HAPPY NEW YEAR!

For some reason, Martin Brodeur didn't cut down the net after this one.  I guess it's because he and his mates were completely outplayed by Cristobal Huet and the Blackhawks.  Fans have been wondering why teams seem to always bring their A game for the Blackhawks, well, now you know why.  The Devils were tied for the most points in the NHL going into tonight, feature several good young scorers, a Hall of Fame goaltender and an outstanding defense.  But New Jersey came out a step slow, and the Blackhawks absolutely buried them. 

THE GOOD

Cristobal Huet:  Huet had a great game, making big saves on the occasions when the Hawks defense broke down.  The biggest coming when Zach Parise was sprung on a breakaway in the second period, with Huet flashing out the left pad to deny Parise the goal.  After that one, the UC crowd seemed to be solidly behind Huet, cheering him loudly at every save.  It was only by bad luck that he didn't get the shutout.

The 4th Line:  All the Hawks seemed to come out with an extra jump tonight, but Ben Eager, Tomas Kopecky and Colin Fraser were especially good.  The 4th liners were excellent, keeping the Devils pinned down in their own zone, and their hard work payed off when Eager was able to put back a rebound for the Hawks second goal.

John Madden:  I'm not sure if Madden was extra pumped to face his old team, but it sure seemed like it.  Madden was all over the ice, trying a spin-o-rama move on a partial breakaway, and closing out the Hawks' scoring by beating Brodeur with a wrist shot.  That was Madden's 8th goal of the season, which means he's already surpassed his total from last year.

Brouwer Play:  Troy Brouwer's been damn good on the power play lately.  He's set great screens on a couple of goals the last few games, and tonight he opened the scoring for Chicago by putting back a rebound on an early power play.  The Hawks have now scored power play goals in each of their last 5 games.

Jonathan Toews:  Is there anything he can't do?  That question is rhetorical, Toews is awesome and he can cook, clean, dance, score assist and win faceoffs.  He had two points, and assist on Brouwer's goal, and a goal of his own when he made a great individual effort to strip a Devils' defenseman, then breaking in on Brodeur and beating him 5-hole.

THE BAD

Duncan Keith and Justin St. Pierre:  Keith and referee St. Pierre combined to blow the shutout for Cristobal Huet.  With Jamie Langenbrunner bearing down on him, Keith decided to try and outmaneuver him instead of passing, but St. Pierre didn't try hard enough to get out of Keith's way.  Langenbrunner ended up with the puck on his stick right in front of Huet and gift of a goal to break up what would have been the Hawks 5th shut out of the month.  Ah well, you can't have everything.

THE UGLY

I hope Jacques Lemaire gets fired for losing this game.