Monday, October 12, 2009

Who Needs Goaltending?! Okay, Just Kidding




Wow! It is hard to describe what just happened at the United Center. A crowd of 20,074 will tell you the same thing after the 6-5 overtime win over the Calgary Flames. We are five games into the season and two into the home portion of the season. In those two games, the Chicago Blackhawks have set a franchise record for longest shootout and now a franchise record for biggest comeback.

The Blackhawks had six different players score, something that they do every night (not the 6 goals, but the wide range of scorers...although 6 could be a regular thing). They were down 5-0 to Calgary faster than pitchers Jonathan Papelbon, Ryan Franklin, Joe Nathan and Houston Street could blow a save.

John Madden gets a goal near the end of the first period, but they are still four goals behind. The naive, weird fan could say that this gives them momentum and the fact that they are outshooting the Flames, 16-10, gives them hope. Well, maybe it isn't so weird. Mikka Kiprusoff is supposed to be a very good goalie, and he is. Yet Chicago made him look horrible, just as they did at times during a first-round playoff win last season.

The Hawks offense tends to do that to goalies, and you still have free-agent Marian Hossa rehabbing and maybe coming back in November. Now speaking of bad goalies, though, Cristobal Huet had a rough night. Some were not his fault, but he was definitely in bad position at times. Plus, giving up three goals in less than a minute is never a good thing.

I am not sold on Antti Niemi in net either, but he did a pretty solid job in helping the Hawks come back. Still, this goaltending is a bit of an issue. Yet, the offense certainly is not. I wouldn't make a habit of getting down 5-0, but this team can certainly score in bunches. It is safe to say that Chicago has one of the best offenses in the NHL...just ask the Calgary Flames.

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