Hawks Fall in OT 5-4 After Wild 2nd Period

The Chicago Blackhawks skated with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night for the only meeting of the season between the teams.  The action was end to end early on with chances at both ends of the ice.  The Hawks got the first power play of the game at 8:55 when Ryan Shannon went off for holding.  Chicago had a couple sniffs at the net but failed to score on the power play for the 20^th straight time.  Steve Stamkos was stopped on a glorious scoring chance by Ray Emery a short time later.  With just under four minutes to play Dave Bolland and Viktor Stalberg had a two on one break but Stalberg hit the right goal post.  The first period ended with more end to end action but no scoring.  Chicago outshot Tampa Bay 15-8 in the first period. 

The second period started off with a bang with Steve Stamkos putting in a rebound 15 seconds into the period as he was left all alone on the side of the net for a 1-0 Lightning lead.  The Hawks got a power play opportunity just 20 seconds later when Brett Connolly went off for tripping.  The power play finally converted in a key opportunity as Jonathan Toews fed Patrick Sharp who ripped it home for his 4^th goal of the season to tie the game 1-1.  But at 4:55 in a sloppy sequence in front of Emery’s net and with the net appearing to be off the peg Brett Connolly was able to tap in a loose puck to give the Lightning a 2-1 lead.  The goal was reviewed but Toronto agreed with the call on the ice.  At 6:17 it was Marian Hossa scoring his 7^th goal of the season as Patrick Kane found him all alone streaking up the left side to tie the game at 2-2.  Just 53 seconds later Dan Carcillo stole a puck at center, came in on a breakaway and backhanded one in to give the Hawks a 3-2 lead.  It was Carcillo’s first goal as a Blackhawk.  12 seconds later Patrick Sharp struck again for Chicago to give the Hawks a 4-2 lead.  Patrick Kane added another assist on the play for his third assist of the night.  At 11:45 Steve Stamkos undressed Nick Leddy and cut the Chicago lead to 4-3 with his second goal of the game.  With just over one minute to play in the second Viktor Stalberg went off for tripping to put the Lightning on the power play for the first time.  Stamkos added the hat trick on the power play to cap off the wild 8 goal period and tie the game 4-4. 

Things returned to sanity in the third period as both teams were kept off of the scoreboard.  Both teams had minimal chances as the checking got tight in the period in a tie game.  Chicago headed to their third straight overtime contest. 

In the overtime period it was Vincent Lecavalier ended it with just over a minute to play as he took a Martin St Louis pass and put it home for the game winner.  The Hawks fall to 8-2-3 on the year and 3-2-1 on the road but pick up their 19^th point of the season.