Double Hat Tricks: Want Goals? We Got Goals!

 

"Hat-trick" Kane completes the hat-trick into an empty net

From a fan standpoint, it was an exciting game, from a goalie's point of view, not so much. Thirteen goals were scored between the Chicago Blackhawks and the New Jersey Devils and fortunately for the Hawks they scored eight of them. A see-saw battle with the teams exchanging goals, scoring in bunches. The Hawks opened the scoring, then the Devils scored two straight to make it 2-1 after the first period. Then, with help from the power-play (3 power-play goals!), the Hawks scored 3 (making it 4-2), the Devils 2 (4-4), Hawks 2 (6-4), Devils 1 (6-5), then 2 more into an empty net (8-5). Lots of goals and lots of hats!

Random thoughts:

• Both Patrick Kane and Brandon Hagel scored hat tricks for the Hawks with their third into the empty net. The last time two Hawks scored hat tricks in the same game was in 2003 with Eric Daze and Steve Sullivan completing the task. A nice way for Hagel to celebrate his 100th game in the NHL.
• Kevin Lankinen made his return to the Hawks lineup in his first game since January 22 because of an injured hand. Despite allowing five goals, he made some timely saves and didn't get much help from a depleted d-core who were without Calvin DeHaan and Jake McCabe and lost Murphy briefly after taking a big hit. Speaking of goaltending, the Devils have experienced loads of trouble in net. Injuries have hurt their starters and they've been struggling to keep a consistent starter healthy. Definitely a weakness.
• Nice to hear Pat Foley back doing play-by-play during the TV broadcast. With all the others auditioning for Pat's job, his voice is part of the joy of listening and watching to a Blackhawks telecast. The combo of Pat and Eddie Olczyk will be sadly missed next season and hopefully Eddie can do as many Hawks games as possible. It was first game with Caley Chelios doing colour commentary and she did a very commendable job filling Eddie shoes. She's much more pleasant to listen to than Colby Cohen (though he's ok) and her work as an analyst in the studio with Pat Boyle this season has been a breathe of fresh air. She's been excellent!
• Jerk of the game: PK Subban. Though he was pretty much unnoticeable most of the game, PK was up to his old tricks with a cheap-shot on Brandon Hagel as he scored into the empty net in the dying seconds of the game. As Hagel flew past Subban full speed, PK tripped Hagel and he crashed into the net. An extremely dangerous play, if the net wasn't there he would have crashed into the boards. Notice how Hagel has been the recipient of so many cheap-shots from opponents? His hard working, never stop working, "nose over the puck mentality" play clearly annoys opponents and it's too bad the Hawks don't have more players that play that way.

 

Remember when a first period three goal lead was safe? Not so much nowadays and the Winnipeg Jets proved that last night. Up 3-0 after the first, the Jets gave up 6 straight in the second and third period. The Avs are a much superior team, especially at home, so being down 3 wasn't a big deal. The Jets gotta get out of this current streak of losses if they have any hope at all of making the playoffs. In a related story, I received my playoff package yesterday. I might save more money this season.