It wasn't just a win -- it was a dominant win. That's exactly what the Blackhawks needed after dropping Games 3 and 4 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series in Calgary.
On Saturday night, the Hawks took a 3-2 series lead with a resounding 5-1 victory over the Flames at the United Center. For all intents and purposes, this one was over early as the Hawks began the game by overpowering Calgary in the first period.
It took the Flames 10 minutes of clock time before they got a single shot on goal. They only had three shots total in the entire first period, while the Hawks had 15. And, oh yeah, Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp and Kris Versteeg scored three goals within a span of 1:49 to give the Hawks a quick 3-0 lead. THAT'S how you start a game.
Calgary scored early in the second to make it 3-1, but the Hawks answered with goals by Andrew Ladd and Cam Barker. Down 5-1, the Flames never made a serious charge after that, although the Hawks had to kill off a two-man disadvantage that lasted 1:29 in the third period. That was Calgary's last gasp, and it failed to score.
Now, it's back to Calgary for Monday night's Game 6. Can the Hawks close the deal on the road? The first four games of the series were close and could have gone either way. By contrast, Game 5 was an easy win for the Hawks. Now, they have the momentum -- and a great chance to finish the Flames off if they start well in the next game.
Leave a comment