Chicago Blackhawks: Joel Quenneville’s Game #3 Folly

If there are comments at the bottom of this post it will read, Joel Quenneville has won 2 Cups and you haven’t so what do you know about hockey or something to that effect!

There are a lot of things that Joel Quenneville brings to the table with those two Stanley Cups which is toughness and a team that will never quit which we will see when this series goes to Game #6 and possibly Game #7.  The Chicago Blackhawks have fought back from being down 3-0 and 3-1 twice to force Game #7’s in their recent history which just show the will to win they he’ instilled in his team since arriving as their coach in the early moments of 2008-2009 season.

That being said his roster management has a lot to be desired especially the past two season where he’s been turning a young and exciting roster into a grizzled veteran team with players that have to earn his trust to see ice time no matter how much they are playing better and faster than the older player.

So the frustration with Quenneville the past two seasons has led to #FreePirri, #FreeMorin, and countless calls for Michal Rozsival to be benched for any of the Rockford defenseman, and even times when he benched Teuvo for Versteeg.

This leads us to what is really frustrating about last night’s game.  The Chicago Blackhawks were coming off a huge 3OT game victory and one thing that Joel Quenneville never does after a win is change his lineup yet there was rumblings in the morning about Quenneville trying to get Kris Versteeg back in the lineup and not only was Versteeg in but so for no apparent reason was Joakim Nordstrom.

WHAT??????????

Yes, Quenneville changed his lineup and took out his faceoff leader Antoine Vermette and Teuvo Teravainen who was playing some good hockey especially in overtime in Anaheim.

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So, the Chicago Blackhawks took out two weapons and replaced them with the ultimate vanilla player Nordstrom and Versteeg who’s only move is a turnover or dump in.

Nordstrom played 7 minutes with one chance early in the game that he couldn’t reach and to be honest after his first shift never noticed him.  Versteeg had some chances but like always couldn’t get the puck on net in some big chance opportunities.

I’m not saying that the series is over, because this team has shown they are never down and out, but Joel Quenneville should be blamed for this defeat for making lineup changes that he had no business making.  He made the right move putting Kyle Cumiskey in over David Runblad in Game #2, but he out thought himself before the start of Game #3 with his moves which pinballed Andrew Shaw back to a center spot which he has no business being in.

The players play, the coaches coach, but the Chicago Blackhawks coach didn’t put his players in the best spot to win with his lineup before Game #3 and hopefully in the end it won’t cost the Hawks a shot at the Stanley Cup!

What do you think? Am I going overboard or do I have a HUGE Point?

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