Blackhawks Extinguish The Flames 3-2 In Another Shootout

Jan 30, 2013; St. Paul, MN, USA; Chicago Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews (19) celebrates his goal with forward Marian Hossa (81) and defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson (4) during the first period against the Minnesota Wild at the Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Like a Mel Gibson or Tom Cruise movie you know that no matter what bad things happen to the good guys even if it’s at the very last second the good guys are going to pull it out in the end.  The 2013 shortened season for the Chicago Blackhawks is starting to get that feel that the Hawks will always find a way to secure victories and points.

Last night in Calgary, the Flames did something that is highly unusual in the Coach Quenneville era and that is outshoot the Hawks by an incredible 47-19 tally  including a 27-6 margin in the third period.  It is rare night in the past three seasons since the Stanley Cup that the post game comments are the players of the opposition shaking their heads about the performance of the Blackhawks goalie but that was the case by the Flames last night.  Ray Emery carried the Hawks for the first 59 minutes of action. Emery who we last saw looking extremely out of work and uncomfortable in his only start of the season, looked sharp tonight keeping the game scoreless through two periods before surrendering two goals in the third period but shutting out the Flames in overtime and the shoot out.

Back to our heroes after giving up a power play goal in the final 35 seconds of regulation you would think that it’s all over for the Hawks, but this is a different type of year and after pulling Emery from net on a full out assault of the Flames net, Marian Hossa knocked in a rebound to miraculously tie the game at 2-2 with 2.1 seconds left on the clock.  These are the kind of goals that make seasons special and continues the good momentum on a 6 game road trip with three games remaining.

The third consecutive shootout for the Blackhawks would not yield any controversy like it did the night before in Vancouver with Emery stopping all three shots, and Patrick Kane putting in a backhander for the only goal of the shootout.  Kane continues his leading man role with the shootout goal and the other regulation goal in third when he put back a Patrick Sharp rebound for his fourth goal of the season.

The crazy ending win moves the Hawks to 7-0-2 as the road trip moves to the only team in the Western Conference with a better record in the San Jose Sharks and their 7-0-1 record. What a great and unexpected 2 points after giving the lead to the Flames with 35 seconds left on the clock.

Notes

– Brandon Bollig forced the Flames into a fight which was their first of the season as the Flames where the only team in the NHL without a fighting major this season

– Dave Bolland is day to day with lower body injury

– Jerome Iginla is still without a goal this season

– Detroit lost to the Blue Jackets 4-2 Saturday night.