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BLACKHAWKS GIVE DUCKS A SLOW ROAST IN 7


LA Robbie

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Comeback King & the Chicago Blackhawks progress to the semi-finals of the GENS 2011 "B" Playoffs after an incredible game 7 victory over Anaheim. Anaheim will be cursing their luck, but in the end the series went with home advantage, and a lot of "home" decisions from the officials all the way.

Anaheim were unfancied coming into the series, having finished bottom of the Western Conference, and Chicago had missed out on the "A" playoffs by just a single point. Anaheim coach, LA Robbie however was quietly confident, having recorded 3 wins in the final 6 games of the regular season, including victories away to "A" No.1 seeds Washington and fellow "A" qualifiers Los Angeles.

The puck dropped on game 1 and immediately Chicago began to expose a totally disorganised Anaheim defence. 5 goals before the end of the 1st period had Chicago firmly in control of the game, and seemingly the series. Anaheim's players were all over the place, making forward runs away from the net when Chicago were in possession & attacking, and at times seemingly moving aside for the Chicago forwards to rush through. The game ended a devastating 10-2, and there was no doubt about who the favourites were in this series.

Game 2 followed the same pattern. Anaheim couldn't string two passes together, were leaving spaces everywhere and Chicago were once again allowed to stroll through at times. A 7-2 win at a canter left Anaheim devastated. Could they salvage any pride from the series?! Right now you'd not have found a soul willing to bet against a Chicago sweep, such was the ease of the first 2 victories.

Then came game 3, and Chicago's first visit to Anaheim. Anaheim knew they had to keep things tight early on to stand any chance in this game. They battled, they chased, and the organisation that had been so sorely lacking in the Windy City appeared from nowhere! Chicaqo were struggling to find any rhythm and going into the final minute of the 1st period Corey Perry latched onto a Getzlaf centre, and after an initial save bundled the goalie into the net to give Anaheim the lead. Game on!! An electrified Anaheim took control of the 2nd period and raced into a 4-0 lead by the end of the 2nd, Perry grabbing another and Koivu grabbing 2. Game 3 looked in the bag. As is the trademark of LA Robbie teams however, no lead is ever big enough to be comfortable! Chicago rallied and with a couple of minutes left had pulled 3 back before a Perry one-timer from a Selanne cut back completed the hat trick and sealed the win with just over a minute left! Anaheim were back in it!

Anaheim sensed that Chicago were ruffled. LA Robbie attempted to play the mind games with his opposite numer with a cheeky "gl" before the puck dropped on game 4........no response. Anaheim, now full of confidence went for it and once again looked like a different side to those 1st 2 games. A 3-0 lead, Helped by Hossa's and Chicago's regular trips to the sinbin had Anaheim looking good again. Once again Anaheim displayed the nerves that cost them so often. 3-0 was cut to 3-2 in the 3rd, but Anaheim gathered their composure and saw out the game, Perry even denied his 2nd goal by the buzzer right at the end.

With the momentum firmly swinging towards them the Ducks headed back to Chicago for game 5 with their tails well and truly up. The coaches had noted the huge amount of penalties called on the away team in all four games so far, and the away team's lack of intelligent defending on all four occasions too. Again the ironic offering of a "gl" was ignored. This was serious stuff! Would Chicago be able to grip the series with another dominating win this time around?............Not a chance! Anaheim and Perry exploded, and the man nicknamed "Redhot" by his coach on the strength of his end of regular season form was on a hot and dominating! With just a few seconds gone a slick Selanne centre fed "Redhot" for an unmissable one-timer. Chicago couldn't break through a Ducks defence unrecognisable from those first 2 games, and Anaheim were creating chances too with a lightning fast counter-attacking game that forced the Chicago keeper into a string on one-on-one saves. Then, just as in the first period, with just seconds gone in the secomd Selanne produced a replica run down the left wing, before a replica cut back to the centre, before a replica "Redhot" one-timer! 2-0! Chicago huffed and puffed their way through the second period, but again the Ducks stood firm, before Perry went clear and deked his way to his second hat trick of the series! 3-0! Surely game over?!!......Not if the officials had any say in it......and they did.

