French Cries without Catch-up: Commies 5, ‘Hawks 4

Well, Cris, I’ve defended you up and down. Today, you’re on your own.

There are a lot of people to blame for the Blackhawks’ second-period meltdown, but the brunt goes to Huet. I’m not sure if I’m more upset about the 5-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, or if I’m simply flaming pissed the meatballs got what they wanted. While I think it’s flat out stupid and ignorant that there are “fans” who are actually cheering AGAINST players on the team they “root” for, I didn’t have much to say to them today. Four goals on 17 shots won’t get anyone on your side.

Before most people could finish lunch, the Blackhawks led 2-0 and for awhile it seemed we could take it easy like Sunday morning. Goals from Duncan Keith and Andrew Ladd had the UC rocking, and “DE-TROIT SUCKS!” rained throughout the place.

When Patrick Kane appeared to score to make it a cool 3-0, the jackass zebra made the first of what would turn out to be a horrendous number of questionable calls on a day the officiating was beyond awful for both sides. It was determined Dustin Byfuglien interfered with Jimmy Howard and the goal was disallowed. Replays showed Buff didn’t even come close to breathing on him. Pathetic.

Cue momentum shift.

Then the second period started, and the whole team collectively farted out a performance that turned my hangover into a pounding migraine.

Brian Rafalski scored through a bit of a screen on the power play, then Niklas Lindstrom got one through just 28 seconds later on a 4-on-4 to tie the game. Jason Williams scored less than four minutes later when Huet missed the pass sliding right in front of him, leaving the net wide open for Williams. Before I could extend my middle finger, Valtteri Filppula scored on a defensive lapse by Brian Campbell and Niklas Hjalmarsson to make it 4-2.

Q-Stache gave Huet the hook to draining boos from the season-high crowd, which proceeded to cheer the presence of Antti Niemi in net. But even the Meatball Savior couldn’t stop Pavel Datsuyk‘s breakaway chance with 2.7 seconds left in the period. Kaner, who despite an assist and fake goal probably played his worst game of the season, got picked clean by Datsuyk at the blue line leading to the chance at the end of the period. I almost vomited.

This whole let’s-take-the-second-period-off thing is really starting to chap my ass. This can’t continue into mid-April, because summer is going to start before we can even pull the flip-flops out of the closet if it does. Playing 40 minutes is all well and good if the Blackhawks are playing college basketball. Fix this. Now. It doesn’t just happen in loses, either.

Living up to standard, the ‘Hawks came out in the third period after Q-Stache singed their ass hairs in the locker room. Ladd scored on a giveaway unassisted just a couple minutes into the frame to cut the Communists’ lead to 5-3. Over the course of the next 10 minutes, the ‘Hawks kept up the pressure and came close to potting another goal before Ladd turned his trick and scored again.

Marian Hossa had a great chance to tie the game late but waited on the shot and tried to slip it past Howard into the lower left corner. Howard got the skate out and denied him. The sequence continued and a loose puck sat in the crease before being knocked away.

The ‘Hawks then tried roughly 37 times to pull Niemi for the extra attacker but F-ed it up with multiple offside and icing calls. Game over.

Despite Huet playing like dog shit, this loss doesn’t fall squarely on him. The defense looked extremely poor in that second period, and the effort on the ice from every Blackhawk was a D- at best. I’m not defending him, but it takes a lot of shit to go wrong in front of a goaltender for him to allow four goals in 10 minutes. Scoring chances don’t just appear out of nowhere.

The ‘Hawks have Monday and Tuesday to figure it out before the Los Angeles Kings come to town. The Kings scare the ever loving shit out of me, by the way. I don’t like how we match up against them, and I’m dreading the possibility of facing them in the

playoffs.

‘Til then…

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