Blackhawks don't show up

I was worried about the RedWing / Blackhawk game on Sunday. The Wings top Defender (Lidstrom) , the top or second best Forward (Datsyuk {Zetterburg might be better}), and a gutty power play wing (Draper) were out; whereas, the BH's were only missing their goalkeeper (and the sub goalie beat the Wings the last regular seson game he played & shut Wings out after he came into game 3). I thought maybe my son had bloodied Draper (see comment on Hate Crimes).

Plus the BH's had out played or were even with the RW for much of the second game (which they lost) and most of the third game (which they won). The BH's were at home where they play very well.

But the BH did not seem to have the fire necessary to beat the experienced RW. A mistake early by BH led to a 2 on 1 short handed break-away & the Wings scored. I thought at least we (we fans like to think that we are part of the team) won't get shut out. Then they scored two more goals (one due to a strange {phantom} penalty on a BH) & I was feeling rather good. But then a power play goal by the BH young center Toews. Worry started, BH have come back from 3-0 goal deficits before in this playoff season. But 12 seconds later the Wings scored & it was over.

From that point on the BH's just lost it; committing more & more cheap shots. I was surprised since they are in general not a goon team but more skillful. Verstaag after coming out of the penalty box committed another penalty 6 seconds later. When Verstaag tried to get Kronwall to fight late in the game Kronwall just laughed at him.

I hope the Wings don't get over confident since the BH have a good young team and have a good coach. The game was hopefully an learning experience for the BH's.

”A fast body-contact game played by men with clubs in their hands and knives laced to their feet.” - Paul Gallico

”A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.” –Wayne Gretzky

”Goaltending is a normal job, sure. How would you like it in your job if every time you made a small mistake, a red light went on over your desk and 15,000 people stood up and yelled at you.” - Jacques Plante

”Ice hockey is a form of disorderly conduct in which the score is kept.” - Doug Larson

ice hockey (n) a fast contact sport played on an ice rink between two teams of six skaters, who attempt to drive a small rubber disk (the puck) into the opposing goal with hooked or angled sticks. It developed in Canada in the 19th century.