Hawks’ biggest goal of the season (so far)

By Jim den Hollander

Midwest Hockey Editor 

Marcus Kruger scored seven goals in the regular season and added one more in the post season, heading into action Tuesday night.

All of that was before he scored the biggest goal of the season for his team to date.

Standing to the left of Anaheim Ducks goaltender Frederik Andersen, the 24-Year-Old Chicago Blackhawks pounced on the rebound of a point shot by defenseman Brent Seabrook and sank it into the goal ending the longest game of the playoffs so far and the longest game in the near 100-year history of the Chicago Blackhawks.

While players like Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp were stymied on chance after chance in almost a full three periods of overtime hockey, Kruger stepped up as the unlikely hero sending Chicago home to the United Center with enough momentum to make a tough lopsided opening game defeat in Western Conference Championship Series a distant afterthought.

Perry in particular stood out as the player who did everything except score — hearing the loud ting of metal post and cross bar twice while sending one glorious chance just wide and robbed by the stellar goaltending of Corey Crawford on at least one other occasion in the overtime segments alone.

Kruger’s goal gives the Hawks a chance to grab control of the series on home ice in the next two games while denying the Ducks a chance to roll out of its own two home games with a commanding lead.

The goal also ended a long drought for the visitors who scored twice in the first 6:19 of the game, then failed to find a way by Andersen for the next 109:03 while the home team fought back with two of its own and had the better chances in the overtime segments as well.

Crawford also had a long unbeaten stretch which he carries into the next game. After surrendering the tying goal late in the second, Crawford went 78:42 without allowing a goal including 36 straight shots through the final four periods. In all, Crawford handled 62 of 64 on a long night between the pipes.

Andrew Shaw and Marian Hossa had the earlier goals, both on powerplays early on. Both teams were denied once on the powerplay in overtime as well. Shaw had an awesome, but unfortunately illegal goal called back in the second overtime when a great soccer-esque head butt move from the top of the crease. While many watching wondered if that was a legal goal or not, the referees made a quick check to the league’s brass and stopped a prelude to the final celebration by the Hawks. There was little argument from the players who likely realized it was a longshot to count.

This was the best game of the 2015-16 season so far and these teams are just getting started. Can’t wait to see what happens tonight.