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Blackhawks Fri Apr 22 2011
Hawks Rout Canucks Again, Bring Series Home
The Blackhawks managed to stay alive again last night, shutting out the Vancouver Canucks 5-0.
Chicago's Duncan Keith and Marian Hossa led the team with two goals each. Hossa had an additional assist, while Keith had two.
For the second game in a row, Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo was pulled and replaced with backup Cory Schneider. Schneider was greeted with cheers by Vancouver fans, who, at this point, have apparently taken their all-star goalie off his pedestal.
ESPN's Jesse Rogers tweeted that, in a locker room interview, when Hossa was asked if the team had gotten in Luongo's head, he replied with a simple "I can't see in his head, so I don't know."
Thursday's game was much less physical than Tuesday's brawl, but doesn't mean the rivalry has lost any of its heat.
Blackhawks defenseman John Scott told ESPN after the game that he's still hoping to get a piece of Vancouver's Kevin Bieksa before the series ends.
"I was dying to get a run at Bieksa," he said. "He's been jumping the smallest guys on our team. I was hoping to get a run at him."
If Tuesday's victory can be credited to the return of Dave Bolland, Brent Seabrook can take the credit for Thursday. Seabrook missed Thursday's game after a nasty hit by Raffi Torres left him injured. The team, along with many fans, thought without a doubt that Torres' hit to the head would be followed by an NHL suspension, and were more than disappointed when nothing was done.
Seabrook's best friend, Duncan Keith, hung Seabrook's sweater in his locker room stall, then went on to easily have his best game of the season.
The Blackhawks are now only down in the series by one game, with the Canucks leading 3-2. Chicago is looking for just a little more magic going into Game Six at home on Sunday night. However, if the last two games are any indication, this could go seven.
