Penalties Kill Blackhawks As Stars Rout, 5-2.

The only thing that overshadows the Chicago Blackhawks tremendous power play as of late is their horrific penalty kill.  The Hawks took six penalties and the Dallas Stars converted on two of them to plow their way to a 5-2 victory Friday night.

The Blackhawks started the game with two power plays and got good pressure, but no goals on Stars' goalie, Kari Lehtonen.  The Hawks would go 0-for-5 on the power play for the night.  Then, it was the Stars' turn on the power play.  Unfortunately, the horrid PK of the Blackhawks failed again, as Jason Spezza slapped a shot from the point that Blackhawks goalie, Corey Crawford never saw, to give the Stars a 1-0 lead.  Amazingly, the Hawks took two more penalties shortly afterwards.  Crawford saved at least 2 goals and Niklas Hjalmarsson saved another, before the period ended with the score, 1-0, Stars.

The 2nd period started with the Hawks killing their latest penalty, but giving up another goal shortly after it ended.  Two Stars players were in front of the net, and Antoine Roussel flipped a shot past Crawford to make it 2-0, Stars.  Four minutes later, the Hawks couldn't clear a puck out of their zone, and Tyler Seguin slid a shot between the legs of Crawford to extend the lead, to 3-0.  Half way through the period, the Hawks took their 5th penalty of the evening.  The Stars, then scored their 2nd power play goal of the evening, as Jamie Benn, untouched in front of the net, squeaked a shot past Crawford for a 4-0 Stars lead.  Crawford was then replaced by Scott Darling.  Crawford deserved the rest of the night off as the score could have easily been 8-0 at that point, if not for him.  Teuvo Teravainen got the Hawks on the board 3 minutes later, to make the score, 4-1, which is how the period would end.

The 3rd period was scoreless till the 15:29 mark, when Ales Hemsky scored an empty-net goal with under five minutes to play.  Tomas Fleischmann would add a goal for the Blackhawks with under one minute remaining, to end the scoring, 5-2.

Notable mentions:  The Blackhawks, in a span of 19:18, between the 1st and 2nd period, took 5 penalties.  You're not going to win games when you are constantly on the penalty kill, which has been dreadful as of late anyway.  The Stars had 26 blocks to the Blackhawks, 7.  Positioning is crucial.  There is no reason to panic, but the Hawks have to start playing respectable on the penalty kill.  That, and stay out of the box.

Three Stars Of The Game
1st - DAL - Jason Spezza - (1G 1A), 4 shots
2nd - DAL - Antoine Roussel - 1G, 3 hits, 3 blocked shots
3rd - DAL - Kris Russell - 5 blocked shots

Next game: Monday, March 14th, Home Vs. Los Angeles Kings, 7PM CT

Previous meetings between LAK and CHI:
Los Angeles Kings - 2 at Chicago Blackhawks - 4, November 2, 2015
Chicago Blackhawks - 2 at Los Angeles Kings - 3, OTL, November 28th, 2015

LET'S GO HAWKS!!!