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Cross Examination
January 14, 2022, 4:52 AM ET [68 Comments]
Theo Fox
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • RSS • Archive • CONTACT

I'm a bit under the weather and swamped with work so not much commentary in today's blog but two questions for readers:

1) What did you think about Philipp Kurashev's OT GTG?
2) What did you think about Lukas Reichel's NHL debut?

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Blackhawks Game Summary

Starting Lineup

Hagel - Reichel - Kane
DeBrincat - Toews - Kubalik
Kurashev - Borgstrom - Entwistle
Khaira - Lafferty - Carpenter

de Haan - Murphy
Stillman - Galvas
C Jones - Gustafsson

Fleury
Lankinen

Scratches:
Connolly, Mitchell

Abridged Boxscore

1st Goal (1-0): Kubalik (Toews, Stillman)
2nd Goal (1-1): Petry (Lehkonen, Romanov)
3rd Goal (1-2): Hoffman (Caufield, Chiarot) PP
4th Goal (2-2): Kane (Gustafsson, DeBrincat) PP
5th Goal (3-2): Kurashev (Hagel, Gustafsson) OT

SOG For/Against: 31/29
PP: 1-for-4
PK: 3-for-4
Faceoffs Won: 46%


Scoring Analysis

* On the 1st goal scored, Riley Stillman and Jonathan Toews chipped at the puck in a scrum just within their own blueline before springing Dominik Kubalik on a breakaway.

* On the 2nd goal scored, Patrick Kane snapped a 13-game goalless drought with a game-tying goal by hypnotizing the Montreal defense as he primed his stick for a snapshot from the right circle.

* On the 3rd goal scored, Kurashev scored one of the most odd overtime goals ever that took a pair of video reviews to confirm in favor of the Hawks.

* On the 1st goal allowed, Alexander Romanov sent a point shot wide but got a fortuitous bounce off the end boards to find Jeff Petry who Alex DeBrincat lost in coverage.

* On the 2nd goal allowed, Cole Caufield shot the puck from the slot then the rebound found its way back to him so that he could slide a backhanded feed to Mike Hoffman for a tally from the right circle.

Game Notes

* The Hawks defense kept the Habs without a shot on goal for the first 14:30 minutes of the game but then gave up 20 SOGs from that point through the end of the 2nd.

* Reichel put his speed and explosiveness on display in spurts throughout the game as his dynamism permits him to get open, find soft areas of the ice, and create separation from defenders.

* Sam Lafferty also has a fast set of wheels which he uses to supplement his heavy forecheck; while he was unnoticeable for stretches of the game, he wasn't a liability either.

* Good on Ryan Carpenter to immediately stick up for Lafferty who was flattened with a Romanov hit along the boards late in the 2nd.

* Calvin de Haan was busy and bruised on the blueline racking up 4 hits, 6 shot blocks, and 3 takeaways.

* Jakub Galvas has keen hockey sense knowing what to do with the puck once he gets it and rarely creates dangerous siuations for himself and his teammates.

Highlights

Goal by Patrick Kane

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Roster Updates

COVID Protocol

Newly entered into protocol:
* Kirby Dach, Center
* Dylan Strome, Center

Still in protocol:
* Seth Jones, Defenseman
* Jake McCabe, Defenseman
* Mike Gapski, Head Athletic Trainer
* Troy Parchman, Head Equipment Manager

Out of protocol:
* Brandon Hagel, Left Wing
* Sam Lafferty, Right Wing

Taxi Squad

Newly added on the squad:
* Josiah Slavin

Already on the squad:
* Nicolas Beaudin

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IceHogs Updates

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All-Star Game

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Winter Olympics

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Legacy Night

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See you on the boards!

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