With 4 goals in 2 nights versus the Pittsburgh Penguins and Marc Andre' Fleury, the question has to be asked: just how good is this Artemi Panarin kid?
Answer: all that and a bag of whatever they call chips in Russia.
Because as good as Panarin was to start the season in Chicago (his first in North America), he has gotten better since, and probably still has another level he can get to.
Most of Panarin's scoring has happened off the cycle in the offensive zone. Last night, on Panarin's first goal, his line (featuring no less than Patrick Kane on the opposite wing) just wore the Penguins down over an extended period of offensive zone time, before Panarin broke free and fired yet another biscuit past a hapless Marc Andre Fleury.
Unti this fall, all 99.9% of Blackhawk fans had to go on with Panarin were some highlight reels on youtube that showed him flying through open ice in the KHL and burying one timers. What they saw once Panarin suited up in the Indianhead was a pound for pound strong, puck control machine who could both pass and shoot.
But to date, we really haven't seen that much of Panarin as a threat in transition, and that—as he overcomes the language barrier a bit—should come. While not blazing fast, Panarin can move just fine and he has very high hockey sense and anticipation.
Bear in mind, the Bread Man spoke zero English when he arrived in North America this summer.
Aside from Panarin's heroics, the Blackhawks played arguably their best defensive game of the season last night, thoroughly smothering a potent Penguins lineup and outshooting them 36-18.
You could argue, the Hawks were a smidge lucky to escape Consol Energy Arena with 2 points Wednesday night. Last night, they made their own luck and rode it to a 3-1 victory.
I'll have a Sabres preview tomorrow.
JJ
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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