Blackhawks Start Circus Trip With 4-3 OT Win in Edmonton

The Chicago Blackhawks started their annual Circus Road Trip in Edmonton tonight as they took on the Oilers.  Last week in Chicago, the Hawks beat the Oilers, 4-2 at the United Center with Corey Crawford registering the win while stopping 34 of 36 shots.  Tonight, Crawford would be on his game again, as he comes up with a goalie win.  He would have to stop 34 of 37 shots as the Blackhawks needed overtime and a game-winning goal from Marian Hossa to take down the Oilers, 4-3.

It didn't start well for the Hawks as they only mustered 3 shots on net in the first period to Edmonton's 11.  The Oilers had the edge, the speed, and the momentum, the entire period, but Crawford kept the Oilers off the scoreboard.

Midway through the 2nd period, Patrick Kane, on the power play, centered a pass that Duncan Keith tipped past Oiler goalie, Anders Nilsson fora 1-0 lead.  Artemi Panarin extended the lead to 2-0, as he received a bouncing puck from Artem Anismov and snapped a wrist shot past Nilsson.  Jordan Eberle would catch the Hawks in a bad line change as he roofed a shot over Crawford's glove on a breakaway to cut the lead to 2-1, late in the 2nd.  Teuvo Teravainen would leave the game during the 2nd period and would not return due to an upper body injury.

The game would get more intense in the 3rd, as four minutes into the period, Benoit Pouliot would knot the game at 2, when he received a nice centering pass from Darnell Nurse and slipped it between Crawford's legs in front of the net.  Midway through the 3rd, Andrew Shaw would give the Hawks the lead back at 3-2 when he received a pass from Tanner Kero in the slot.  He fanned on his initial shot, which brought Nilsson down to his knees, and then he stayed with the play and flipped the puck, top shelf into the net.  But, with less than 3 minutes left, Leon Draisaitl, from a tough angle, found the puck on his stick at the side of the net and fired it past Crawford to tie the game at 3.

In overtime, Corey Crawford may have made the Blackhawks Save of the Year, when, on a 2-on-1 break, Draisaitl threw a cross-ice pass to Edmonton sniper, Taylor Hall, who fired a one-timer that Crawford had to sprawl and go post to post to make an outstretched glove save to rob Taylor of the game winning goal.  Shortly afterwards, Brent Seabrook threw a pass from his own face off dot, cross-ice to the Oiler blue-line, to Marian Hossa, who was coming off the bench.  Hossa broke in and slapped a shot beyond Nilsson for the game-winner.

Notable mentions: Patrick Kane extended his point streak to 13 games (10G 14A) as he assisted on the first two Hawk goals.  Artemi Panarin extended his point streak to 6 games (5G 4A) with his 2nd period goal.  Brent Seabrook wore a visor after taking a puck to the face in the previous game against the Calgary Flames in Sunday's 4-1 win.  Duncan Keith, in his 3 games back, has 3 points (2G 1A), +5, and is averaging over 26:00 TOI.

Three Stars of the Game
1st - CHI - Artemi Panarin (1G)
2nd - EDM - Leon Draisaitl (1G)
3rd - CHI - Marian Hossa (1G)

Next game: Friday, November 20th, Away versus the Calgary Flames, 8:00pm

LET'S GO HAWKS!!!