Chicago avenged their playoff elimination on Saturday.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings met for the first time since the Western Conference Final last summer, and the result was closer than the score indicated.
The Blackhawks skated into Staples Center in Los Angeles on Saturday and rolled over the Kings, sealing a 4-1 victory thanks to a massive effort from Patrick Kane's line.
I was somewhat worried about the Anaheim/LA back-to-back. Turns out the 'Hawks had these games circled on the schedule. They're out to play.
— Second City Hockey (@2ndCityHockey) November 30, 2014
Chicago played like they had something to prove to themselves. Skating against the team that knocked you out of the playoffs the previous season tends to bring that out of you. Los Angeles wasn't sharp, and the Blackhawks were buzzing. The final result wasn't really in doubt untll the Kings began pushing back in the third period.
Three Things We Learned
1. The Blackhawks might have something big with Patrick Kane, Kris Versteeg and Brad Richards. Chicago obtained Richards over the summer in an attempt to find someone to center their second line and feed Kane consistently. After a slow start to the year, the 'Hawks might actually have something developing between Kane, Versteeg and Richards. Versteeg assisted on both of Richards' first two goals and their line looked threatening all night.
2. You can't turn the puck over against Chicago and hope to win. The Kings are usually pretty careful with the puck, but they committed 11 giveaways through the first two periods as the Blackhawks piled on a 3-1 lead. Chicago is great in transition up ice, so the Kings doomed themselves.
3. The Kings miss Marion Gaborik. Not the Marian Gaborik with just 8 points this season and plagued by injuries, mind you. No, the Kings miss the offensive dynamo Marian Gaborik that showed up in force during last summer's playoffs. To call Los Angeles' offensive attack lifeless right now is probably giving it too much credit. They could use a sparkplug skill player who can create offense when they need it most. Whether Gaborik can still provide that is up for debate.
from SBNation.com - All Posts http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2014/11/30/7308481/kings-blackhawks-2014-results-final-score
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