UA-59049186-1 Western Conference Final, Game 2: Blackhawks 3, Ducks 2 (3OT) - Recap - Good if it Goes

Western Conference Final, Game 2: Blackhawks 3, Ducks 2 (3OT) – Recap

After a disappointing game one, the Hawks were in Anaheim again for game two of the Western Conference Final. The Hawks got the game’s first power play 1:46 in when Patrick Maroon was sent off for boarding. The Hawks converted 28 seconds into the man advantage when Andrew Shaw redirected a shot from Duncan Keith past Frederik Andersen and into the net. The Hawks went back to the power play 5:15 into the game after Clayton Stoner was sent off for cross-checking. Marian Hossa scored off a rebound 1:04 later to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead. The Ducks cut the lead to one 9:14 in on a goal by Andrew Cogliano. After the Cogliano goal, the Ducks dominated the action. Though they would be in control the rest of the period, after twenty, the Hawks led 2-1.

The Hawks started the second period much better than they finished the first, getting a few nice looks in their offensive end. Save for a nice Hawks possession early on, the first half of the period was back-and-forth. The Hawks went to the penalty kill for the first time in the game just under twelve minutes into the second when Patrick Sharp was sent off for tripping. The Hawks would be able to kill off the penalty. The Ducks would tie the game seventeen-and-a-half minutes into the period on a redirection by Corey Perry. The Hawks would go back to the penalty kill 1:08 later when Duncan Keith was sent off for cross-checking. We would see 4-on-4 action for the last 17 seconds of the period after Jakob Silfverberg was sent off for interference. Nobody would score during those 17 seconds, and after forty minutes, the teams were tied at 2.

The third started with 4-on-4 and Keith and Silfverberg in the penalty box. Ryan Getzlaf joined them 26 seconds into the period, sent off for tripping. Keith’s penalty was the first to expire, and when it did, the Hawks had a 5-on-3. However, the Hawks would come up empty on both the 5-on-3 and 5-on-4. The Hawks would go to the penalty kill 3:38 into the period after the Hawks were caught with too many men on the ice. The Hawks would be able to kill off the penalty. Just over fifteen minutes into the period, the Hawks went back to the penalty kill after Marcus Kruger was sent off for holding. The Hawks would be able to kill off the penalty. Both teams would get chances in the remainder of the third, but neither would score, and we would head to overtime with the teams still tied at 2.

Overtime saw back-and-forth action, until Niklas Hjalmarsson was sent off for tripping 10:41 into the period. The Hawks would be able to kill off the penalty. The Ducks would gain the momentum late in the period, but neither team would score in the first overtime, and we would go to a second one.

The beginning of the second overtime saw more back-and-forth action. The Hawks would get a power play 8:11 in after the Ducks were caught with too many men on the ice. During the man advantage, Shaw headbutted the puck into the net, so the goal was waved off. The Hawks would ultimately come away empty on the power play. Both teams would have great looks, but neither would score, and we would go to a third overtime.

The Ducks got out to a better start in the third overtime than did the Hawks, though the Hawks would have some chances of their own. Eventually, momentum swung the either way and the Hawks would get a few nice looks. Like the Ducks, they would be unable to score, and the game would continue. The game returned to back-and-forth action and stayed that way until Marcus Kruger scored 16:12 into the period to give the Hawks the 3-2 win.

My picks for 3 stars:

★★★ Marcus Kruger, C, CHI (1 G (GWG))

★★ Brent Seabrook, D, CHI (1 A)

★ Corey Crawford, G, CHI (60 SV, 2 GA)

Twitter: @KSchroeder2325

E-mail: schroeder.giig@gmail.com

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