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Jonathan Toews and Nick Leddy were able to turn the tide for the Blackhawks late in the game to keep them alive for at least another post-season game.
Leddy in particular had a fantastic game by registering 5 shots on net, 3 hits, and a blocked shot to go along with his game tying goal and plus-2 rating. It was only a matter of time for him to find the net after taking multiple quality shots without much traffic in front of Smith, but as soon as Dave Bolland flew by to provide the quick screen, Leddy finally picked up his first goal of the post-season after Brandon Saad fed him the puck after winning an important battle along the boards.
Jonathan Toews backed his word by providing a wicked snipe in overtime that beat Smith cleanly. Most importantly, his presence at the face-off dot was uncanny; winning 78% of his draws. His work horse attitude has certainly gained momentum over the course of the first round, you have to believe he will only get better at this point if the Blackhawks can continue to stay alive.
Viktor Stalberg had an awkward game in every sense. He was under the zebra's microscope all game, taking 4 minor penalties but the Coyotes never found the back of the net. Although Quenneville is usually notorious for cutting ice-time after so many infractions, Stalberg actually fluttered around his average ice-time during the playoffs and contributed on the game winning goal as well.
Once again, Michael Frolik had a very good game although couldn't find a way to continue padding his goal-scoring résumé, he did add an assist on the game tying goal. The puck continues to find him and he keeps creating plays, although Shaw is coming back I think Quenneville would be crazy to scratch Frolik while he's producing in so many areas of the ice. Is Frolik just a good playoff performer? Could be, but even while Dustin Byfuglien was criticized for his regular-season disappearing act, one has to think that Frolik suffers the same symptoms to a greater extent.
Another positive to this game was the performance of Johnny Oduya. Yes, he has received the brunt of negativity lately after coming down from the honeymoon phase right in time for the playoffs, but he finally had a respectable performance. The Blackhawks absolutely need him to be at the top of his game for the rest of this series if they want any chance of coming back, I think that's a given.
What more can be said about Corey Crawford? After two tough losses hinging on his shoulders with brutal winners squeaking through his legs, he certainly bounced back with a solid performance despite only facing 19 shots in the game. This time around, Corey was able to stop the Coyotes only chance in OT, unlike the previous game, and gave the Blackhawks a great chance to win the game by keeping it a close contest right down to the end. The same rule applies to Crawford that applies to Oduya, the Blackhawks absolutely need him to have his best performance for the rest of this series and possibly beyond.
All and all, the path to the Cup is getting extremely tight, any error from here on out will be magnified by the masses. There is no margin. The key that unlocks Smith resides in providing traffic in front of the net. Getting shots through is key and Nick Leddy proved he is the man for the job. Perhaps it's time for the kid to grow into a new role, manning the point and controlling the game.
BLACKHAWKS THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1. Jonathan Toews
2. Nick Leddy
3. Corey Crawford
Click here to view the article
Leddy in particular had a fantastic game by registering 5 shots on net, 3 hits, and a blocked shot to go along with his game tying goal and plus-2 rating. It was only a matter of time for him to find the net after taking multiple quality shots without much traffic in front of Smith, but as soon as Dave Bolland flew by to provide the quick screen, Leddy finally picked up his first goal of the post-season after Brandon Saad fed him the puck after winning an important battle along the boards.
Jonathan Toews backed his word by providing a wicked snipe in overtime that beat Smith cleanly. Most importantly, his presence at the face-off dot was uncanny; winning 78% of his draws. His work horse attitude has certainly gained momentum over the course of the first round, you have to believe he will only get better at this point if the Blackhawks can continue to stay alive.
Viktor Stalberg had an awkward game in every sense. He was under the zebra's microscope all game, taking 4 minor penalties but the Coyotes never found the back of the net. Although Quenneville is usually notorious for cutting ice-time after so many infractions, Stalberg actually fluttered around his average ice-time during the playoffs and contributed on the game winning goal as well.
Once again, Michael Frolik had a very good game although couldn't find a way to continue padding his goal-scoring résumé, he did add an assist on the game tying goal. The puck continues to find him and he keeps creating plays, although Shaw is coming back I think Quenneville would be crazy to scratch Frolik while he's producing in so many areas of the ice. Is Frolik just a good playoff performer? Could be, but even while Dustin Byfuglien was criticized for his regular-season disappearing act, one has to think that Frolik suffers the same symptoms to a greater extent.
Another positive to this game was the performance of Johnny Oduya. Yes, he has received the brunt of negativity lately after coming down from the honeymoon phase right in time for the playoffs, but he finally had a respectable performance. The Blackhawks absolutely need him to be at the top of his game for the rest of this series if they want any chance of coming back, I think that's a given.
What more can be said about Corey Crawford? After two tough losses hinging on his shoulders with brutal winners squeaking through his legs, he certainly bounced back with a solid performance despite only facing 19 shots in the game. This time around, Corey was able to stop the Coyotes only chance in OT, unlike the previous game, and gave the Blackhawks a great chance to win the game by keeping it a close contest right down to the end. The same rule applies to Crawford that applies to Oduya, the Blackhawks absolutely need him to have his best performance for the rest of this series and possibly beyond.
All and all, the path to the Cup is getting extremely tight, any error from here on out will be magnified by the masses. There is no margin. The key that unlocks Smith resides in providing traffic in front of the net. Getting shots through is key and Nick Leddy proved he is the man for the job. Perhaps it's time for the kid to grow into a new role, manning the point and controlling the game.
BLACKHAWKS THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1. Jonathan Toews
2. Nick Leddy
3. Corey Crawford
Click here to view the article
