[A] Oduya Sparks Win: CHI 4, NYR 3

[Ton]

Johnny Oduya helped the Blackhawks with his first goal in the Indian head while the Hawks toppled the Rangers 4-3 in the United Center. His goal would have been the game-winner if not for a late period tally in the last minute of the game by Brad Richards, as well as hammering away an assist on Andrew Shaw's 2nd period tip-in.



The veteran defenseman seems to be fitting in very nicely, perhaps a surprise addition to most standards.



"Oduya had a great game," Kane said. "He scored the goal that should have been the winner. Forwards love to play with him. He's a guy who can get you the puck with speed."



Johnny seems to be fond of his new teammates as well, and fits in like a puzzle piece.



"We had the same kind of game as last time in here," Oduya said. "Struggling at the beginning, but a great turnaround and a great team victory."



The Blackhawks took advantage of a struggling Henrik Lundqvist with three goals on 22 shots, including a flurry of two goals on 5 shots in the 3rd period.



Patrick Kane sealed the deal with an empty net goal late in the 3rd, which killed the Rangers comeback despite a late period tally by Brad Richards.



BLACKHAWKS THREE STARS OF THE GAME



1. Johnny Oduya

2. Marian Hossa

3. Patrick Sharp



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[roshinaya]

Again allowing a goal in the last minutes after scoring the EN? This team has serious concentration issues. A win nonetheless so I am happy.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Awesome Hockey game!!!!

 

[mikita's helmet]

5-4 or 4-3?

 

[mikita's helmet]

The Rangers game will be quite the repeat of this shit show tonight...

...so what happened?

 

[mikita's helmet]

If the Hawks could clear the puck out of their D-zone coulda been 2-0 or 3-0.

 

[roshinaya]

This allowing at least 3 goals a game the Hawks have been doing all season is getting to be a bit much.

 

[mikita's helmet]

Awesome Hockey game!!!!

Nice to see the Hawks stage a 3rd period comeback. A loss wouldn't have been good for the team's psyche nor trying to hold on to 6th in the conference.

 

[the canadian dream]

I had to go out for dinner at friends 3 minutes into the third. Looks like i missed a great 3rd period.



Rangers fucking suck. They can start being good again now though.



Looks like oduya continued to have a strong game. He was fantastic in the first two periods i did see.



Keep it going hawks. We know you can beat the eastern teams..lets start getting more wins against the west now. Big two points tonight regardless.

 

[R K]

...so what happened?

His crystal ball is apparently fucked.



Out Hit 40-20.

 

[Irish Hawk]

Great result even though they gave up that stup[id goal right at the end. Yeah Oduya had a great game again. Really hope Stan make a decent attempt to resign him in the summer.

 

[PuckPowWow]

The recent trends of this team have moved me to have a loss for words lately. Honestly, I have a hard time getting a grip on what they are doing, and where they are going sometimes.

With that said, it was really nice to see them battle back using the only consistent skill they have (scoring goals). It was also nice to see Emery get the better of Lundqvist. A nice result, and exciting finish.

The best response I have to what we have seen lately, is that the Hawks are looking more like the team from early season play, which is to say that they are finding wins in games they maybe shouldn't have won, and are day to day as far as overall performance goes.

What has changed for the better from my opinion is A.) They are learning to win without Toews (especially where face-offs are concerned), B.) The goaltending is more solid with Emery, C.) Oduya has been a nice fit, along with Olsen and Lepisto, which has brought about slight improvements on the back-end, and D.) They are no longer a favored team heading into the playoffs (no coasting allowed). I also see slight improvements in team positioning, but it has a habit of falling apart really easily.

IMO, last night's win most likely sealed a playoff birth (that and the King's loss). Although, who knows, there is still room to screw it all up.

I also think that Bollig has been a nice add. He classes up the joint.

Again, nice to see the result, but 3 goals on 6 shots in the 3rd is not ever going to happen again. Back to back goals are always killers to the opposition.

 

[Mach29]

Kind of a nail biter at the end of the third when it shouldn't have been.



Gotta say I have to take back anything I said about Emery in the past, he is keeping us in it. Crawford has to be doing some serious career change thinking.



Emery and Oduya = Black Hawk Power.

 

[roshinaya]

BTW, the score is wrong in the topic. It's 4-3

 

[xatruio]

i was working through the whole game only saw the Prust goal and Sharp goal cuz i was able to catch a couple quick breaks in the 3rd. How did Hammer look??

 

[the canadian dream]

The first period hammer looked like a guy who had missed a large number of games. Didnt see the 3rd so i cant comment.

 

[R K]

The first period hammer looked like a guy who had missed a large number of games. Didnt see the 3rd so i cant comment.

No worse than Lepisto so I think it's a good addition by subtraction. And really I didn't mind Lepisto, but he's no Hjarlmarsson.

 

[the canadian dream]

Of course. I have always liked hammer. Team needs his shot blocking abilities. I didnt mind lepisto either..he seemed to get better with more games..naturaly. Hammers def the better blueliner.



He looked rusty in the first period..rightfully so. Second period he was easing back in.

 

[R K]

yea gotta think it'll take a few games for him to get back in the swing.

 

[dlrob315]

Emery and Oduya = Black Hawk Power.