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The Hawks reminded the Minnesota Wild, and perhaps the rest of the NHL, tonight why they're the Stanley Cup champions with a convincing 5-1 thumping in St. Paul.
Second year forward Brandon Saad was one of a number of Hawk heroes, putting on a skills clinic, with a goal and a gorgeous, no-look, backhand assist setting up a tap-in goal for Patrick Kane.
But there were many stars for the Hawks tonight: Corey Crawford with 29 saves on 30 Wild shots, Kane with a goal and an assist, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp who combined on the first Hawk goal. Native Minnesotan Nick Leddy got his first goal of the season on a big blast from just above the left circle.
Kane and Saad were centered by rookie Brandon Pirri on a new second line that had obvious success.
Oddly enough, the Hawks were outshot, outhit and lost the faceoff battle—but won the war with quick, smart puck movement up and down the ice. At times in this game, the Hawks echoed last year, where at times they looked like they had six players to the opponents' five—the kind of hockey Joel Quenneville wants to play with his star-studded lineup.
This was a big—and needed—win for the Hawks, pushing their record to 7-2-3, with a home game against the Senators tomorrow night.
I'll be back tomorrow. All for now,
JJ
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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