1. Smith would stand on his head and steal the game for AZ
2. Smith would be like saloon doors, swinging away, with pucks and tumbleweeds passing freely
So I was relieved that it was Smith that paid for being a dumbass, this time, and not me.
Hard out of the gate, The Hawks scored on the first shift on a beautiful transition by Seabrook, feeding Panik who head-manned 'er to Toews, who then put some sauce on a perfect pass to Nick Schmaltz, who expertly found a gap in the upper left corner.
The Coyotes would soon tie the match on a hard shot by Jacob Chychrun, assisted somewhat by Michal Rozsival screening his netminder, Corey Crawford. The Hawks struck back quickly on another high, hard and deadly accurate shot, this time by Ryan Hartman, who continues to produce on a consistent basis. Late in the period things got a bit sloppy; first it was Patrick Kane finding yet another gap upstairs on a shot that should never, ever go in, followed almost immediately by Ryan White bringing AZ back within one when he caught Rozsival flat-footed (what??!) and chipped one past a bewildered Crawford. Most irritating, though, was Radim Vrbata's tying goal a minute later, made possible by Duncan Keith standing around...
The Hawks had the measure of The Coyotes in the first, despite the score, but mistakes and poor support in front of Crow suggested otherwise.
The Coyotes pressed hard in the second period but, as is the wont of a non-contending team, got caught on a lazy line change that allowed Schmaltz to nail Rozsival with a right-in-the-wheelhouse pass that even old man Rozsie couldn't gack. Then, midway through the period, Kane struck again, brilliantly outfoxing Mike Smith by convincingly selling the pass before wiring a five-holer, barely even looking toward the net on the play.
Up two heading into the final frame, it was circle the wagons time for The Hawks. The Coyotes had their chances, some of them good, but Corey Crawford rose above the bad bounces earlier and turned in a great performance, overall. Kane completed his hat trick on a deflected shot and that was all she wrote.
Bits and bits and bits and bits
Nik Hjalmarsson, apparently, was touch-and-go to start this game, which is why Coach Q chose to dress a seventh defenceman. Good thing, too, as Hammer managed only a few shifts before withdrawing with what is reported to be an Upper Body Injury. Obviously, we all hope it's nothing too serious and, with two full days off before the next game, perhaps he'll be healed up & ready to go.
TVR once again made a habit of jettisoning the puck ASAP on far too many occasions, passing to guys who were in no position to take a pass, or three feet away....that sort of nonsense. This is nothing new, really, as he's often reduced to this kind of panicky play but, tonight, Anisimov and Campbell got in this action. There is almost always a better play than to attempt a pass to a teammate who is too close to react or in danger of being railroaded while tracking an unexpected puck and, if this crap keeps up, someone's going to get hurt.
Two of Kane's three goals came while skating apart from his usual linemates. I mention this because, apart from a few isolated shifts, Panarin & Anisimov were nothing special, and that's four games on the trot in which that's been the case.
I suppose that if The Hawks were not up two heading into the third period we may have seen more of an effort, offensively, late in the game. Being outshot and badly losing he possession game in the second half of the game to Arizona is not especially flattering, but I guess there's something to be said for measuring your effort, not doing too much more than you have to. Otherwise, this would be a bit of a lucky win, given how awful Mike Smith performed in net for AZ.
NOT to take anything away from Kaner's hat trick but a) one went off a Coyotes player's stick and b) Smith absolutely should have had that second goal. Also, I want to acknowledge what a great game Nick Schmaltz had. He's been far better in his second stint with The Hawks and terrific this week in particular. The biggest change, I believe, has been his willingness and confidence to hang onto the puck a little longer. In the first couple of months of the season he could not wait to get rid of the thing, making crap passes and low percentage shots just to get it off his stick and away from him. Now, he's taking his time, looking for an open linemate and simply maintaining control until a better situation arises. He's had the skill to do this from the start, it would seem, but he's only recently convinced himself that he can pull it off. It's no coincidence, I think, that Toews' resurgence coincides with Schmaltz finding his feet at his level, as his spot alongside Toews has been a rotating cast of imperfect solutions right up until the last three weeks or so. Tonight, Stormare squints approvingly at the birthday boy, Nick Schmaltz.
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