The Blackhawks Offense Explodes For 7 Goals In A Saturday Night Laugher In Edmonton

Nov 22, 2014; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) gives a high five to defenceman Duncan Keith (2) after Keith scored in the second period against the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Chris LaFrance-USA TODAY Sports

The Blackhawks took on the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday in the 2nd of six games of their West Coast circus trip. They got out early and didn’t look back so here’s the recap of tonight’s blowout win in Edmonton.

First Period

The Blackhawks got off to another quick start in Edmonton late Saturday night just like they did against the Flames two nights earlier. Marian Hossa made a great play on the board which got the puck to Brandon Saad and he fed it to Jonathan Toews who had all day to get in on Ben Scrivens and he neatly slid it through the five-hole for a quick 1-o lead. Scrivens wasn’t suppose to start but got the call late when Viktor Fasth couldn’t go.

Later in the period Ben Smith did some great work beneath the goal line (like he always does) and the puck fell on Marcus Kruger‘s stick and he made no mistake burying it to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead. Unlike Thursday night in Calgary, the Hawks didn’t march to the penalty box giving the Oilers a chance to get back into the game right away, instead the Hawks kept out working the Oilers in every area in the period.

The Hawks Brent Seabrook scored late in the period after another great play by Hossa and the Hawks went to the intermission up 3-0. Corey Crawford had little work making one big save on 5 shots on net, Crawford of course wasn’t scheduled to start but Antti Raanta called out sick before the game. The Hawks out shot the Oilers 8-5 in the first period but won every battle in every corner in the first 20 minutes.

2nd Period

The Oilers continued their undiscplined play in the 2nd period with a seemingless unlimited amount of trips to the penalty box which included an early 5 on 3 powerplay for the Blackhawks which included a Kris Versteeg and Marian Hossa powerplay goals to give the Blackhawks a 5-0 lead. Scrivens wasn’t scheduled to start and it didn’t look like he wanted to play at all and eventually he was pulled from the game.

Duncan Keith picked up his 5th goal of the season when he walked into a shot and Brandon Saad provided a perfect screen in front of Fasth. The only downer of the period was when Joakim Nordstrom didn’t put in his mini-breakaway on the penalty kill.

Early in the season the Hawks were putting up 40-50 shots a game and not seeing any results well tonight the Hawks scored on 6 of their first 15 shots and all the possession numbers look prophetic of a breakout offensive game for the Hawks. You know it was a blowout when Daniel Carcillo is making smart plays and Kruger is sticking up for his teammate getting hit. Either way it was 6-0 and a laugher after 2 periods.