Recap: Blackhawks down Avalanche, 2-1

  

Hot on a two-game winning streak, the Chicago Blackhawks took the Ice in Colorado last night against the Avalanche. The odds of a third straight win were perhaps not high, as Chicago had played in a tough contest versus Dallas the night before in Texas.

The Blackhawks lines and pairings:

Brandon SaadJonathan ToewsDominik Kahun
Dylan StromeArtem AnisimovPatrick Kane
Alex DeBrincatDavid KampfDylan Sikura
John HaydenLuke JohnsonBrendan Perlini
Duncan KeithErik Gustafsson
Gustav ForslingBrent Seabrook
Carl DahlstromConnor Murphy

Not surprising in a back-to-back, new backup netminder (and #rinklegend) Colin Delia got his first NHL start this year for Chicago versus Philipp Grubauer for the Avs.

FIRST PERIOD

Continuing a recent theme, the Hawks got the game’s first goal at 8:07. After killing off a too many men call, Dominik Kahun, who served the penalty, gathered a puck coming out of the box, generating a quick break to the net, and found a trailing Alex DeBrincat who beat Grubauer for his 16th goal of the season. 1-0 Chicago.

Both teams took two penalties a piece in the period, and the Hawks ended the frame on the man advantage. Chicago continued to struggle to enter the zone and set up their offense on the power play.  Shots were 14-8 Colorado with Delia making several strong saves—looking sharp and in control throughout the period—one in particular on a point blank chance by Gabriel Landeskog..

SECOND PERIOD

The Avs killed off the remainder of the penalty to start the second, and then applied some consistent pressure on the Hawks, resulting in a JT Compher goal at 2:58.  1-1.

Sustained offensive zone time for Colorado led to all too familiar defensive breakdowns in the Hawk zone, setting up numerous Colorado chances, including one shot that had Delia beat only to ring off the post.

It wasn’t long before NBCSN Chicago announcers Pat Foley and Eddie Olczyk stated what most viewers had to be thinking: the Hawks looked like a team that played the previous night in another city. Tired and chasing the play. But Delia continued to shine and keep the hawks in the game.

Colorado ended the period on a power play, which had 7 seconds left going into intermission. Shots for the period were 11-7, totaling 25-16 for the first two periods.

THIRD PERIOD

Early on, a quick Patrick Kane shot from near the blueline leaked through Grubauer’s pads and was banged home by Artem Anisimov, giving the Hawks a 2-1 lead at 1:18.

The Avalanche hit their third post of the night at 5:36, although the Hawks had a couple of quality chances themselves, including one hit crossbar that bounced down to the goal line and nearly went over.

Colorado pulled Grubauer at the end but could not solve Delia, giving Chicago the 2-1 win, their third in a row.

THE GOOD

Delia was outstanding, giving the Hawks another goalie win (and his first NHL win) after a sterling performance by Cam Ward Thursday night in Dallas.

Hawk defensive zone coverage, while not great overall (the team gave up 36 shots), was nonetheless better than its season long standard.

THE BAD

As Head Coach Jeremy Colliton said in his postgame remarks, Chicago probably deserved to win some other games this season more than this one. Although pointed out as a positive above—relative to horrible overall play this season—the defense was not great at times.

THE UGLY

Nothing really, it was an unlikely road win against a good team. And perhaps reflective of overall improvement in a psychologically fragile Hawks team.

Comment below.

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Center Ice Forums Recap: Blackhawks down Avalanche, 2-1

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  • #10899
    John Jaeckel
    Participant

    Hot on a two-game winning streak, the Chicago Blackhawks took the Ice in Colorado last night against the Avalanche. The odds of a third straight win w
    [To continue reading full article, click here: Recap: Blackhawks down Avalanche, 2-1]

    #10900
    Alan Parsons
    Participant

    Im gonna back off of hating on Gus right now because his offense has been very good lately, but fucking Forsling, man, he is just fucking terrible.  He will turn the puck over along the wall nearly half the time, his coverage and lack of instincts in his own zone sucks, and he isnt getting better in any area.  He isnt physical, isnt fast enough, gets turnstyled, takes bad penalties.  Yuck.  Just bench him as soon as Henry gets back.   They need to trade him in any package that they put together this January.  Let someone else pay him.

    So far the team has improved defensively by simply taking Rutta and Manning out of the lineup.  Lets take Forsling out too and see what happens!!!

    #10901
    Mister Ricochet
    Participant

    Love the recap format, JJ.   Players in the lineup linked to Hockey Reference is very helpful.   That said the Hawks got killed in the fancy stats but had the better goalie on this night.  On to Delia:

    Looks like a completely different goalie from last yrs version of a scrambly/floppy/out of position/shell shocked athletic goalie.   Kid was square to everything, quiet body with no wasted motion.   Showed me his AHL league leading SPG is no fluke.   In short looked like an NHL goalie……….. One game only and even if he allowed 4-5 goals last night he looked fantastic to the eye.

    Slowly but surely, and quietly, Strome is fitting in.   19:00 last night, 7-7 at the dot, using his size to play in the crease and compete for 50/50’s while using his vision and touch to create.  I’d add he’s only been under 50% at the dot once in his last 10.   That’s good.

    Whatever one thinks of Murphy he’s an NHL Dman and with Dahlstrom showing a nice vanilla do no harm game the defensive group is a better one since they both came to the lineup.  Add Gus not playing scared, Keith and Seabs bringing their experience the D is better than what it has been and IMO it’s due to Murphy and Dahlstrom providing adequate NHL play.

    Looks to me like Colliton is finding proper slotting, the team is tighter and hungrier over the last few games.   Players seem to be playing to and coached to a role.  …….. Fun watching this play out as they become a more confident group.

    Tough for me to listen to Pat and Eddie and would add the Rado duo in the booth mentioned that when McKinnon came into the league with his freakish speed the only Dman they remember that could turn and skate with him was Keith….. Just thought I’d share that.

    Love what you guys are doing at The Rink.  Really good writers that cover the Hawk system from top to bottom and if you’re gonna have USHL stuff I’m gonna have to make The Rink a must stop at every day.  ….. Keep it up fellas.

     

    #10904
    Alan Parsons
    Participant

    Rutta and Manning are out.  That has helped immensely.   Lets get Forsling out and then we can work on getting Seabrook fewer minutes.   Gus has played much better since his benching.  So that is a start.  He may be a liability in his own end, but he isnt as bad as Forsling right now.

    Get Debrincat more minutes!!

     

    #10905
    Jeff Osborn
    Keymaster

    just saying……..summer of 2016

    Summer of 2017….

    #10913
    Mister Ricochet
    Participant

    Before I knew who you were Oz JJ told me a guy he trusts likes this Delia kid.   Afterwards I saw him live as the Fuel played at Quad Cities vs the Mallards vs a USHL kid I loved, Kulbakov.  https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/239200/ivan-kulbakov         Steel beat him in the Finals and CLB signed him as a FA right out of the USHL and sent him straight to the AHL.

    Anyway Delia was ok, thought he was scrambly, didn’t let the game come to him.   Looked the same with the train wreck Hawks last yr and you can’t gauge or blame the 24 yr old on that sampling……… But he looked like a totally different player last night.

    As mentioned the eye saw a calm, well positioned, effortless, efficient goalie who did not rely on athleticism although he showed it when needed.  I’d add it’s not like NHL organIzations don’t have a book on the kid as he shut down the top line on earth………

    With Ward to help him along with a seemingly solid foundation gonna be interesting to watch the kid as the season progresses.

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