"Hey We're Streaking"

It only took 12 seconds for the Blackhawks to put the game out of the Blues reach last night in St. Louis and today the Blues are singing the Blues.  The Blackhawks faced a little adversity when starting tender, The Crow, left the game after stopping all six St Louis shots in the first period (see below).  The Razor replaced him  to begin the second period, but the song remained the same for the Blues as Razor put up a brick wall: zero goals.  St. Louis presented the most physical opponent the Hawks have faced to date, and openly wanted to take the action to the Blackhawks out of the gate.  But Captain Serious put home the first goal of the game and that proved to be all the Blackhawks needed.  As the game got a little more physical and chippy, Q put Carbomb on the top line and that “encouraged” the Blues to back off the stupid crap against Tazer and Big Hoss.  With that said, having Saad and CarBomb who can skate in the spot on the top line is indeed quite a luxury.  Once again, the Blackhawks penalty killers were outstanding as they blanked the NHL's top power play in four opportunities.  I mentioned yesterday, the Blues entered the game scoring 30.3 percent of the time with a man advantage but came up empty as they only had five shots on the PK against the Hawks.  Note the Blues were without three of their top forwards, but who gives a sh!t, the streak continues.

Tonight, for the second time in less than a week, the Blue Jackets have an opportunity to put a halt to the Blackhawks record-setting streak at the Madhouse.  Looking back at the two games already played between the two teams already in this shortened season, it's that tonight's game will not be an easy one for the Blackhawks. Both prior meetings with the Blue Jackets this season have been tightly-contested, physical games, with one-goal decisions that could have easily gone either way.  As I mentioned previously, a questionable disallowed goal on Jan. 26 at Nationwide Arena wiped out a tying goal for Columbus in the second period (eventually a 3-2 final) and just last weekend at the Madhouse, the Blackhawks escaped with a 1-0 win as the Blue Jackets put on a late push in the 3rd period.  The Blackhawks better be ready.  Out of tonight's contest are former Blackhawk James Wisniewski and for the Blackhawks The Crow and The Rat (that’s Dave Bolland for all of you young hockey players).

Regarding The Crow:
I have a feeling that Blackhawk fans and the Blackhawks themselves, might need to prepare for the Crow to be out for some time.  As I previously mentioned, it was rumored the Crow’s last injury was a concussion, suffered against the Ducks.  And it sure looked like that was again the problem last night as he could barely leave the ice after 20 minutes.  That leaves the goaltending of the league’s best team in the hands of theRazor and former Calgary backup Henrik Karlsson.



Below are the NHL Rankings of the two teams:
Blue Jackets 5-12-3 13pts:
Goals for: 2.15 (29)
Goals against: 3.00 (21)
PP%: 12.2 (29)
PK%: 83.8 (10)

Blackhawks 17-0-3 35pts:
Goals for: 3.10 (4)
Goals against : 1.70 (1)
PP%: 18.0 (12)
PK%: 89.3 (2)

Did you know:
1) Congratulations to the Razor, who was named the NHL's 3rd Star for February, going 7-0-0 with a 1.66 GAA
2) The Blackhawks now are two games behind the 28-game streak set by the 1977-78 Montreal Canadiens.  (The Blackhawks' reach is the most consecutive games with at least one point. Chicago stretched its streak to 26 games (the Blackhawks finished last season 3-0-3) by beating the Blues.)
3) Blues fans couldn’t wait to tell you how much it meant for them to end the Blackhawks point streak.  Now they’ll tell you how much it matters that they were missing key players.  Seriously, I don't give a damn as it doesn’t matter, they’re still missing two points.

Tonight's expected Hawks lineup
Offense:
Saad Tazer Hossa
Sharpie Krugs Kaner
Bicks Shaw Stalberg
Carbomb Meyer Frolik

Defense:
Seabs Keith
Hammer O-do-ya
Rozsival Leddy

Netminder:
Razor

GO HAWKS!