Winnipeg front and centre when Hawks plays Canucks

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/10/2009 (6057 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CHICAGO — You know how Winnipeg is sometimes called the ‘Chicago of the North’?

Well, it was a lot more like Chicago was the ‘Winnipeg of the South’ here last night as the Blackhawks played the Vancouver Canucks and the requirement for meaningful participation in the game was apparently a connection to Winnipeg.

Consider:
–Winnipeg-born Blackhawks defenceman Duncan Keith notched a goal and an assist in a 3-2 loss to the Canucks.

–Winnipeg born and raised Blackhawks defenceman Cam Barker set up the Keith goal, feathering a perfect pass to Keith for the one-timer from the blue line.

–Winnipeg born Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews was at the centre of a Hawks meltdown that saw his club take a string of dumb penalties and blow a 2-1 lead in the second half of the third period after Toews was belted at centre ice by the Canucks Willie Mitchell, who’d just stepped out of the penalty box, six minutes into the third.

It was a sickening site as Toews struggled to his feet and tried to get to the Hawks bench, only to splay out on the ice again. Toews left the game and never returned.

Barker told me after the game that Toews was up and around. “He looks alright,” Barker said. “Obviously he didn’t see him and it’s always a threat when guys come out of the box like that. You’ve got to be aware. It’s tough.”

–Michael Grabner, who was wearing a Manitoba Moose uniform just two weeks ago, scored his first ever NHL goal to tie the game after the Toews hit, firing a shot from the top of the circle midway through the third to beat Hawks netminder Antti Niemi.

The goal came on a night in which Grabner had a partial breakaway and was in alone on Niemi two other times only to come away empty.

Not surprisingly, Grabner seemed more relieved than elated to finally get his first NHL goal when I caught up with him afterward. “I had a lot of chances and it was nice to finally get it in there,” Grabner said. “It’s a lot harder to score in this league. It’s big time, so hopefully now that I got the first one out of the way, I can score a lot more now.

“And it’s the first road win for us so hopefully we can keep going.”
The Canucks were 0-4 on the road until last night.

Canucks coach Alain Vigneault had good things to say about Grabner after the game. “Michael, since he’s been with us, has played well,” Vigneault said. “He’s generated scoring chances, he’s using his speed. And hopefully this first goal will be the start of more things to come for him.”