Monday, January 26, 2009

Kane and Toews get a Goal Each, but East Wins All-Star Game

A game that features over 100 shots and 22 goals in regulation is an offensive player's dream. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews fit that description nicely and both performed well in their first all-star appearances.

In a game that victimizes goalies and defensemen, Brian Campbell was able to add an assist to the gaudy statistics in Sunday night's event. Campbell, Toews, and Kane all started for the Western Conference, but the East was able to pull the game out on penalty shots when Alexander Ovechkin netted the winner after a shifty move.

With no hitting in the game, we got to see some amazing passing and some moves that prompted me to rewind on the DVR. Evgeni Malkin had one of the moves of the night and it didn't even result in a goal. The Pittsburgh forward took a pass on the right side and tried a spinning between the legs shot that should have counted for a goal regardless of whether it went in.

As for Kane and Toews, the young Hawks both had goals that had chances to be game winners. Toews roofed a shot about two minutes into the third period to give the West a 10-9 lead that stood until Martin St. Louis evened the game about 10 minutes later. Then Kane scored on a breakaway with 4:41 to go for an 11-10 lead, but that advantage lasted just over a minute and the game headed to overtime and the eventual 2-1 loss in the shootout.

All in all a good showing from the Blackhawks in the game. Kane and Toews looked like they were feeling things out at the beginning, but once they got in the flow of the game they put on a show just like everyone else. Kane had an assist to go along with his goal. Hopefully the goal for Kane will help him break out of his scoring slump. This is likely the first of many experiences at the All-Star game and Kane and Toews are off to a good start.

The Hawks start a long road trip Wednesday night at Anaheim.

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