Big Line Shuffles: To summarize, Toews found himself between Schmaltz and Kane, Kampf centered DeBrincat and Kahun and Anisimov anchored a "what do we do with these guys" trio with Hayden and Fortin. On the back end, Keith and Seabrook were reunited while Gustafsson and Jokiharju were a new duo.
So how did that go? Mostly ok. The first line had a lot of zone time and some dominant shifts, so it was a little surprising to me that the only offence they generated was a tip-in goal, but it's one game, early days yet. Each of the other three lines had their moments and, unexpectedly, the fourth line of Johnson, Martinsen and Kunitz were the most dynamic of the other three trios, undone only by a general lack of finish. I'll circle back to the D in a bit.
I suspect that Schmaltz was not the first choice to join Toews & Kane but, with Saad ailing, he got the call. He was good, impressing with his puck pursuit and willingness to hang around in front of The 'Canes net. Maybe not a statement game, as such, but he's sure given the coaches to think about once Saad returns.
Andreas Martinsen impressed me by not trying to be something he is not. He charged around, laid some big hits, took a lot of shots and kept his feet moving all the time. That's about all we can realistically hope for from him and, in that sense, he delivered the goods. Of note, his line sported the best possession stats of any line tonight on both teams, with Martinsen ticking along at a gaudy 68% Corsi. Kind of on this tack, The Hawks were a lot more physical than usual, allegedly making 27 hits. Now, I'm with ya when you say "HITTING ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS IT USED TO BE" but, given that there have been many a night in recent years in which The Hawks have had zero physical presence, I don't mind this directive. Just keep it clean, boys.
As BAD as Keith was on Saturday, and it was very bad, he was that good tonight, one spectacular whiff notwithstanding.
Gustafsson with Jokiharju: I expected disaster but it was okay, mainly because Jokiharju is so responsible in his positioning. I wondered if he'd be left to chase down Raleigh forwards when Gus went walkabout, as he does, but he managed to cover really well. Some mistakes were made but let's remember that the kid is still 19 years old with fewer than 20 NHL games under his belt. He's remarkably poised, I think, and quite confident in his ability to skate or pass his way out of danger. It doesn't always work out but, given his relative experience, he's doing well.
Overtime, Deployment and Hunches: Well, inserting Kampf in the second unit there didn't pay off, but I can see why Colliton went that way. Kampf had a strong game, overall, and is far quicker than Anisimov, the only other realistic choice to "center" a unit in OT. Maybe too much, too soon for Baby Huey, as he gambled and lost (as did Colliton, I guess) but what ya gonna do...? I'm not pleased with the result but I like that they're trying new things, especially being as the same-old hasn't been getting results these days.
Cam Ward was good in his "homecoming" game, but a little soft on the game winner, I thought, perhaps because of Seabrook being more of a distraction than anything.
DeBrincat had his best game in about two weeks, and it wasn't only about the goal. He hasn't looked fully invested lately but, apart from a pair of weak plays, was far more engaged than he's been of late. I liked how he worked with his linemates and what about that pass from Kahun? He seems to have a supernatural sense of what's going on behind him, sometimes.
Next: The Blues on Wednesday. Stick with the plan, I say, with Saad drawing in for Hayden or Fortin, should he be ready to go. We're due, but we have to get a full 60-minutes of concentration, something we've not had since the Edmonton game over a week ago.
Thomas Dolby - Close But No Cigar
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