The Champs are here! The Champs are here!: Blackhawks 4, Sabres 3

This game, nor this season, started like we wanted it to start. Before anyone finished mixing their after-work cocktail, the ‘Hawks fell behind 2-0 and seemed headed toward their third straight loss to open their title defense.

But this is what champions do — they fight back. Monday’s win won’t go down as the prettiest — unless you’re counting  Patrick Sharp being back in the lineup — but it’s a win nonetheless which gets the ‘Hawks on the board.

Also, good to hear  Jason Pominville only suffered a concussion. For a minute there it looked like he would be making a tee time on Cloud 9 with  Kim Johnsson.

Here’s what I’ve got…

♦  Marian Hossa is the motherfucking master. His two goals tonight made  Ryan Miller look like Cristobal Huet‘s little sister, and he’s got five points in the first three games. Hossa also set up a chance for  Jonathan Toews while lying on his testicles by somehow sliding the puck over with his stick to a cutting Toews. Watching this guy play is a thing of beauty, and everyone better start appreciating how lucky we are to be able to witness this until he retires before his 300-year contract is up for the next 11 seasons.

♦  Despite the two quick goals,  Corey Crawford played very well tonight and made some good saves — especially on scrambles in front of the net. Sharp stood and watched  Drew Stafford skate right past him up the middle of the ice and put a dart on net 14 seconds into the game. Then every ‘Hawk on the ice supervised while  Derek Roy positioned himself in front of the net to put a rebound past Crawford just a couple minutes later. It could’ve shaken the kid up, but he hung tough and finished strong.

♦  Niklas Hjalmarsson didn’t intend to nearly kill Pominville, but he’s going to get suspended — it’s just a matter of how many games. It was simply a timing play Hammer mistimed. But with the NHL dying to make an example of someone other than people who make blowjob gestures on the ice — Very classy, Wiz — Hammer will have some extra time to film his Ikea commercials.

♦  Another half hour-plus (31:42) of ice time for  Duncan Keith, with  Brent Seabrook adding close to that (28:30). Not trying to make excuses from their sometimes spotty play, but I’m wondering if these two are feeling the effects of so much time on the ice. Granted, Seabrook looked absolutely lost a few times tonight, most notably on the Sabres’ third goal which slipped right past him. But with  Brian Campbell out, Hammer getting booted,  John Scott being a complete boner and the inexperience of  Nick Leddy, the ‘Hawks are relying heavily on Keith and Seabs and it’s tough to expect them to make every single play.

♦  Speaking of Leddy, congrats on your first goal, kid. Even if it was uglier than a  Brent Sopel look-a-like contest.

♦  Patrick Kane netted a power-play goal to pull the ‘Hawks within 2-1, scoring a goal in Buffalo for the first time since 2007.

♦  The fourth line of  Jack Skille, Jake Dowell and  Viktor Stalberg had some great shifts tonight, which is becoming a trend. Now, if they can just put one in the net …

♦  Dave Bolland needs to get his head out of his ass. He was 3-for-9 on the faceoff dot and looked like a complete moron most of the night. I’m not sure what’s wrong with him, but through three games he’s done nothing but aggravate me.

♦  Toews’ numbers: 21:09 on-ice, +3, 14-for-25 in faceoffs and one good deed, bringing Leddy the puck for his first NHL goal.

That’s it for now. The latest edition of “Boxing” will be up around noon tomorrow. You’ll read it.

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