About Last Night: Blue Jackets 3, Hawks 2

Just a few notes of this depressing effort.

Some Things Went Wrong
- The Penalty Kill is shit.  Common sense tells me that this will smooth out soon enough, that this awful run is simply a blip caused by bad bounces, but I expect nothing until I see a) execution on clearing attempts instead of whiffing, flubbing or straight-up passing the puck to the opposition, and b) proper shot-blocks; too many guys are gacking this and then only serve as screens.  
- Kempny looks tired, five game into the season.
- Panarin took three or four shot attempts from basically the same location; one or two were blocked, one or two sailed wide.  Yes, I realize he's had great success launching pucks from the left circle, but so does everybody else.
- Like a poor student cramming for an exam at the last moment, The Hawks mounted their greatest pressure in the final minutes of each period.  Being aware of the seconds ticking down has to make one grip the stick a little tighter, so I wouldn't mind if they don't leave it late tonight.
- Toews played 24+ minutes and Kane played a whopping 28.  On the first night of a back-to-back.  This is what happens when you dress three forward lines.
- His apparent injury notwithstanding, it was terrific to see TVR shambling about and crashing the (Hawks') net.  The fact that Coach Q felt comfortable, nay - determined, dressing him as a 7th D at the expense of a semi-useful fourth forward line suggests that Q hasn't learned a damn thing where TVR is concerned.
- Bobrovsky was fine but I think the media gushing about him stealing a win is overstating matters.  The Hawks were simply not as precise as they need to be, missed many shot attempts and, you may not have heard this yet, the penalty kill is shit.

Rays of Hope
- That was easily Soupy's best game this season.
- To quote Q, TVR "Could be out 'a bit'".  That may sound harsh but I have better things to do than watch this clod try to learn hockey on the fly.
- The Maple Leafs are just now twigging to the fact that Freddy Andersen is not what they thought;  what looks pretty good behind Anaheim's decent defence is revealed to be somewhere between passable and dogshit behind Toronto's not-there-yet group.
- We get to watch the NHL's goal leaders in a head-to-head duel!

                                My name is Roman.  I am a player in the NHL.