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| Dylan Strome's first of three goals early in the first. |
Both the Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets were involved in games where eleven goals were scored in each game and both teams came out on top. The Hawks took a 5-0 lead in the first period, to cruise to a 8-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks, while the Jets kept their playoff hopes alive with an impressive 7-4 victory over the Stanley Cup champion, Tampa Bay Lightning.
Takeaways:
- I attended the Jets/Lightning game in person, it was my first game since COVID restrictions were lifted to allow 100% capacity (15,000). I'm guessing there was probably less than 12,000 (they don't announce the attendance), where we sat there was three people to the left of me and the entire row was empty to the right. There were quite a bit of empty seats, especially the upper level and the lineups to the washroom were reasonable. Masks are still enforced, but on March 15, it will be optional, but recommended.
- For the past few games at home, I thought I heard some noticeable "boos" during the, "glorious and free" part of the Canadian national anthem, when watching on TV. It was confirmed live in person. Apparently, someone let in some freedom convoy supporters. You were vaxxed to attend the game, right? (see past post: Does the NHL have a Russian problem?)
- The Jets took an early 2-0 and 3-1 lead before the Lightning tied it 3-3 at the end of the first period. Lots of goals and an exciting opening period. The second period was scoreless and I must admit it was one of the most uneventful periods of the season. Not much going on, with the Jets struggling to do anything and the Lightning content to kill off the period. When the Jets scored the go-ahead goal in the third, the crowd and the team woke up and suddenly, the Jets played with urgency and realized they could win this hockey game.
- I was disappointed by the play of Tampa Bay. They seemed to coasting out there and going through the motions most of the night and only put in an effort when they were losing. Their stars, Stamkos, Point and Kucherov were non-factors with their lower lines accounting for their scoring. Nikita Kucherov, especially was either giving the puck away or falling, which is uncharacteristic for him. The game against the Hawks a couple nights ago could have gone either way, but the Lightning scored in quick bunches twice. I kept waiting for them to turn it a notch after the Jets took the lead in the third, but maybe they have no urgency in their game because they are solidly in the playoffs and don't feel they need to play harder than they need to.
Hawk Thoughts:
- During the second intermission of the Jets game, my daughter messaged me and said, I was missing a crazy Hawks game and that they played, "the best period of the season"! I checked my phone and saw the Hawks scored 5 in the first and 6-0 early in the second, but then I saw the Ducks scored 3 quick ones within three and a half minutes to make it 6-3...(I have to admit I had flashbacks of past blown leads, but from 6-0, no way!)
- When I got home after the Jets game, instead of watching the highlights, I replayed the whole first period, then skipped to the goals for the second and third. Sounds like a much more exciting game than the one I went to...at least for Hawks fans!
- What a crazy game it was! Kaner had 6 points (1-5), a career high with five of those in the first period. Dylan Strome notched his second career hat-trick and an assist and the other member of the line, Alex DeBrincat had a goal (his 33rd) and 3 assists. In total the Kane/Strome/Cat line accounted for 14 points! Rounding out the scoring, Toews scored a shorthanded goal, Carpenter scored his third and Hagel scored a beauty early in the second period. Interestingly, despite all the goals, the Hawks didn't score a power-play goal.
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