UA-59049186-1 Blackhawks 4, Penguins 1 - Good if it Goes

Blackhawks 4, Penguins 1

Box score (Yahoo)

The Blackhawks stayed hot while hosting the defending Stanley Cup Champions, though the Penguins showed why they won it last year and could very well do so again this year. After a scoreless back-and-forth first, the Hawks struck first in the second on a goal from Patrick Kane. Scott Wilson made a nice move to the net to tie the game with exactly three minutes to play in the period, but Richard Panik made an even nicer move to get himself a shot that he would bury with 24 ticks remaining in the period. The Penguins played a hard third, but the Hawks would expand their lead with just over three minutes remaining on another goal from Kane set up by Nick Schmaltz. Kaner would add an empty-netter on a backhand shot from a tight angle to complete his second hat trick in three games.

A few things

  • The Blackhawks acquired Johnny Oduya from Dallas for a conditional pick (either a third or fourth-rounder next year) and Mark McNeill. Oduya will play with Niklas Hjalmarsson when he gets back, meaning Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook may play together again, leaving a third pair of Brian Campbell and Trevor van Riemsdyk/Michal Kempny/Michal Rozsival. Not bad.
  • Artem Anisimov left the game with a lower-body injury that may keep him out for a bit. Q said the team will know more tomorrow. Nick Schmaltz will center the 2nd line while Anisimov’s out.
  • I don’t want to understate how good Scott Darling was. Kaner had a hat trick and I had to really think about who I was going to give #1 star to. (Spoiler alert: Kaner got it because a hat trick almost always gets #1 star from me. Really, I’d like to call them co-#1 stars.)

My picks for 3 stars

★★★ Nick Schmaltz, F, CHI (2 A)

★★ Scott Darling, G, CHI (36 SV, 1 GA)

★ Patrick Kane, RW, CHI (3 G)

Twitter: @KSchroeder_312

E-mail: schroeder.giig@gmail.com

 

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