Anaheim seemed to spend the entire 3rd period with men in the bin for one penalty or another, even going down to 3 out on the ice at one point. Chicago didn't need an invitation. 3-0 became 3-1. Then 3-2, and with just over a minute left heartbreak for Anaheim as in went number 3. Into overtime we went. A couple of chances at either end then saw Chicago break and this time it was their service from the left that was met with a one-timer to win the game. Heartbreak for Anaheim, and thoughts of what might have been.

So, game 6. The momentum had swung back to Chicago, and they headed to Anaheim knowing that a win would take them into the semi-finals. Surely Anaheim's mental and physical exertions of the previous game and the heartbreaking over time loss would be too much to recover from? Again a "gl".....again......no response. Another early Perry goal let Chicago know that no one was going to be rolling over for them this time, and cool one on one finishes in the second would see Anaheim dominate and take a 4-0 lead into the 3rd period. 2 were pulled back yet again, but Anaheim always had a sense of control this time and cruised into game 7. What a series!

So, Chicago's no.2 seeding meant they had home ice for game 7. Anaheim would have to do what no one had managed throughout the series in order to get to the semi-finals - win an away game. This time the "gl" message before the game was truly heartfelt. A peace offering at the end of an emotional roller-coaster of a series. Again it was ignored. Comeback King was focussed. There was no place for friendship or pleasantries here!

For the first time at the start of a game in the series Chicago made changes to the default lines. A percieved lack of weight had allowed them to be bullied so far apparently, and it seemed the priority was to place as many man-mountains as possible in each line for this one! Shrewd coaching, or panic-stricken dithering?!!! We would have to wait and see.

This time Chicago grabbed the early goal, but just a few minutes later that left wing that had been so kind to Anaheim throughout the previous 4 games came up trumps again. Ryan slipped a pass into Koivu, and Anaheim's surprise package grabbed another goal in a fine season. Then it all went wrong. Anaheim's equaliser seemed to galvanise Chicago, and perhaps the "give me fatties!" tactic was working. A couple of steamroller runs through the middle were rewarded with goals. A Campbell slapshot from miles out somehow saw Hiller go the wrong way in the Anaheim net and at 5-1 by the end of the 1st the series looked to be ending on a downer when compared to the previous 4 games.

Anaheim got 1 back before the end of the 2nd, but yet more "home decisions" had kept them regularly playing 4 against 5. Going into the 3rd it was all over.....wasn't it? 5-2 quickly became 5-3 and Ducks fans sensed an epic comeback, before a Chicago breakaway restored the 3 goal cushion. Then, with just a couple of minutes remaining Getzlaf broke free of the Chicago defenders and produced a cool finish to make it 6-4! Could they?!! With 30 seconds left, absolutely shattered and moving at a snails pace "Redhot" Corey Perry once again tormented the Chicago defenders and weaved his way through to make it 6-5! With 27 seconds on the clock Hiller was withdrawn and Anaheim had one last chance to go for it and produce a fairytale ending to this series.............alas it was not be. Chicago grabbed possession and saw out the game. What a series!!

Anaheim are left to regret their 1st period melt-down in game 7, and perhaps more so their blowing a 3-0 lead in game 5. So close but yet so far.

LA Robbie earned Comeback King's respect after those blowouts in games 1 & 2. The lack of pre-game pleasantries in this series displayed the level of focus, concentration and determination Chicago had to show to make it through. There would be no patronising condolences here.

Amazing series Comeback, and good luck the rest of the way. You're the guy that's done more to help me out than anyone since I came to this community. I sincerely hope you go all the way! ggs

Edited by LA Robbie
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haha, I was actually smiling a little reading this, that was kinda funny. No big deal man, I've never typed "gl" to anyone. Not my thing is all. You're right though. I was focused. Focused on sitting kane's, keith's, campbell's, leddy's, bolland's, frolik's, and kruger's 172 pound asses on the bench or the 3rd line because they are f'in useless with this weight bug fix.

The makers of '94 classic had to be closet Chicago fans but the makers of this '11 rom probably are from Vancouver or Detroit.

Good series and I'll need the luck moving forward. And you're welcome.

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