Hawks Roar Back With 4 Goal 3rd, Beat Ducks 6-5

The Chicago Blackhawks took on the Anaheim Ducks on Black Friday at the Pond.  The Hawks coming off three straight road losses looked to right the ship early and shake off any post turkey day hangovers.  Just 1:14 in a defensive zone breakdown off a huge hit on Niklas Hjalmarsson led to a Bobby Ryan goal and a 1-0 Ducks lead.  Just 59 seconds after and more bad defense by the Hawks and the Ducks had a 2-0 lead after Andrew Cogliano was allowed to get his own rebound and beat Corey Crawford.  Jonathan Toews went off for holding shortly after and the Hawks were faced with a must kill penalty killing opportunity early on.  The Chicago penalty killers were up to the task and kept it a 2 goal Ducks advantage.  Off the penalty kill it was Patrick Sharp cutting the Duck’s lead after hitting the post once and then having the puck come back to him and he buried the second effort off the left post and in at 6:09 of the first.  A good shift by the HKS line of Hossa, Kane, and Stalberg nearly tied the game but it was Jonas Hiller shutting the door on a Marian Hossa one timer to keep the game at 2-1.  But it was the Hawks going to the power play on a boarding call by Luca Sbisa on Marcus Kruger and a golden opportunity for the Hawks to tie the game.  The Ducks killed the penalty and the Hawks were 0-1 on the man advantage following up an 0-4 performance against the Sharks on Wednesday night.  The Hawks drew another call on the next shift for a chance at redemption on the power play.  With Toni Lydman off for hooking the Hawks looked for the equalizer but the Ducks shut the door despite a great chance by Patrick Kane off a Montador feed in the slot that Hiller said no on.  The Ducks got another late first period power play chance of their own with Marcus Kruger off for hooking at 13:37.  Hawks killer Teemu Selanne made the Hawks pay on a monster slap shot off the left post and behind Corey Crawford on a shot Crawford didn’t appear to see at 14:36.  It was yet another power play goal allowed by the Hawks slumping penalty killing unit.  Francois Beauchemin for the Ducks went off for tripping at 15:59.  Dave Bolland finally made the Ducks pay on the power play for his 7^th goal of the season and cut the lead to 3-2 Ducks late in the first period.  The Ducks outshot the Hawks 12-9 in the first period of play.  In a period that featured little defense the Hawks had 12 scoring chances to the Ducks 11. 

Early in the second period Teemu Selanne took a hooking call after he got Patrick Kane on the hands at 1:41.  The Hawks did nothing with the power play and the game remained 3-2.  The Ducks regained a two goal advantage on another defensive zone breakdown and Bobby Ryan’s 2^nd of the game.  The Hawks would go back to the power play shortly after in an important chance to get back in the game.  The Hawks failed to convert and the game remained 4-2 Ducks.  The Ducks went back to the power play with Dan Carcillo off for interference at 13:41.  The Hawks killed the penalty to stay in the game.  The Hawks outshot the Ducks 17-5 in the middle period but were outscored 1-0.

The Hawks came out alive in the 3^rd period and got a goal in the first minute and a half on a Duncan Keith shot that deflected of Jonathan Toews and in.  On the next shift Patrick Sharp said hello and tied the game 4-4 and the hockey game was on.  Patrick Sharp blew another by Hiller two minutes later for a 5-4 Hawks advantage and a hat trick for Sharp.  The Hawks continued to dominate the third period in a game they could have quit in after forty minutes of play.  Chicago went back to the power play when Corey Perry went off for interference.  Saku Koivu took a dumb interference penalty as the first penalty was expiring to keep the Hawks on the man advantage for another 1:58.  Jonathan Toews made the Ducks pay as he banged in a rebound without a helmet and gave the Hawks a two goal lead half way through the third period of play on the power play.  The Hawks survived a flurry by the Ducks late in the third.  Corey Perry added a goal with 7.2 seconds remaining with the goalie pulled.  The Hawks won 6-5 after four third period goals.