Chicago failed in their attempt to maintain home ice advantage in their second round match-up with the Detroit Red Wings after falling Saturday afternoon 4-1.
Unable to capitalize off Patrick Kane’s first period tally giving the Blackhawks the lead Chicago from there was only able to muster 20 shots against Jimmy Howard who shut the door after a stellar Game 1 despite the four goals against.
Now there’s no doubt that Blackhawks’ captain Jonathan Toews would like his team to play better, but he’s pointing the finger at the officiating who in his mind seem to be calling a lopsided affair.
(via Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times)
“There’s a lot of clutch and grab, lot of interference, and if they’re going to let that go, that’s something we need to know,” Toews said. “It’s just tough to understand sometimes why we get roughing and hooking penalties, [and] that doesn’t go both ways.”
“If that’s the way they’re going to play, we need to play the same way.”
The bottom line is there were calls missed on both sides, that’s playoff hockey. Nonetheless it’s been a bitch-fest this postseason when it comes to the officiating.
Game 3 is scheduled for Monday night in Detroit.