Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Black Hawks Limp out of Florida
Richard Panik played
for the Belleville Bulls for two years-splitting his first season
with the Windsor Spitfires, and the second with the Guelph Storm. He
was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning, and sent a few years in their
chain before playing in 2014-2015 for the Leafs. The Slovakian native
moved to the Chicago Black Hawks the following year. He is enjoying
great success this year, netting his 21st goal on Monday
night. Playing on a line with Jonathan Toews has its rewards.
The Florida Panthers
hosted the Hawks last Saturday night. The Hawks now have more than
100 points, one of four teams in that category. They have clinched a
playoff spot, but would like to put a few points on the board for
home ice advantage in the playoffs. On the way upstairs to watch the
game, I overheard one scout say to another, “The Hawks can call up
guys, or just slot in rookies, and they just seem to fit right in”.
He may have been referring to John Hayden, who had just finished his
season as a senior at Yale. In five games with the Hawks, Hayden has
three points.
The game against the
Panthers was the first of their two game Florida swing. The Hawks
played the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night. The y were on a roll,
having won six of their seven previous games. Corey Crawford got the
starting assignment in goal for the Hawks, James Reimer for the
Panthers. The first period ended scoreless, and most analysts
expected the Hawks to break the game open in the second period.
For the Hawks, that is
when the roof caved in. Crawford was yanked after allowing four
goals, four minutes into the third period. His replacement, Scott
Darling, was no better, giving up three goals before the horn
sounded, mercifully, to end the game. The Hawks did not get a puck
past Reimer, who recorded his first shutout of the season. It was the
largest margin of victory for the Panthers since an 8-0 drubbing of
the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2008.
Several caps were
tossed on the ice as a tribute to Jonathan Marchessault, the young
Panther who scored his hat trick in the third period. He has been the
brightest star for the Cats this season, having signed a free agent
contract in the summer. He is one of those smaller forwards who can
really shoot the puck, and knows how to find open spaces. His three
goals increased his total to 28 thus far this season.
Richard Panik's night
ended quietly, as he tussled with the Panthers' Derek MacKenzie. The
scrap was deemed to be a fight, the second one after the play had
stopped. They were tossed from the game half way through the third
period.
After a couple of days
in the sun, the Hawks took the ice against the Lightning, who are
desperate to make the playoffs. The Hawks lost that game as well,
falling 5-4 in overtime, after coughing up a 4-1 lead. Ouch!
Bob Pulford
Scotty Bowman's son
Stan is the General Manager of the Hawks. Scotty was there to keep an
eye on the team, as was Bob Pulford. Pulford is now 80 years old, and
is certainly a veteran of the hockey wars. He played more than a
thousand games in the NHL, and coached 829 games with the Kings and
the Hawks. He has 4 Stanley Cups and 2 Memorial Cups on his mantle at
home. In 1967, he notched an overtime winning goal for the Leafs in
game three. Most Leaf fans recall that year. Pulford entered the Hall
of Fame in 1991.
Bob Pulford, at the Panthers game.
The season was
disappointing for the Panthers, decimated by injuries to their best
players. Those still with the team are playing their hearts out,
trying to leave a good impression with the brass. Contract time is
just around the corner.
James Hurst
March 28, 2017
# posted by James Hurst @ 7:11 AM 
