Cubs vs. Cardinals. Bears vs. Packers. Bulls vs. umm... (Pistons? Celtics? I don't care for basketball and really stopped what little watching I did when Jordan retired for the 437th time). Blackhawks vs. Red Wings. These are those classic rivalries that fans crave - where a win makes you insufferable to fans of the other team, and a loss makes you want to kick small children for the remainder of the day. I actually avoid attending these rivalry games in person because the intensity is overwhelming to me. I think I had an adrenaline rush for three days after Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals last year and nearly needed to start popping my happy medicine from the second period on. And the last time I went to a Cubs vs. Sox game I had to escort my brother quickly out of the Cell before he got arrested for fighting with Sox fans.
Onto the actual game - somewhat annoying having back to back early games especially considering I am not a morning person and since I wake up @ 5:30am on weekdays I like to sleep in (read: after noon). But I guess it does give one the opportunity to do fun things the rest of the day. Or in my case, laundry. The Hawks came out to a 2-0 lead in the first but of course things are never that easy playing the Red Wings. They came back to tie it in the second, but Sharpie put one in to take a 3-2 lead going into the third. The Wings scored one midway through the third - this is where I think the migraine started. The rest of the third and OT was very back and forth with both teams having prime chances and both goalies making some stellar saves. The Hawks ended up winning it in the fourth round of the shootout with Sharpie making the difference. The shootout was tied 2-2 at the time with both of the Scum's tallies coming on a couple of ridiculous trick shots (one by Bertuzzi - really?). But when all is said and done, two points are even sweeter when playing your division rival on their home turf. An excellent start to the road trip - let's hope there's not a mental letdown against an average Ottawa team on Tuesday.
Two quick thoughts - here's hoping the Hawks won't be on too many NBC Game of the Weeks (aka the Crosby-Ovechkin-Red Wings show) this season. Their coverage sucks - Pierre McGuire is brutal and completely missing the third Red Wings goal live is inexcusable. I can hardly wait for their hockey coverage at the Olympics *barf*. Second - great game by Niemi. I hope Coach Q perhaps splits the eight games on the road between him and Huet. I think it would be good to give Niemi some more work and give Huet a rest. We're going to need him in April and beyond and there's no point in working him to death in the midst of this adventure on the road.
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