Anaheim Ducks streak snapped in Chicago
David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
No matter how bad things got, no matter the deficit or bad starts they endured you had the feeling that the Anaheim Ducks could come back – against any team.
That would not be the case tonight, as two goals from Marian Hossa helped the Chicago Blackhawks down the Ducks 4-2, despite a late third period surge from Anaheim.
Chicago opened the scoring with a Hossa shorthanded goal, 10:34 into the game. It was a beautiful goal-scorers goal in which he used Cam Fowler as a screen perfectly, Jonas Hiller had no chance. Kris Versteeg added his ninth of the season as the Blackhawks jumped ahead to a 2-0 lead after the first period.
Trailing 2-0? No problem right?
The start of the game couldn’t have been scripted any better to create a better end of the game. Coming into the game, Chicago was one of the league’s best when they score the first goal. Anaheim, of course, is one of the best at coming from behind.
After Chicago scored first, we knew one of those trends was going to be broken. Unfortunately for Anaheim, it would be them.
A Bryan Bickell goal to put Chicago up 3-0 would put the game out of reach for the Ducks, who now have only won 18-of-20. The Bickell goal had to be a tough one to swallow for Hiller, as he knocked into his own net reaching behind to try and bat it out of mid-air.
Despite being contained for the most part of the game (11-shots in first two periods), the Ducks were able to open the game up some at the end and mounted a comeback attempt with goals by Ryan Getzlaf and Kyle Palmieri.
They could not get the equalizer however, and Hossa added an empty netter to seal the victory for the Blackhawks.
With the loss, not only does it end the Ducks’ eight game win streak as a team but it also ends the 14-game personal winning streak of goaltender Hiller.
Anaheim has an opportunity to get right back on the horse, as they play the St. Louis Blues tomorrow night.
Anthony Murphy is the Editor at Pucks of a Feather. You can follow him on Twitter @AMurphyTFC