Author Archives: Jon Fromi

Toews Returns but Coyotes Win Game 1 in OT 3-2

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Jon Fromi| 1 Comment

By Jon Fromi

Jonathan Toews made an impressive return to the lineup Thursday as the Chicago Blackhawks opened their Western Conference Quarterfinal in Phoenix, tallying a goal and assist. Despite Toews and a late surge to the tie the contest, the Hawks succumbed in overtime as the Coyotes bested Chicago 3-2.

The Coyotes tried to establish a physical tone from the opening faceoff, but it was Andrew Shaw who registered a bit hit on Radim Vrbata that sent Phoenix’s leading goal scorer to the dressing room. Shaw had an open look on a rebound on the ensuing trip down the ice, but Coyotes goalie Mike Smith turned it away.

Toews got the scoring started with his play in the fourth minute. Gaining control of the puck behind the Phoenix net, the captain attempted to center to Patrick Kane. Toews wound up gathering in the failed connection and shoveled a backhand that escaped the grasp of Smith. At the 4:04 mark, the Blackhawks led 1-0. Read more »

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Blackhawks Let Wild off Hook, Lose 2-1 in Shootout

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Jon Fromi| 3 Comments

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks controlled the first two periods in every way except for the scoreboard, allowing Minnesota to tie the score late in Thursday’s contest. For the second time in as many games, the Hawks fell to the Wild in a shootout 2-1 in the Xcel Energy Center.

Chicago was aggressive in the first period, getting some good passing and outshooting the Wild 7-1 until the 8:19 mark, when Patrick Kane made a nice move into the Minnesota zone. Dany Heatley committed a slash, which nearly allowed the ‘Hawks to score. Only a great save by goalie Josh Harding robbed Patrick Sharp. Once the Hawks started the actual power play, the shots dried up.

The fourth line put Chicago on the board with 8:23 remaining in the period following a faceoff win by Jamal Mayers at the right circle. Michael Frolik gathered in the puck, skated behind the net and fired a shot on Harding. The rebound came out in front of the net, where Mayers was around to bang it past Harding to put the Blackhawks up 1-0. Read more »

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Hawks Let Blues Off Mat But Prevail 4-3 In Shootout

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment

By Jon Fromi

Despite watching a two goal lead evaporate in the last ten minutes of the contest, the Chicago Blackhawks were able to come away with a huge 4-3 shootout win over the St. Louis Blues Thursday night at United Center.

With the victory, the Blackhawks have taken four of six games from the top team in the Western Conference. They also move another step closer to locking up a spot in the postseason with a solid performance.

The pace favored the Hawks early, but Chicago didn’t get on the board until midway through the opening frame. Kent Huskins committed a high stick on Andrew Shaw a little over two minutes in. Although the Blackhawks got a shot on goal on the power play for the first time in nine attempts, a single shot was all Chicago could muster.

The first score came when Nick Leddy found Bryan Bickell in the neutral zone in the eleventh minute. Bickell entered the Blues zone with Dave Bolland, where he skated to just above the left faceoff circle before sending a wrist shot past Jaroslav Halak at the 10:38 mark. Read more »

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Hawks Score Early and Often, Sweep Season Series with Columbus

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks visited the doormat that is the Columbus Blue Jackets Tuesday night. The Blackhawks had not dropped a contest to the visiting Blue Jackets all season, and a strong effort in the opening minutes paved the way for an easy 5-1 victory.

Chicago took control of the contest in the fifth minute when Bryan Bickell went to the corner for a loose puck, won the ensuing battle, and threw the puck off of the appropriately positioned Andrew Shaw and into the Columbus net. Shaw got the credit for the goal and the ‘Hawks led 1-0 just 4:12 into the game.

Patrick Sharp doubled that lead two minutes later after Viktor Stalberg found him in the corner just short of the goal line. Sharp let fly with a shot that caromed off of goalie Steve Mason and in to make it 2-0 with just 6:17 gone in the opening period. Read more »

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Blackhawks Stick It to Stars in Big D, Win 4-1

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Jon Fromi| 2 Comments

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks came out with a pair of early tallies to establish control in Dallas Friday night. Up 2-0 before Stars fans knew what had hit their team, the Blackhawks won their third road game in four tries this month with a 4-1 triumph.

Chicago took little time in lighting the lamp. Just seconds after the faceoff, Bryan Bickell got control of the puck along the boards between the benches. Andrew Shaw got the pass as he came over the blue line and dropped it back to Dave Bolland, who snapped home the shot past Kari Lehtonen at the ten second mark of the opening period.

