If the Penguins were looking for a barometer on how they stack up with the best team in the NHL, they got a good taste of it at Soldier Field in Chicago.
The game started slow with snow falling heavily down on the ice. The first period was delayed multiple times as ice crews cleared the rink.
The Blackhawks dominated the Penguins for most of the Stadium Series game en route to a 5-1 win, Saturday night.
Chicago possessed the puck for most of the night, heavily out shot the Penguins 40-32 , and took advantage of a plethora of odd-man rushes.
Marc-Andre Fleury was extremely sharp for the Penguins, but could only do so much against the onslaught of the home team.
Patrick Sharp scored his 29th goal of the season 15:35 into the opening period on Chicago’s 12th shot.
Jonathan Toews scored a highlight-reel goal midway through the second period to increase the lead to two. Toews took the puck at center ice, turned Brooks Orpik inside out before beating Marc-Andre Fleury five hole. The whistle blew as the puck was going into the net and after video review, the call stood.
Six minutes later, Patrick Kane fed a perfect pass to Kris Versteeg who drove to the net and tapped the puck in a wide open net.
James Neal scored early in the third to cut the Chicago lead to 3-1 when his centering feed was accidentally knocked into the net by defenseman Brian Seabrook. The Penguins received a power play shortly thereafter but couldn’t capitalize.
Instead, Brian Bickell took advantage of a bad pinch by Simon Despres. Bickell cut to the net and beat Fleury to a lose puck in the crease on a second-chance opportunity.
Jonathan Toews scored his second of the night just for good measure when his shot was knocked into the net by Despres.
Three Stars
- Jonathan Toews
- Patrick Sharp
- Patrick Kane
Photo courtesy of NHL.com
