Blackhawks Postgame
Soderblom Steals Blackhawks One Point, Lightning Win 2-1 in Shootout
For the second time in as many nights, the Chicago Blackhawks were severely outplayed by a top NHL team for most of the game, but somehow found a way to keep the score close.
After taking down the Carolina Hurricanes, currently the first-place team in the Metropolitan Division, 4-3 in a shootout on Thursday, the Blackhawks returned to action against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday at the United Center. Entering Friday’s matchup, the Bolts had earned a point in 14 consecutive games and held the best points percentage in the entire Eastern Conference.
Much like Carolina on Thursday, Tampa Bay was in complete control through the opening 40 minutes, leading 29-8 in scoring chances and limiting Chicago to only six shots on goal. But with an astonishing performance from backup netminder Arvid Soderblom, the Blackhawks remained in the fight. Soderblom stopped 20 of 21 shots faced through two periods, and he didn’t get beat until Nikita Kucherov tied the game 1-1 with 1:18 to go before the second intermission.
Had it not been for Soderblom’s spectacular effort, the Blackhawks easily could have been blown out on home ice. The 26-year-old was credited with 2.19 goals saved above expected on Friday. He finished with 30 saves.
Also similar to Thursday’s game in Carolina was Chicago’s effort in the third period and overtime, where they played their best hockey with the game on the line for the second night in a row. The Blackhawks had quite a few looks in the latter stages to pot the winning tally, but Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who’s had their number over the years, came up clutch time and time again.
Soderblom and Vasilevskiy were both fantastic on Friday, so much so that a shootout was required to determine a winner. It was the Blackhawks fifth shootout appearance in their last 15 outings, dating back to Dec. 27.
Both Chicago and Tampa Bay scored with their backs against the wall in the shootout; Frank Nazar snuck a shot through in the top of the third round to extend the game, while Gage Goncalves answered the bell in the bottom of the fourth to force a fifth round. After Oliver Moore, Thursday’s shootout hero, was stopped by Vasilevskiy’s glove, onto the ice stepped former Blackhawks’ sixth-round pick Dominic James, who elected not to sign an entry-level contract with the team this summer and become a free agent. He ended up signing with the Lightning.
James crushed Chicago’s plans for the second time in the last calendar year, as he netted the shootout winner by snapping a shot past Soderblom’s blocker in the bottom of the fifth. Tampa Bay has now won 14 of their last 15 games, while the Blackhawks at least extended their point streak to three games.
With how badly they were outperformed by Tampa, that’s a win at the end of the day. Three out of a possible four points against two legitimate Stanley Cup contenders should be looked at as progress, even if it wasn’t the two prettiest showings.
Here are the highlights from the Blackhawks’ 2-1 shootout loss to the Lightning, dropping their record to 21-22-8 through 51 games this season.
FIRST PERIOD
Despite having three power-play chances in the opening 20 minutes, the Blackhawks went into the first intermission with only four shots on goal. However, that’s all they needed to snatch a 1-0 lead.
Just after Darren Raddysh stepped out of the penalty box, Moore’s centering feed banked off traffic and found its way to Ryan Greene. All alone with Vasilevskiy, Greene fired a shot glove side for his seventh goal of the season. Three rookies connect to put the Blackhawks ahead by one at 17:42.
Chicago has now scored the opening goal in five consecutive games. It was a similar start to Thursday’s tilt in Raleigh, where the Blackhawks were outplayed but were right in the game. Tampa led 8-4 in shots on goal and 16-5 in scoring chances.
SECOND PERIOD
After being in control for most of the first period, the Lightning took it to another level in the second and completely throttled the Blackhawks. The visitors led 13-2 in shots on goal and seemingly had possession in Chicago’s end for the entire period.
Soderblom played remarkably well to keep his team ahead for as long as possible, but eventually, the Bolts got the puck behind him. With just 1:18 remaining in the period, Brandon Hagel set up Kucherov in front to tie the game 1-1. Kucherov has now scored in three consecutive games.
Kucherov’s tally leveled the score going into the second intermission. The Lightning put on a clinic through 40 minutes, leading 21-6 in shots on goal and 29-8 in scoring chances.
OVERTIME
Neither side found a game-winning goal in the third period, so the two teams headed into overtime. The Blackhawks were dominant at 3-on-3 play but somehow couldn’t get the puck past Vasilevskiy. Their best chances of overtime came off a quick 2-on-0 rush from Ilya Mikheyev and Andre Burakovsky.
Mikheyev forced a turnover and then quickly moved the puck over to Burakovsky on his right-hand side. Burakovsky slid a feed back to Mikheyev for a perfectly executed give-and-go, but the shaft of Vasilevskiy’s stick deflected the Russian forward’s shot just wide of the net. Burakovsky had an opportunity to stuff home the rebound but didn’t have the proper angle.
SHOOTOUT
Chicago had another chance to win Friday’s game in the shootout, as big defenseman Louis Crevier, of all people, was called on in the top of the fourth round and scored an absolute beauty to put his team ahead.
Tragically, Crevier was robbed of a potential shootout winner, as Goncalves answered back in the bottom half of the round to extend the game.
After Vasilevskiy stopped Moore with a tremendous glove save in the top of the fifth round, onto the ice stepped the former Blackhawks prospect.
With the game on his stick, James beat Soderblom to the blocker to lift Tampa Bay to a 2-1 shootout victory. For the Lightning, it was a very fitting finish to Friday’s festivities.
The Blackhawks can hold their heads high with how hard they fought down the stretch. There’s no time to dwell on the defeat, as they return to play on Sunday against the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers. Another formidable Eastern Conference opponent.
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