Ninety seconds later, after Corey Crawford turned away a redirected shot, the Hawks brought the puck to the other end. Viktor Stalberg’s attempt was blocked by Lehtonen, but Patrick Sharp got the puck out the corner. Looping into the left faceoff circle, Sharp fired for the opposite post. The shot got past Lehtonen and 1:42 into the game held a two-goal advantage. Read more »

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Wild Third Period Nets ‘Hawks 4-3 win over Rangers

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks erased a third period deficit with three goals in the final seven minutes. Johnny Oduya led the attack with a goal and an assist as the ‘Hawks prevailed over the New York Rangers 4-3 in front of the 180th straight sellout crowd at the United Center.

Chicago got a big scoring opportunity seconds into the game when Duncan Keith made an area pass that Marian Hossa caught up to. Hossa beat the Ranger defense to the net, but Henrik Lundqvist snuffed out the shot.

From there, it was back and forth hockey with both teams getting their chances. Lundqvist and Ray Emery kept both teams honest along with their defenses. The ‘Hawks killed off the only penalty of the period, a delay of game call that came when returning defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson closed his hand on the puck late in the sixteenth minute. Read more »

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Former Sens lead Hawks to victory in Ottawa

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Jon Fromi| 1 Comment

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks got some big games from a pair of former Ottawa Senators Friday night to get a three game road trip off to a promising start. Marian Hossa and Ray Emery figured heavily in the outcome as the Blackhawks bested a hot Senators squad by a 2-1 score.

The Hawks came up short on a golden opportunity four minutes in when Hossa took control of the puck in the Senators zone. He brought the puck behind the net and found Patrick Kane at the face off circle. Kane made a nice pass to Andrew Brunette. Despite there being plenty of open net, Brunette couldn’t get a handle on the pass, which looked like it was deflected.

Kane garnered a breakaway in the ninth minute but an active stick by Matt Gilroy prevented a shot. A Jared Cowen interference penalty at the 10:06 mark gave the Blackhawks a few shots on the power play, but as has been the case of late nothing came of it. Read more »

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Hawks lose two points in 3rd period, Stars win 3-1

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks saw their four-game winning streak come to an end Thursday night in the United Center. Forty minutes of defensive dominance gave way to an opportunistic Dallas Stars club that outworked the Blackhawks in the final ten minutes and stunned the home team by a score of 3-1.

Rookie goalie Richard Bachman got the start for the Stars and proved to be the difference, keeping his team in the contest with 26 saves and allowing Dallas to snatch two points from the Blackhawks.

Neither team generated a lot of scoring chances in the opening period. The ‘Hawks continued to play well in their own zone, but only outshot the Stars 6-5. Read more »

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Crawford leads Hawks over Blues for 3rd Straight Win

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawk got a big effort from goalie Corey Crawford Sunday to post a huge come from behind victory over the St. Louis Blues before a sell-out matinee crowd in the United Center.

Crawford outdueled Blues goalie Brian Elliot, stopping 29 of 30 St. Louis shots and keeping Chicago in the game until they put up three third-period goals to claim their third straight win. Elliot allowed just two goals on 27 Blackhawks shots, but at the end of the day, it was Crawford who stood the tallest in net.

Chicago was stifled by the Blues defense in the opening period. The Blackhawks came up empty on a pair of power play opportunities early in the first and went over 15 minutes without a shot on goal. Read more »

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9 in a row: Hawks come up short in Nashville

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Jon Fromi| 2 Comments

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks turned in an improved effort as they continued their road trip in Nashville Tuesday night. However, the result was the same as their previous eight games.

The Blackhawks fought back to tie the score twice in the Music City, but another late goal lifted the Predators past their Central Division rivals. Chicago came up on the short end of a 3-2 final score to lose their ninth consecutive game.

The opening period saw both teams committing infractions, starting with Dave Bolland’s hooking penalty in the third minute. Mike Fisher was called for tripping 90 seconds later. In the fifth minute, Jonathan Toews ran into Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne, ending Chicago’s shot at the man advantage.

Fisher missed a wide open net late in the resulting power play, but for the most part the Blackhawks were successful in filling the shooting lanes.  Nashville killed a Martin Erat holding penalty at the 9:03 mark. This was followed by the two teams taking turns at Rinne and Ray Emery. Read more »

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