The Hawks were perilously close to giving one away to a team with maybe, what, five good players. Outshot them mightily, only experienced one small dip on the Corsi graph, yet were nearly undone by the same-old-same-old.
Still, it's one game, with three guys playing in their first real NHL match, things could and should improve. It would be nice to not have to rely on Kane to bail them out each and every game this season.
Okay, to the Bits.
Only one Line had consistent net-front presence: Anisimov with Kampf and Kunitz and, while they weren't able to cash in, they had a number of good looks. That was a pleasant surprise.
Toews & DeBrincat clicked just as they had in preseason. Kahun wasn't bad by any means but wasn't as involved as his linemates. Again, his first NHL game, it'll come to him, I think.
Zero urgency with that second line until late in the game. Haven't we heard that song before, the one where The Hawks wait until the last possible moment to put forth a meaningful effort. Sometimes, man, they're like a kid that studies for his exam on the bus, going to school.
Lots of Problems with the D: we saw glimpses of ineptitude with Manning in preseason and tonight he confirmed all suspicions. Too much running around, chasing opposing forwards that he ain't gonna trouble. Jokiharju may have caught some hell for turning the puck over for the first OTT goal, but he'd never had been in that position if Keith hadn't made that pass to nowhere IN THE HIGH SLOT. Gotta be better, Duncs.
Gustafsson had a solid game and Seabrook wasn't bad, so that's something positive.
Cam Ward wasn't great, wasn't terrible, which I think is okay, for now. He didn't get a lot of help in the first period.
So it's off to the worst city in America on Saturday where, for reasons unknown, they get really stirred up when The Hawks come a-calling. Let's just try not to get hurt.
Myxomatosis
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