Author Archives: Jon Fromi

Quick Blanks Blackhawks as Chicago Drops First December Home Game

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks were handed their first loss at the United Center in nearly a month Wednesday night. Jonathan Quick denied 38 shots on goal as the Los Angeles Kings bested Chicago 2-0.

The Blackhawks got off to a solid start in the opening minutes, generating two big scoring opportunities. Andrew Brunette’s backhand attempt was stopped by Quick in the first minute. Brandon Pirri got a look from the slot when Marian Hossa fed him following a takeaway, but the shot was blocked by Mike Richards.

Chicago spent most of the first ten minutes on penalty kill duty. John Scott was tabbed with roughing 2:31 into the game when he took on the Kings in front of the Los Angeles net. At the 5:53 mark, Patrick Sharp was charged with a double minor for a high stick. The PK unit was up to the task, killing all six minutes of the infractions.

The Blackhawks got their first time with the man advantage when Brad Richardson was called for hooking with 5:20 to go in the first. They got another with 2:31 when Drew Doughty hooked Patrick Kane. Both power plays expired with no lighting of the lamp and the teams went to the locker rooms with no score. Read more »

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Stalberg’s two goals, Crawford’s gem, paces ‘Hawks to a 4-1 victory over hapless Blue Jackets

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment

By Jon Fromi

Monday night, the Chicago Blackhawks became the first NHL team to reach the 50-point mark this season, using a trio of second period goals to hand the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-1 loss.

The game, which was a bit lacking in execution at times, was noteworthy in a pair of goals from the red-hot Viktor Stalberg and another solid game in net by Corey Crawford.

The four-day layoff was apparent in the first period as the ‘Hawks struggled to hit tape on their passes. Stalberg set up Bryan Bickell with a nice pass in the early going which led to a hooking infraction by Antoine Vermette. After failing to score on the resulting power play, Rick Nash earned a roughing call in responding to Marcus Kruger with a punch to the head after Kruger head checked Nash over the boards and into the Hawks’ bench. Read more »

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Kruger KO’d, A Stalberg Period, A 3-2 Penguins Win – And the Blackhawks streak ends at 5

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Jon Fromi| 11 Comments

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks spotted Pittsburgh a three goal advantage over the first 40 minutes Tuesday night in the Consol Energy Center. A furious third period charge made for a fun finish, but the Penguins held on to hand the Blackhawks their first regulation loss of the month by the score of 3-2.

It was a rough and tumble contest that turned in a playoff-type atmosphere. Pittsburgh used a physical play to pave the way for the game’s first goal in the ninth minute of action.

Deryk Engelland attempted to remove Marcus Kruger’s head, which somehow went unpenalized save for John Scott jumping in and throwing down. As a result, Scott was assessed the instigator penalty.  On the resulting power play, just over a minute later, the Penguins scored on a wrist shot by Chris Kunitz, assisted by Evgeni Malkin and Matt Niskanen.

Kruger appeared to be okay and finished the first period, but did not return for the second and third.  Pittsburgh went into the locker room with a 1-0 lead. Read more »

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Hutton Comes Up Large in ‘Hogs 3-2 Shootout Win

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment

By Jon Fromi

The Rockford IceHogs were looking to get a win streak started against the visiting Grand Rapids Griffins Saturday night at the BMO Harris Bank Center. Thanks to a big game by Carter Hutton in net, Rockford goes up to Milwaukee with a chance for a weekend trifecta.

Hutton stopped 41 of 43 shots fired his way in 65 minutes, then turned away the Griffins when it counted in the shootout as the IceHogs outlasted Grand Rapids 3-2 for their second straight victory.

As was the case Friday in the win over Chicago, the Hogs would go down 1-0 in the first period.  With Brandon Bollig in the box for interference, Gustav Nyquist was the recipient of a nice rebound off a shot from Brendan Smith. Nyquist knocked the puck past Hutton as Grand Rapids converted on their second power play of the night.

There would be no explosion of goals to follow. The IceHogs were outshot 14-5 in the first 20 minutes and failed to convert on any of their five power play attempts on the night. Read more »

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Hossa Reaches Milestone, Sparks Blackhawks to Overtime Win Over Islanders

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment
Sharp & Hossa – photo: Yahoo! Sports

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks got three-point nights each from Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp Thursday night while visiting the New York Islanders.

Hossa notched his 400th career NHL goal in a 3-2 overtime victory. Despite letting a 2-0 advantage melt away, the ‘Hawks came up with a big road effort to claim another two points.

The Islanders nearly drew first blood five minutes in when Kyle Okposo picked off Sharps attempt to pass to Duncan Keith in the Islanders zone. Okposo hit John Tavares with the puck, but Ray Emery stopped the shot attempt with help from some back pressure from Keith.

Instead, it was Chicago who opened the scoring at the 11:42 mark when Hossa went to the bank off of New York goalie Al Montoya. The fortunate bounce resulted in Hossa reaching goal number 400, and the ‘Hawks led 1-0.

Chicago doubled the advantage early in the second. Niklas Hjalmarsson stripped Okposo of the puck and found Hossa near the red line with a long pass. Hossa came up the boards and into the Islander zone before finding Sharp, who one-timed a lazer over Montoya high on the stick side. Read more »

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Blackhawks get down early, blow two leads before besting Islanders 5-4 in the shootout

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment

By Jon Fromi

Jonathan Toews showed why he was afforded the NHL’s Second Star of the Month for November in the Chicago Blackhawks first contest of December against the visiting New York Islanders.

