Reunited and it feels SO good!

Well, after the horrors in the Saddledome by getting it handed to them 7-2 by Calgary & single handedly doubling Jerome Iginla's season total of goals, the Blackhawks bounced back a major way.

In their first return to the now renamed Rogers Arena (meh, I'm still calling it GM Place that's what I grew up with) since knocking out the Canucks from the playoffs, the Blackhawks made sure the Canucks remembered what a good time it is when they play each other.

The Blackhawks put up 7 goals after giving up 7 just the night before. Jonathan Toews, Troy Brouwer (with his parents in attendance), Brent Seabrook (with a blast), Patrick Sharp, Fernando(oooooo)Pisani twice & Patrick Kane all scored. Niklas Hjalmarsson also recorded his first point of the year.

After giving up 4 goals, Roberto Luongo was pulled in favor of Cory Schneider. Seems like Luongo has a bit of an issue with playing the Hawks.

While down at the other end Corey Crawford played solid only giving up one goal after the game was well in hand in the 3rd. Goaltending has been the most solid aspect of the Hawks so far.

Did the Hawks run up the score? Who knows. But it's not like that I expect if the Canucks (or any other team for that matter) are up big on the Hawks to just stop going for it. Plus, the Hawks don't have another game until Wednesday in San Jose.

From Vancouver, the Hawks are headed to Vegas. I'm fine with it as long there are no incidents along the lines of what Brett Sutter did and there's a solid game played in San Jose.

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Rivalry weekend: Keeping up with the rivalry theme there were two rival match ups in the US Division.

The Chiefs traveled to play the Americans and lost 8-3. Revenge is sweet for the Ams as the last time the Chiefs and Ams played, the Chiefs pitched a 5-0 shut out. Tyler Johnson tallied for the Chiefs and was a -3. Brenden Kichton & Jared Cowen joined Johnson with a -3 rating. As expected Darren Kramer fought an Am, this time taking on David Conrad and there were numerous roughing penalties.

James Reid gave up 5 goals on 18 shots before being pulled in favor of Mac Engel who gave up 3 goals of his own on 9 shots.

The Tips traveled down to play Seattle in the I-5 rivalry and pulled out a 3-1 win. Tyler Maxwell scored twice and added an assist, while Josh Winquist had a goal and assist of his own. Maxwell, Winquist & Kellan Tochkin, who had two assists, all had +3 ratings.

Hawks prospect Kent Simpson stopped 29 of 31 for the win.

Meanwhile the Portland Winterhawks are just chugging along as arguably the best team in the WHL & CHL winning 14 of their last 15 by beating the Kamloops Blazers 6-4. The Winterhawks did have a 10 game win streak going before losing to the Saskatoon Blades but now have a new win streak going on at 4.

A win, is a win, is a win.

Well, after a disappointing shootout loss to the Predators just the night before the Blackhawks bounced back with a 3-2 OT win over the streaking Anaheim Ducks. It wasn't a feel good fuzzy win but it was just that, a win.

Both goals came on the PP from Patrick Kane (yes you read that right) & Marian Hossa.

However with the Hawks up 2-1 the Ducks Corey Perry, who had both Duck goals tonight, tied it up not even 4 minutes into the 3rd. Every Hawks fan groaned as yet again we lost a one goal lead. Even worse that it was on an awful Duncan Keith turnover.

Every Hawks fan banged their head against a wall when Kopecky took a late game penalty. The Hawks however killed the penalty with a decent rush even led by Hossa with Toews (favorite forward PK pair ever).

And then just as everyone thought the game was going to end in a shootout with 28 seconds left in a flash (of Swedish beauty) Viktor Stalberg was able to tip in Duncan Keith's point shot for the win! Leafs GM Brian Burke was in attendance at the game to see the player he traded away score the OT winner as Versteeg is slumping.

This Toews quote basically sums up how I felt after the end of this game:
"It would be fun to open the game wide open and not have to fight for that one in the third or OT. But we know that’ll come." (source)

With that the Blackhawks leave the UC with a win as they embark on their annual circus trip.

Starting Wednesday the Blackhawks trip starts as they'll take on the Oilers (oh joy!), Flames (on Patrick Kane's 22nd birthday), Canucks, Sharks, Ducks & Kings. (Along with a jaunt to Las Vegas in there)

We all know the shenanigans that happened in Vancouver last year but hey.. if that's what Kaner needs to have a great season like he did last year? Feel free buddy, just as long as the Hawks are stringing together wins.

I'm not going to make any predictions about the Circus trip, cause who knows what'll happen with this team. This trip could define the rest of the season and if anything else, help them bond together.

Hopefully, Duncan Keith's Norris trophy form will be found again as well.. It's been missing for far too long.

Let's have a solid rest of the November Hawks.

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Dub it up: (I'm going to run out of cheesy titles soon)

The Spokane Chiefs went 2 for 2 this weekend by taking down the Tri-City Americans 5-0 in a game that included Cheerstix as a giveaway (read worst giveaway ever). This extends their win streak to 3.
James Reid recorded the shut out stopping all 20 shots he faced. There were 5 different goal scorers including a breakaway beauty by Blake Gal. If he doesn't get signed by an NHL team, I'll be surprised. He scores pretty goals.
The Chiefs now have 3 games in 3 nights next weekend as the take on Seattle Thunderbirds, Tri-City Americans and Portland Winterhawks all on the road.

The Silvertips lost tonight 3-1 to the Kamloops Blazers in Kamloops but managed a 3-2 OT win over the Chilliwack Bruins last night to secure a 2-1 record in their weekend of 3 games in 3 nights.
The Tips travel to Seattle & Tri-Cities for 2 games next weekend.


Hope everyone has a good start to their week, cause ending the weekend with a win ain't so bad no matter what way you get it.