Panarin's Hat Trick, Blackhawks, Topples Rangers, 5-3

Artemi Panarin has shown up for big stage games before.  He outdone himself last night as he captured his first career hat trick as the Chicago Blackhawks beat the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden, 5-3.




Andrew Desjardins got the Blackhawks on the board early at the 3:30 mark as he received a sweet pass in front of the net from Teuvo Teravainen for a one-time tip-in past Henrik Lundqvist, for a 1-0 lead.  Later in the period, the Rangers scored a goal, but had it reversed as Corey Crawford was grazed in the crease.  This Coaches Challenge routine is fine, but as were the cases in the other two Blackhawk goal reversals earlier in the yea, this goal should have counted.  At least the referees have been consistent.  Consistently bad!  Regardless, the Blackhawks skated to a 1-0 lead to end the period.

The 2nd period scoring occurred half way through the period as Panarin scored the first of his 3 goals on a Blackhawks power play.  With Artem Anisimov in front of the net, Panarin patiently picked his spot and slapped it past a clueless Lundqvist to give the hawks a 2-0 lead.  Three minutes later, ex-Blackhawk prospect, Kevin Hayes, got the Rangers on the board afther the Hawks lost a board battle and Hayes received a centering pass that made it through an outstretched Crawford to cut the lead in half, 2-1.  At the end of the period, Vincent Hinostroza took an inadvertent double-minor, high-sticking penalty that wound cost the Blackhawks to start the 3rd.  
  

It didn't take long for the Blue Shirts to capitalize on the power play as Derrick Brassard found the back of the net :24 into the period to tie the game at 2.  Because the Rangers scored within the first two minutes of that penalty, they still had another 2-minute power play.  Dan Boyle would give the Rangers the lead as he slammed a rebound shot through Crawford for a 3-2 lead.  Half way through the period, while on the power play, Andrew Shaw would receive the 2nd sweet pass for a goal that Teravainen setup on the night, to tie the game at 3.  The Blackhawks 4th power play of the evening saw Panarin bury a shot from a centering pass by Patrick Kane to give the Hawks their 3rd power play goal of the night, and a 4-3 lead with just 3 minutes remaining in regulation.  New York pulled Lundqvist for an extra skater, but Panarin would end their hopes as he completed his first NHL hat trick, or as I like to call it, a "BreadStick", 3 goals from the Breadman's stick, and seal a 5-3, Blackhawk victory.

Notable Mentions: Artemi Panarin became the first rookie this year to break the 20 goal barrier this year.  It's not every day this happens, but the Blackhawks scored 4 goals on just 19 shots (last goal was an empty netter) on one of arguably the best goaltenders in the NHL, Henrik Lundqvist.  11 of 18 skaters recorded a point for the blackhawks last night.  One last milestone this evening, as little as it may be, this is my 100th post on this blog.  I hope everyone has enjoyed what they have seen so far and thank you for your continued support.

Three Stars Of The Game
1st - CHI - Artemi Panarin - 3G, 3 shots
2nd - CHI - Teuvo Teravainen - 2A, 4 shots
3rd - NYR - Kevin Hayes - 1G 1A

Next game: Sunday, February 21st, At Minnesota Wild (Stadium Series), 2:30PM CT

Previous meetings this year against the Minnesota Wild:
Chicago Blackhawks - 4, at Minnesota Wild - 5, 10/30/2015
Minnesota Wild - 2, at Chicago Blackhawks - 1, 12/01/2015

LET'S GO HAWKS!!!