Weise to the rescue for Blackhawks
Dale Weise, full of confidence, pots those in-tight shots to the top shelf all the time.
Heading into Game 6 of the Blackhawks' opening-round playoff series against St. Louis at the United Center on Saturday night, he just hadn't done it in a game for his new team. Morning drills don't count, alas for the big winger.
But with the Blackhawks facing elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs for the second game in a row, Weise finally finished.
Remove that gorilla from his shoulders.
Weise's first goal as a Blackhawk snapped a 3-3 tie late in the second period, and the home team went on to win 6-3. It was quite the relief for the trade-deadline acquisition, who failed to score in 15 regular-season games with the Blackhawks after netting 14 (a career high) in 56 games with Montreal. He was a healthy scratch in Games 1, 2 and 4.
"That one feels good," Weise said of his game-winner. "I've been snakebit since I've gotten here. Goalies have made empty-net saves on me, I've missed chances, and I haven't shot the puck as much as I've liked."
When Artemi Panarin dangled behind the St. Louis goal line, Weise maneuvered himself in front of the net. Panarin put the puck on the blade of Weise, who, yes, shot. He flipped the puck over the shoulder of goalie Brian Elliott with 3:42 left in the middle period.
Just like the morning drill.
"It's kind of the same play," Weise said. "You get on that off side and you try to put it upstairs. I just haven't been able to do it in games lately. So that one feels good to get the monkey off the back."
It's not like Weise is a stranger to delivering big goals in big games. With Montreal, he scored overtime winners against Tampa Bay in 2014 and against Ottawa last year.
Respected by his peers for his team-first attitude, Weise saw his perseverance pay off.
"It can be a mental battle at times when you're out of the lineup and you come in, and your ice time and opportunities are limited," said Jonathan Toews, who had 2 assists in Game 6. "But when you buy in and play hard, you get rewarded the way he did tonight."
With career goal No. 1 as a Blackhawk out of the way, maybe Weise's puck luck will continue. In the third period, with the Blackhawks protecting a 4-3 lead, a confident Weise skated swiftly between the circles before passing to Andrew Shaw, who couldn't finish a one-timer.
"Once you get that (first goal) off your back, the play seems to slow down a little for you," Weise said. "Hopefully I can keep that going for Game 7."
It was Weise who fed a pass to Andrew Desjardins for a seemingly tap-in goal six minutes into the opening period with the Blackhawks up 1-0. Desjardins flubbed the shot, and St. Louis countered less than 10 seconds later with the equalizer by Scottie Upshall.
"What a game by him," Desjardins said of Weise. "Big body, protected the puck well, did some great things out there.
"He made a great pass to me during the first (period)," Desjardins added, smiling.
So the unflappable Blackhawks are alive and face Game 7 on Monday night in St. Louis. Weise isn't surprised by the resiliency of his new team.
"I've said it since the time I got here: This is a special group," Weise said. "It's just an unwavering confidence, no matter what the score is. We get down, and it just doesn't seem to matter to this team."