday, December 19th, 2009 | Chicago Blackhawks, NHL, Sports | No Comments
The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Boston Bruins in a shootout on Friday night at the United Center. That makes it 14 wins in 18 games for the Central Division leader of the Western Conference. The Blackhawks are 15-3-1 on home ice and have an overall record of 22-8-3. Their 47 points are tied for most in the Western Conference with the San Jose Sharks and the Los Angeles Kings.
Kris Versteeg, Patrick Sharp, Jonathan Toews and Andrew Ladd scored the Blackhawk goals in regulation. Toews and Patrick Kane scored the 2 shootout goals, while goalie Antti Niemi stopped both shots in the shootout to record the win. The Blackhawks outshot the Bruins 44-29 and continued their dominance in the zone.
It has been a remarkable year so far for the Blackhawks. They take on bitter division rival Detroit Red Wings on Sunday and then the Sharks on Tuesday night. Should be fun.
Blackhawks Hottest Team in Hockey – 7-Game Win Streak
Monday, November 23rd, 2009 | Chicago Blackhawks, NHL, Sports | 1 Comment
I didn’t see it going this well, but so far, this young, talented Blackhawks team has dominated the “Circus Trip” with the quiet, confidence of a wily, veteran club. The Blackhawks are in the midst of a 7-game winning streak, including 3 for 3 on the first part of the annual Circus Trip through western Canada.
The Blackhawks defeated the Calgary Flames 7-1 in the 1st game of the trip and haven’t missed a beat since. Over the weekend, the Blackhawks rattled off wins on back-to-back nights in Edmonton (5-2) and Vancouver (1-0). In the Oilers win, the Blackhawks raced out to a 3-1 1st period lead on goals by Jonathan Toews, Kris Versteeg and Patrick Kane, and Cristobal Huet stopped 25 of 27 shots on goal to win his 6th straight start. In the Canucks win, defense was the name of the game. The Blackhawks managed just 17 shots on goal, but Bryan Bickell’s 1st goal since April 2007 ended up being the game winner just over 1 minute into the 3rd period. Antii Niemi had one of his best games as a starting NHL Goaltender, saving all 30 shots that the Canucks sent his way. Niemi & Co. shut down 6 Canucks power play opportunities.
The Blackhawks are now 15-5-2 and their 32 points are 2nd best in the entire NHL – the San Jose Sharks, the Blackhawks’ opponent on Wednesday night lead all teams with 36 points. The Blackhawks round out the Circus Trip with games against the Ducks (Friday 11/27 in Anaheim) and the Kings (Saturday 11/28 in Los Angeles), before returning home to face the Columbus Blue Jackets at the United Center on Tuesday December 1st. At this point, I predicted that a 3-win road trip should be considered a success, so if the Blackhawks can steal away another win or 2 the rest of the way, the Blackhawks will be sitting pretty…
Blackhawks Start Circus Road Trip Off with a Bang
Friday, November 20th, 2009 | Chicago Blackhawks, NHL, Sports | 1 Comment
WOW – staring a difficult 6-game road trip to Canada and the west coast, the Blackhawks didn’t waste any time sending a message to the rest of the Western Conference. The Blackhawks could’ve gotten down after Olli Jokinen’s power play goal just 14 seconds into the 2nd period tied the game at 1. Instead, the Blackhawks used that lapse to motivate them, and the offensive unit exploded for 5 2nd period goals igniting a route of the Calgary Flames on their home ice. Kris Versteeg scored his 5th and 6th goals in the period. Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd and Patrick Kane scored the 3 goals in between Versteeg’s goals. Before the Flames knew it, the game was over.
Cristobal Huet maintained his hot goal-tending, saving 27 of 28 shots on goal.
The Blackhawks now have 28 points, tied for 3rd most in the Western Conference. They have now won 5 games in a row, and it’s off to Edmonton and Vancouver for back-to-back games over the weekend…
Blackhawks Lead Central Division; Gearing up for Circus Road Trip
Thursday, November 19th, 2009 | Chicago Blackhawks, NHL, Sports | No Comments
The Chicago Blackhawks are in a great position to start the 2009-2010 NHL schedule. So far so good for the up-and-coming beast of the West. With 26 points (12-5-2), the Blackhawks lead the Central Division of the Western Conference. The Blackhawks like the way they have started, but also know that they have a tough task at hand in the very difficult Western Conference. All but 3 teams in the conference already have at least 21 points – that means night in and night out, the Blackhawks will have to play at the highest level if they want to reach the Conference Finals for a 2nd consecutive year.
Patrick Kane has put his off-the-ice issues behind him (he was arrested over the summer in Buffalo for an altercation with a cab driver) and leads the teams in scoring with 7 goals and 12 assists. Patrick Sharp is 2nd on the team with 16 points (6 goals and 10 assists), while Duncan Keith is 3rd with 15 points (5 goals and 10 assists). Jonathan Toews has played at a high level as well – 2 goals and 7 assists – but needs to play a little more consistently as the season progresses. Kris Versteeg (4 goals and 8 assists), Troy Brouwer (5 goals and 4 assists) Brian Campbell (1 goal and 8 assists) and Brent Seabrook (team leader with a +/- of 9 with 2 goals and 7 assists), have all been key contributors for the Blackhawks early success this season.
Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi have shared the goal-tending duties for the Blackhawks in 2009. Huet has started 15 games, going 9-4-1 with a 2.25 goals against average. Huet has saved 90.2% of the shots on goal while he has been in the net. Huet overcame a rough start to the season losing 3 of his 1st 6 starts – he allowed at least 3 goals in 5 of those starts. He is on a hot streak – winning 5 of his last 6 starts – and he looks to keep it going on the upcoming trip.
Niemi has played in 5 games this season, going 3-1-1. He has a 2.22 goals against average and has saved 90% of the shots taken against him.
The Blackhawks expect to get their big free agent acquisition – Marian Hossa – back on the ice at some point during the upcoming Circus road trip. That should help the Blackhawks continue their strong play even away from the friendly confines of the United Center.
The “Circus Road Trip” (the United Center is being used for the annual Circus tour for the next 2 weeks) won’t be easy. With games at the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings over the next 10 days, the Blackhawks will have their work cut out for them. The Sharks, Kings and Flames each have at least the same number of points as the Blackhawks and the Ducks are the only team on the trip with a losing record. If the Blackhawks can somehow manage to win half of their games on the trip, Coach Quinneville and his staff should consider that a huge success.
