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Game 11: Hawks 3, Canes 4 |
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The Blackhawks earned a point by taking the game into overtime for the third time in 5 games and fourth overall this season but lost in the shootout against the Hurricanes.
Kevin Lankinen stood tall in net yet again with 38 stops. He saved his team's bacon many times including a particular flurry with less than 5 minutes left in the 3rd period.
In that sequence, Lankinen made successive saves at point-blank range then stumped the Canes soon after as his teammates made a poorly-timed line change to spring Carolina on a 2-on-0.
Offensively, the Hawks were sloppy and lacked structure as they were unable to see plays develop, get open for one another, create options, and provide puck support on the attack.
One commendable aspect of team play was the resilience and compete level to bounce back and tie the game twice after being down 0-2 in the 2nd then trailing 2-3 in the 3rd.
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Starting Lineup
The starting lineup kept with 12 forwards and 6 defensemen as Alex DeBrincat and Nicolas Beaudin returned after being in COVID protocol:
And the starters for the opening shift:
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Scoring Recap
1st Goal: Svechnikov (0-1)
David Kampf failed to gain inside positioning on Andrei Svechnikov even though he had time and space to do so. Jordan Staal contributed with a one-arm pass to set up the goal.
2nd Goal: Foegele (0-2)
Pius Suter ended up puck watching which prevented him from picking up Warren Foegele who snuck in behind him after Staal skillfully boxed out Calvin de Haan before making the pass.
3rd Goal: Kurashev (1-2) PP
Puck and player movement by the 2nd power play unit made Philipp Kurashev's tally happen. Every player on the unit touched the puck and made quick plays to keep the Canes on their heels.
4th Goal: Kane (2-2)
The rush up ice to manufacture Patrick Kane's goal was the result of Dylan Strome, DeBrincat, and him keeping their feet moving from the red line onward in order to maintain forward momentum.
5th Goal: Trocheck (2-3)
After losing the draw, Strome simply doesn't stay with Vincent Trocheck leaving him open. Trocheck also benefited from a lucky bounce after Connor Murphy blocked Nino Niederreiter's shot.
6th Goal: Strome (3-3)
A collision by Jordan Martinook and Brady Skjei allowed Strome to unleash an uncontested shot. All the credit goes to Dominik Kubalik for his hustle and industriousness to start the play.
Shootout: Svechnikov (3-4)
Blackhawks
* DeBrincat (miss)
* Kane (miss)
* Strome (miss)
Hurricanes
* Hamilton (miss)
* Trocheck (miss)
* Svechnikov (goal)
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Other Plays
No Penalty Called
In the 1st, Nikita Zadorov delivered a huge hit on Niederreiter but it was peculiar that Niederreiter didn't get called for a penalty as he slashed Zadorov twice then cross checked him.
Sticking Up for a Teammate
With 5 minutes left in the 2nd, Foegele knocked Carl Soderberg to the ice which Brandon Hagel took exception to. Hagel modeled tremendous heart by standing up to three Carolina players.
Lack of Pace in Overtime
Even though the Hawks were constantly in motion, they had a slow pace and little haste to make things happen in OT -- especially with all of that ice -- which made them easy to defend.
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Player Notes
Dominik Kubalik
Playing with intensity and speed all game, Kubalik supported the puck up and down the ice. He also exhibited vision on his two assists and other plays proving he's not just a one-trick pony.
Philipp Kurashev
Like Kubalik, Kurashev executed puck support across the entire rink and also used his speed for a hard forecheck. Kurashev also demonstrated proper point coverage when the D-men pinch.
Nikita Zadorov
While Zadorov's defensive game needs more consistency, the physicality that is the hallmark of his reputation was on full display last night with hits, pins, and shoves galore.
Nicolas Beaudin
The good on Beaudin was he still protected the slot and got to play PP quarterback on the 2nd unit. However, the bad was he committed ill-advised passes, unforced errors, and a penalty.
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