Goin' Back to Cali: Hawks 5, Ducks 2 and Wednesday's Big Boy

That'll do, right?  There's so much to like about tonight's game. The result, obviously, but it was also a relief to see the guys that need to be great really carrying the mail tonight.  Not every great performance showed up on the scoresheet but I like to think that those guys' efforts have been recognized.

- The Vulgar Display of Power - tonight marks the first game since May 3rd, Game Two vs. Minnesota, in which The Hawks won, or lost, by more than a single goal.  Well, now's the time...

- Wasn't crazy about The Hawks circling the wagons in the third but they're always gonna do that, aren't they?  

- Rundblad in for Timonen; whatever, but it just makes me wonder, once again, what Q's thinking when he inserts a replacement player and doesn't bother using them.

- Frederik Anderson was not good.  There's absolutely no guarantee that'll happen for a third game in a row.

- Getzlaf & Perry both being -3 on the night was just a bonus and, again, probably not gonna happen on Friday unless Bruce Boudreau is vain and stupid enough to try to match his top line with Toews' trio.

- Winning faceoffs = getting first crack at controlling the play.  The Hawks were a gaudy 66% tonight.  Hell, even Richards & Shaw were north of 50%.

Duncan Keith was the whole package tonight and, no matter how much press his elevated icetime gets, he not only just keeps ticking along, I think he's getting better.  A couple of sweet passes, saving a goal in the third and, the most of all, lulling The Ducks into a hypnotic state in the lead-up to Saad's goal.

                                                      No sleep 'til Anaheim.