Kane Scores, Breaks Shutout Drought

photo from chicagotribune.com

I didn't write a recap for the Minnesota game on Tuesday. In all honesty, I didn't feel they deserved the attention, after the worst team effort of the season. Last night, they played like they deserved it. Led by Patrick Kane, the Blackhawks finally earnt a win against Winnipeg; it just took them until overtime to do it.

Kane scored the last goal that the Blackhawks scored, against Anaheim, in the third period. It seemed appropriate that he also scored the shutout drought breaking goal too, a breakaway in the second period, ending the drought at about 145 minutes of gameplay. He also assisted on the OT winner from Brandon Saad, giving him fifty eight points on the season and tying him for first place in the league. His longest streak without at least a point this season is two games, and of the 151 goals the Blackhawks have scored this season, Kane has a point on over a third of them. People are making noises about the Hart trophy, and while it's hard to make that argument when Kane is surrounded by players like Duncan Keith and Jonathan Toews, it's not completely unfounded. Kane is carrying the Blackhawks through this period where they can't seem to score many goals, or string together more than two wins in a row.

Brandon Saad ended a six game goalless streak last night. With his game winner, he became the last skater on the top line to score against the Jets this season, and he's second on the Blackhawks in game winning goals with four, only one behind Kane's five. He's currently fourth on the Blackhawks in scoring, with thirty three points on the season. He's on pace for fifty one, which would surpass his previous career high of forty seven, set last season, and is set to score twenty goals for the first time in his career.

The defence for Chicago was better last night than they've been in a few games, allowing only twenty one shots in sixty three minutes of play. However, after a turnover from David Rundblad led to a goal, he was benched for essentially the rest of the game, and they played with five defencemen from that point on. Johnny Oduya and Michal Rozsival had strong games for the first time in several games, on the ice for both goals and Rozsival picking up an assist on the game winner.

Corey Crawford was strong in this game too. He's been strong the whole roadtrip, really, but a couple of bad bounces and more than a couple of bad periods from the guys in front of him have caused the team to struggle. None of the losses this trip are on him, and if he hadn't made a couple of key saves (most notably on Dustin Byfuglien, the Jets' best player), the Blackhawks would have had bigger than a one goal deficit to overcome.

My Three Stars of the Game

3. Brandon Saad. Saad's been one of the few players that's been stepping up for the Blackhawks during their offensive struggle. Though he was held without even a shot on goal in the game against the Wild, he led the team in shots on goal against Anaheim with seven, and had four in the loss to San Jose. After going without a point in four games, he broke the streak in spectacular fashion with his OT game winner from Kane.

2. Dustin Byfuglien. Byfuglien has been a game changer for the Jets this whole season, and he was solid again last night. It's only his second game back at forward after spending the bulk of the last month or so on the blue line because of all the injuries Winnipeg had to their top four defencemen, and it looks like he can be the best player on the ice no matter where he's playing.

1. Patrick Kane. Once again, Kane is at the top of everyone's list for best player on the Blackhawks. After going two games without a point, he broke the streak and then assisted on the gamewinner to join Jakub Voracek at the top of the league in points.

Next game: February 8th, vs. Blues