If the Chicago Blackhawks weren’t playing one of the worst teams in the NHL on Friday night, their slowed intensity in the final 30 minutes might have cost them the game.
Toronto came into the game with one of the worst records in hockey and were starting a struggling goalie. The Blackhawks obviously knew they had a big advantage in depth and skill, and took the game to the Maple Leafs in the first period.
When the dust settled for the first intermission, Patrick Kane and John Madden had both scored goals and the Hawks had already thrown 20 shots on goal. The score was 2-0, and the game was as close as the teams’ records.
The second period started strong, with the Hawks continuing to dictate the pace of the game. Troy Brouwer redirected a Patrick Sharp shot into the net for a power play goal, and the Hawks were up 3-0 just over five minutes into the second period.
But just as the Calgary Flames did in October with their 5-0 lead, the Blackhawks felt that they had control of a struggling opponent and took their foot off the gas.
The Hawks forgot that Phil Kessel showed up ready to play, and the Maple Leafs weren’t to ...
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Article written by TAB BAMFORD
Chicago Blackhawks Burn Leafs, Continues Home Streak Against Toronto
November 13th, 2009 by TAB BAMFORD Leave a reply »
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