Blackhawks bury Kings with three goals in third period

November 9, 11:25 PMChicago Blackhawks ExaminerDieter Kurtenbach

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The man of the hour, Troy Brouwer, celbrates his goal. (AP/Arbogast)

The Blackhawks entered Monday night's game against the upstart Los Angeles Kings with many questions: Would Ben Eager or Jonathan Toews play? How about Dave Bolland? Is Cristobal Huet for real? And ultimately, What the hell is the matter with the powerplay?

Two of those questions were answered when the starting lineups were announced. The Blackhawks' captain, Toews, and resident goon, Eager, were back after missing time with concussions. Kris Versteeg would play centerman in the stead of Dave Bolland, who's back incapacitated him for play.

Early into the first period, the third question was answered. The Blackhawks early play was sloppy and Huet was tested.  He stood strong in the crease, making it very apparent his swagger came with him to the game. He would finish with 17 saves.

After a scoreless first period, the Blackhawks started the middle frame quickly. Duncan Keith picked up a turnover in the Blackhawk defensive zone and made a tape to tape outlet pass to Troy Brouwer at center ice,  who moved the puck up to John Madden. Madden cut into the zone and at the bottom of the right wing circle put a deft backhand shot between the pads of Kings' goaltender Jonathan Quick as Andrew Ladd stormed the crease. Madden's goal came on a manageable shot for Quick, but Ladd's unmarked presence altered the goalie's positioning and allowed Madden's shot to exploit the newfound vulnerability.

The Kings went on the powerplay soon there after and the NHL's leading scorer, Anze Kopitar, showed why he is such a potent scoring threat. On the powerplay, Kopitar slipped in behind the defense, skated into the crease and put home a Drew Doughty slapshot rebound just as fast as Huet made the pad save. Kopitar, the silent assassin, tied the inactive Alexander Ovechkin for the NHL lead in goals with that, his 14th tally of the year.

For two high flying offenses, the first two periods offered only two goals and enough turnovers to overload a bakesale. The Blackhawks started the third period with 1:55 remaining of their first man advantage of the game. With all the questions surrounding the powerplay, coach Joel Quenneville and the Blackhawks found an answer - Troy Brouwer.

With just over 20 seconds remaining on the powerplay, Patrick Sharp, working uncontested at the top of the left wing circle, shot for Brouwer's stick. As Brouwer battled for positioning in front of the Kings net, he was able to tip the puck past Quick, shortside, for his fourth goal of the season. It was  his second tally of the year on the powerplay.

The Blackhawks had another man advantage minutes later, when Brouwer drew a hooking penalty from Kopitar. On the Blackhawks' second powerplay, a battle for the puck in the Blackhawks' offensive zone was won by Brouwer. The power-forward tipped the puck to Jonathan Toews, who went to his backhand as he crossed the crease in front of Quick, tucking the puck in behind the goalie.

The Blackhawks put a fourth on the board, and like the two other third period goals, the play emanated from the left wing circle. Andrew Ebbett scored his first goal as a Blackhawk when Brian Cambpell caught Quick being too aggressive. Campbell's shot went wide right of the right goalpost, but hit Ebbett directly in the chest, and the puck deflected in.

The Kings stood no chance to come back. The game was tied heading into the third period, but the Blackhawks utterly dominated every facet of those 20 minutes- scoring three goals and only allowing the Kings to fire off two shots.

Feathers in the Headdress
Third Star - Andrew Ebbett
The diminutive Ebbett played his tail off on Monday and was rewarded with his first goal as a Blackhawk. All 5-foot-9 of Ebbett is being asked to play a fourth-line winger role for the Blackhawks, a role few expected him to be able to perform at. Ebbett's stats might not be showing it, but he is proving that hard work is still the most important asset in the NHL, and it is very apparent that no one on the ice is working harder than Andrew Ebbett.

Second Star - Brian Campbell
Last season the Blackhawks seemed to go as Brian Campbell's play went. As a team that wins games with their neutral zone breakout and powerplay, the Blackhawks needed Brian Campbell to lead the way. Tonight was the first night of the season that Campbell has taken over the offensive pace of the game. Back and forth, back and forth - it was right in Campbell's wheelhouse, and he made the Kings pay for giving him room to skate. Campbell had an assist, two blocked shots and 24:37 of total ice time, which lead the team.

First Star - Troy "Truck" Brouwer
TRADE WATCH 2010!!! Has a new front-runner, and it's Dustin Byfuglien. Why? Because Troy Brouwer has taken over as the team's preeminent power forward. After the Blackhawks loss to the Predators on the 29th, I questioned why Troy Brouwer was not lining up on the powerplay. That's because he had scored against Minnesota on the 26th, and a month of Tomas Kopecky not finishing left Blackhawks fans, and myself, looking for an answer. Brouwer sees one shift and scores. It sounded like a winning formula to me. It took Joel Quenneville four games,  but he went back to the successful formula and it worked again - the Blackhawks had three powerplays, Brouwer scored points on two. Add in his primary assist on Madden's goal in the second, and Troy Brouwer is your first star of the game. In this season of questions, one thing has proven to be true: Troy Brouwer=powerplay success.

For more info: twitter.com/dkurtenbach