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Hawks Fall At Home, Need to Step Up to the Plate Now



CHICAGO, IL -- That was the most stereotypical and frustrating loss in Blackhawks history. I can't even really type this right now but I'm trying to keep up with this blog.

 The first period was stellar--Seabrook's power play beaut early on helped the boys gain some confidence. There were only ten shots by the Hawks, but they made sure not to let the Blues get too much action. The Hawks really should have scored more in the first, since they had three power plays nearly back-to-back at the start of the first, yet only capitalized on one. The Blues managed to put one on the boards as well, but it wasn't stressful yet.

 The second period was insane. It was a lot of playing keep-away, rather than a whole lot of scoring. Interestingly enough, Panarin's first faceoff ended in a goal for Anisimov, which is pretty incredible. After an adorable celly, the boys managed to keep the Blues at bay. Crawford was unbelievable, making about three series of saves that had me gasping and screaming "WE'RE NOT WORTHY!" Wayne's World-style. This had the Hawks going into the third period with a lead, 34 shots on goal, and a little too much confidence.

 It was the third period that really stole the game away from the Hawks. A bad turnover at center ice by Roszival cost them a goal, tying up the game at two. Things were looking alright at this point, and it was still very possible for the guys to pull it together. The crowd rallied for the boys, but hopes dwindled as Kane was sent to the box with a four-minute double penalty to kill for high sticking Pietrangelo (who has become the bane of my existence). This was the nail in the coffin for the Blackhawks, and the Blues were able to capitalize on one of the penalties, putting them ahead.

 With just four minutes left, there wasn't much left for the Blackhawks to do. They tried, even taking Crawford out of the net at the 90-second mark and adding an attacker, but couldn't connect. This was even more frustrating than an overtime loss.

 Still, there are games left to be played in the series. The biggest concern should be the hits. There are only so many hits someone can take before it tires them out. St. Louis obviously has that edge on us, but with a little more anger running through their system, the Hawks can pull this one off. They'll need to be better on the power plays, since the Blues seem to get them quite often. Capitalizing on those opportunities would greatly help. Defense looked good, and Duncan Keith got another long game at nearly 27 minutes on the ice--and, obviously Seabrook with the great goal at the start. Offense looked good too, and it's worth it to note that Kane actually had three hits going into the third, which was impressive for a relatively small player. Crawford was unbelievable, and the two shots he let through in the third weren't his fault entirely. His teammates need to step up their game and fast.

 Don't lose hope yet, Hawks. We believe in you 100%, to the bitter end.

 The Hawks and Blues face off again on Tuesday, April 19th, at 9:30pm EST on NBCSN.
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