5 Thoughts From The Blackhawks’ 10-1 Rout of Penguins

There was plenty to talk about this morning after the Chicago Blackhawks dismantled the Pittsburgh Penguins in the former’s regular-season opener

The Chicago Blackhawks felt they had to make a statement against the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight after being embarrassed by the Nashville Predators in last year’s playoffs.  Most would agree, that statement was made Thursday night.

There were quite a few things that could come out from that victory.  We will focus on a few of them.

Nick Schmaltz had himself a game (2G, 1A, plus-4 rating)

Schmaltz was tapped to become the 2nd line center for the Blackhawks this year.  He had a good pre-season, but tonight it counted for real.  He was strong, fast and confident with the puck.

Schmaltz was all over the ice and was where he needed to be to set up and score goals.  He was only 4 of 12 from the faceoff dot, which was the only worry that people had with him that still seems to be an issue.

The Blackhawks have enlisted ex-NHLer, Yanic Perreault, who spent a year with the Hawks, as a faceoff coach helping Schmaltz.  Perreault was one of the best face-off men in the league when he played, during his 16-year career.

With that said, Schmaltz’ overall game tonight proved that he has worked hard over the summer to become a better player.  And to think, he is still only 21 years old.   He left with an apparent lower body injury in the 3rd period, but coach, Joel Quenneville said that he should be okay for Saturday’s match-up against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Patrick Kane is still good

Kane had his backhand working overtime tonight.  Two back-handed passes, one a no-look, another on the tail end of a spin-o-rama.  Both resulting in goals.  Then he lifted a shot in the smallest of crevices to score aback-handed goal.  “Showtime” was in the house.

Questions were asked how he would be without having Artemi Panarin as a line-mate.  Well, he is doing just fine.  The five points tonight (1G 3A, +5) should give everyone a hint.  Kane will get his points like he did the previous 8 years without Panarin around.  He’s been in the league for 10 years and has been a superstar in every one of them.

The line combination of Ryan Hartman-Nick Schmaltz-Patrick Kane shelled out 12 points (4G 8A, +14) tonight.  We still love ya, Breadman, but hey, it’s just business.

Brandon Saad has been missed

Saad returned tonight by scoring a hat trick in from of the United Center crowd.  How did he do it?  By doing something that the Blackhawks have desperately needed since he left; crashing the net.

He was brought back to help Jonathan Toews get back his scoring touch, who had 1 assist tonight. But more importantly, Saad was brought back to get dirty goals.  Dirty goals are what win games.  Especially come playoff time.

The Blackhawks had no one to screen goalies last year except for Artem Anisimov.  They had no one who would crash the net to fight for a rebound to slam into the back of the net.  Saad is that man and he proved it numerous times tonight.

What was encouraging was that others were following suit with pressuring the net, (I.E. Ryan Hartman, John Hayden and Richard Panik).

Alex Debrincat takes crap from no one, but can give it

In his debut tonight, Alex Debrincat did not score a point, although he could have had two helpers

if assists were given out to more than two players.  What he did have though, was a physical game that had to make Blackhawks fans happy.  He collected 4 hits on the night and was a +2.

When Penguins goon, Ryan Reaves, was causing a

stir in front of the Blackhawks net, he was there chipping back at Reaves while looking up 6 inches to his face.

He also flattened Pittsburgh defenseman, Ian Cole, with a great check along the boards.  He did this by giving up 6 inches of height, but looking down at Cole while his back was on the ice.  Debrincat had 17:38 of ice time and had some good chances in the game.  His size was always in question.  Tonight he proved that it doesn’t matter.

Sixty minutes of hockey

Of all the things that went well for the Blackhawks tonight, the most encouraging thing has to be that they played a full 60 minutes of hockey.  Okay, maybe 56 minutes of hockey, since the lone Penguins goal came on a 5-on-3 power play due to a couple of quick penalties against the Blackhawks to start the 2nd period.

One thing that was not consistent at all last year was the level of play that the Blackhawks brought during a game.  Giving up early and late goals in periods were costly.  Playing well for 20 minutes, only to spin 180 degrees and mess the ice the next period.

After scoring five goals in the first period Thursday night, some wondered how the remaining 40 minutes would go.  After Pittsburgh scored 2:05 into the 2nd period, the Blackhawks bounced back 1:44 later to get that goal back and there was no turning back.

The Blackhawks played fast, and big Thursday night.  They are not going to win 10-1 every night, as much as the fans would like to see it.  But as this stretch of four games in six nights continues, we will start to see how this team develops.

Next: Schmaltz, Kero Reportedly OK After Win

Let them play with the chip on their shoulders that they had tonight.  If they do so, Blackhawks fans will see some entertaining hockey this year.