Now that was playoff hockey.  The Canucks tilted the ice towards Antti Niemi to open the game, but the Hawks netminder was up to the challenge.  Eventually the Blackhawks settled down, and started playing some ugly hockey - in a good way.  All the talk of running bodies at Roberto Luongo was put into practice, and the Hawks scored 5 goals, not a one of them pretty.  The book on the Vancouver defensemen is that they aren't a match for the speed of the Hawk forwards, but it wasn't speed that killed them tonight, it was muscle.  The Blackhawks did whatever they wanted in front of Roberto Luongo, and the Canucks paid the price.

Special mention must be made of Dustin Byfuglien, who was brilliant tonight.  I'm crediting with a hat trick tonight, although the final Hawks was credited to Patrick Kane at the time of this recap, it clearly went off Buff's stick, and I threw my hat into the sewer in celebration, so it counts.



THE GOOD

Antti Niemi - Remember how we spent the last two months of the season bitching that the Hawks were completely outchancing teams only to lose when an opposing goalie had the game of his life?  Payback.

Dustin Byfuglien - Dustin Byfuglien wore his big boy pants tonight.  He tallied a hat trick, including 2 goals on the power play, and was extremely strong all night.  His best sequence came near the end of the first period when he won a race to beat icing, outfought two Canucks against the boards, and was robbed of another goal on a great save by Luongo.

Special Teams - Hawks were 2 for 5 on the power play and killed off all 4 Canuck penalties.  And that was all she wrote. 

Marian Hossa - Hossa's been a beast in this series, but people have been bitching because he's not been on the scoresheet.  Well, he played another excellent game and this time grabbed a goal for his effort.

THE BAD

Last minute Goals - The Hawks got caught sleeping in the last minute of the second period, as they lost Patrick Sharp on a change and gave up a goal on a 4-2 rush by the Canucks.  60 minutes boys, gotta play for 60 minutes.

Bench Penalties - ANOTHER too many men on the ice penalty.  For fuck's sake, it's May, not November.  That shit is unforgivable at this point in the season.

THE UGLY

The First Period - The Canucks came out firing on all cylinders in the first, completely outchancing the Hawks and pinning them in their own zone.  Only by the right pad of Antti Niemi did they not score several goals

The Goals - The Hawks scored some ugly playoff goals tonight.  They got to the front of the net and created chaos in front of the net, and it paid off.  All of the goals resulted from the Hawks putting back rebounds.