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Blackhawks win first two games in San Jose
By Dave Fowkes May 18, 2010 |
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(San Jose, CA) -- The Chicago Blackhawks have taken command of the Western Conference Finals by winning the first two games of the series on the road. Looking for a home split the Sharks could not get it down falling to Chicago 4-2 in game 2 of the series. Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien and Jonathan Toews scored goals to get the Blackhawks out to a 3-0 lead. Troy Brouwer would score in the third period to ice the game. Rookie goaltender Antti Niemi did not need to be as dominant as in game 1 but still made 25 saves. Evgeni Nabokov struggled for the Sharks making 18 saves, but it was not all his fault as he was fighting to see the puck through all the traffic in front of him. Patrick Marleau scored both goals for the Sharks but San Jose could never get withing two goals once they fell behind. “We have not played well enough to win yet by any means,” Sharks captain Rob Blake said. “They were hungry, they were on the pucks. We had sloppy play, lack of execution in different situations. The effort part is there but we can execute much better than that. Our level has come down from the last series.” “(We are) very disappointed,” Dan Boyle said of the outcome. “We are down 2-0. You play to win, we did not.” The Blackhawks have come to love playing on the road. They have tied an NHL record with seven straight road wins. “It is playoff hockey. I don’t care if they haven’t lost or haven’t won at home,” Boyle said of the record and maybe a chance to get back into it in Chicago. “They are a very good hockey team. I don’t care what their record is. They are a very good hockey team and it is going to be a tough task.” To get back into it, the Sharks will just need to focus on the little things. They have struggled to control the puck, which for a puck possession team like they are, is a real disadvantage. “We don’t look like a very fast or quick team,” Blake said. “They look quicker right now because they are making the plays. You saw their D get a lot of pucks and just turn and get it back up because we were not executing. We were not putting pucks behind the net.” “We did not have nearly enough guys out there tonight and we did not get the job done,” Joe Pavelski said. “When we have won so far this season it is because of a commitment by everybody and everyone showed up.” The Sharks may have to take some lessons from the Blackhawks on how to score. All four Blackhawk goals went in because of some sort of traffic right in front of Nabokov. Ladd scored on a 45-foot wrister in front of a screened Nabokov. Both Byfuglien and Toews scored by deflecting pucks just in front of the net. Marleau scored his first goal on the power play off a nice pass from Joe Thornton across the middle of the ice. Marleau buried the high shot over the glove shoulder of Niemi. His second goal in the third period came off a rebound in front of the net after Dany Heatley and Boyle had crashed the net. Game 3 of the series is Friday night in Chicago. End of Game Notes: Ø Patrick Marleau’s two goals extended his point streak to six games (4+3=7). Marleau is now third in the NHL overall for most playoff goals since 2003-04 (31). Ø With two assists tonight, Dan Boyle: o Sets a new personal high for points in a single postseason (12). o Moves into a tie for first in the NHL overall with Chris Pronger, Sergei Gonchar and Dennis Wideman in defensemen scoring this postseason. o Extends his team lead and moves into fourth in the league overall (tied with Evgeni Malkin) in power play points this postseason (8). Ø Heatley collected his team-leading 10th assist of the postseason. Ø Joe Thornton’s ninth assist of the postseason ties him with Boyle for second on the team. His 12 points ties him with Dany Heatley for second on the team overall. |
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