The captain notched a goal and an assist in regulation, then had the deciding shootout goal as Chicago snatched two points in a 5-4 decision. The game was far from the performance the Blackhawks were looking for after a lackluster loss to Phoenix earlier this week.

Despite allowing 41 Islander shots on goal and failing to hold a third period lead, the ‘Hawks came up with just enough to claim points number 32 and 33.

The Blackhawks created some excitement in the opening minute when a Brent Seabrook shot from the blueline found iron. Duncan Keith fired another shot on Al Montoya that Viktor Stalberg was able to get a stick on. Toews’s put back was waved off as the whistle had blown before he could get to the puck. Read more »

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Hawks Close Circus Trip with 2-1 Victory in LA

Posted on November 27, 2011 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks brought their six-game road trip to a close Saturday night with their second victory in a row. The Blackhawks swept the back-to-back, following up Friday’s come from behind victory in Anaheim with a 2-1 triumph over the Los Angeles Kings.

The Hawks opened the scoring in the fourth minute when Duncan Keith fired a shot on goal from the left point. Marcus Kruger got a piece of the puck, and the deflection struck the side of the net and rolled toward the end boards. As Dave Bolland swung from the crossbar, Andrew Brunette calmly collected the puck and executed a nice wraparound on goalie Jonathan Quick.

Brunette, who played on the third line with Bolland and Kruger, potted his first even strength goal of the season. He proved to be efficient with the puck, drawing twine on his only attempt of the evening.

Chicago limited the Kings chances to score in the opening period, but Los Angeles evened the score midway through the contest. Keith stopped Matt Greene’s shot attempt only to see Jarret Stoll get control of the puck. Stoll took advantage of the turnover, firing a shot over Corey Crawford’s glove to tie the contest at a goal apiece. Read more »

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Sharpie’s Hat Trick, Tazer’s five-points spearhead 6-5 ‘Hawks comeback win

Posted on November 26, 2011 by Jon Fromi| 3 Comments

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks shook off forty minutes of frustration in Anaheim Friday afternoon, roaring back from a two-goal deficit with four third period tallies to beat the Ducks 6-5.

A career night for Jonathan Toews was eclipsed only by Patrick Sharp’s second career hat trick and the euphoria brought on by the ‘Hawks refusal to pack it in at The Pond.

Chicago was up against an offense that was plugging along at two goals a game. Naturally, Anaheim hit the two-goal mark just 2:13 into the contest. A strong forecheck by Corey Perry separated Niklas Hjalmarsson and the puck. Bobby Ryan was turned away once by Corey Crawford, but Ryan slammed his own rebound home to open the scoring.

Less than a minute later, Steve Montador left the puck in front of the net after blocking a Teemu Selanne blue line shot with his hand. Andrew Cogliano cleaned up the mess, and just like that the ‘Hawks found themselves down 2-0 and completely on their heels. Chicago didn’t manage a shot until the sixth minute; by then Anaheim had laid siege to Crawford with seven shots. Read more »

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Win streak ends at 4; Hawks Drop One to Flames

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Jon Fromi| 2 Comments
Curtis Glencross – photo credit: Yahoo! Sports

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks were coming off a four-game win streak and looking to keep rolling atop the NHL. A spotty defensive effort in Calgary Friday night, coupled with two goals by the Flames in the first two minutes of the second period, led to a 5-2 defeat.

In the first period, the pace was to Chicago’s liking. Jonathan Toews took a pass from Marian Hossa in the fifth minute that Miikka Kiprusoff stopped with his pad. Toews hacked the puck into the goal, but it was waved off when the referee ruled the play whistled dead before the puck crossed the line.

The Flames drew first blood just over a minute later. Lee Stempniak came up with a loose puck and went the distance into the Chicago zone. Coming up the right side, Stempniak badly beat Duncan Keith to the inside and slapped it high to Corey Crawford’s stick side, giving Calgary a 1-0 lead.

The Blackhawks returned fire on the following shift. Nick Leddy got it started with a pass across the ice to Toews, and the captain brought the puck across the blue line and powered toward the net. Viktor Stalberg crashed the net, got inside position on Jay Bouwmeester with a nice move, and tapped in the centering pass to tie the contest. Read more »

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Toews, Montador Lead Hawks Past Woeful ‘Jackets

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment

By Jon Fromi

The Columbus Blue Jackets proved to be just what the doctor ordered for a Chicago Blackhawks club that had lost three straight.  The ‘Hawks got back in the win column Thursday at Nationwide Arena, doubling up the Blue Jackets 6-3. Chicago was paced by a three-point night by Jonathan Toews and a Gordie Howe hat trick by Steve Montador.

Chicago, who failed to score a goal Tuesday in St. Louis, got on the board 6:54 into the game. Brent Seabrook brought the puck up the right side and passed to Toews as he entered the Blue Jackets zone. Toews returned the puck to Seabrook, who took it behind the net and to Viktor Stalberg. Toews knocked in the resulting rebound given by Steve Mason and Chicago owned a 1-0 advantage.

Stalberg was called for hooking with 10:25 to go in the opening period, and Columbus wasted little time in tying the contest.  Following the faceoff that started the power play, Derick Brassard’s shot was blocked, but Grant Clitsome settled the puck down and fired a slapshot that escaped the view of Corey Crawford.

Toews put Chicago back on top late in the period, taking a pass from Nick Leddy and firing a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle with 2:51 left to make it 2-1 Blackhawks. Read more »

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