Chicago Blackhawks fall 2-1 in OT
Nineteen hours after dropping an ugly 7-3 decision at St. Louis, the Chicago Blackhawks dropped the puck at the United Center on Sunday against a red-hot Edmonton squad that was 5-1-1 in its previous seven games.
Considering that Cam Ward was in net and it was the Hawks' sixth contest in nine days, there was great potential for a blowout loss.
The Hawks, though, stayed patient and managed to come away with the consolation point after dropping a 2-1 overtime decision to the highflying Oilers.
Connor McDavid won it for Edmonton 53 seconds into extra time when he took a pass from Leon Draisaitl and completed a 2-on-1 with a shot that got past Ward.
Brent Seabrook buried a one-timer at 11:02 of the first period for the Hawks' only goal.
"Today was a concerning game going into it," coach Joel Quenneville admitted. "It was going to be interesting to see how we responded (to the loss to the Blues). So you take a point and (are) hoping to get the second one."
With Patrick Kane and his NHL-leading 11 goals facing an Oilers squad that racked up 14 goals in their last three games, one would have thought an offensive onslaught was on tap.
But it was not to be.
The Hawks didn't have a shot on goal until Seabrook scored, and they managed just 4 SOG in the first period. Ward, meanwhile, only had to make 2 saves in the first 15 minutes.
"If either team would've been A-plus tonight, they would have had the puck a lot more," Quenneville said.
The Hawks had eight minutes of power-play time, yet managed just 2 shots, one being Seabrook's goal on a 5-on-3.
Despite those wretched facts and figures, Quenneville's squad still had some prime looks that didn't connect. Chief among them were:
• An Erik Gustafsson one-timer with 17 seconds remaining in regulation that Cam Talbot soaked up.
• Nick Schmaltz shooting into Talbot's left leg on a breakaway with 16:38 left in the second period.
• Marcus Kruger firing a one-timer into Talbot when he had half of the net open late in the second period.
Ward (3-1-3) finished with 24 saves, his most impressive coming with two seconds left in the first period on a point-blank attempt by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
"He's been awesome for us all year and giving us a chance to win like he did tonight," Seabrook said.
The Hawks are 6-3-3 overall, went 3-2-1 on this tough stretch and now go on a three-game road trip to Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary.
"We're trying to find our way," Seabrook said. "I think we've been playing really well. We've got to try and sustain it now for 60."