Oh Buff.  Even I’m coming around on you this season.  Enjoy this commercial:

h/t: Andrew

After going 9-3-0 while playing 11 of 12 games on the road, the Blackhawks fell in their return to Chicago 2-1 to Minnesota.  The Hawks dominated the first period and a half, but an ineffective power play and great goaltending proved critical in the loss.

Wild goaltender Josh Harding stopped 44 of the 45 shots the Hawks sent his way and was a major factor in killing off all eight of Chicago’s power plays.

The shaky power play is a familiar problem for the Blackhawks this season, but on that seems to occur less frequently as the season goes along.  The absence of Patrick Sharp doesn’t help, especially when facing the Wild and their league leading penalty kill.

Jonathan Toews opened the scoring at 10:03 of the second period, with assists to Havlat and Kane.  Hey, are they still doing that million dollar giveaway for a goal at 10:00 of the second?  It was pretty damn close to happening again, and on the Hawks only goal as well.  The Blackhawks enjoyed the lead for all of about 2:45 before Minnesota tied it up on the power play.

In the third period, the Hawks outshot the Wild 15 to 6, but it was Minnesota’s Peter Olvecky that recorded the only goal.  The game winner was Olvecky’s first NHL goal.  Congratulations kid, you son of a bitch!

Huet was in net again for Chicago and has started every game since Khabibulin’s injury.  He wasn’t terrible, but you have to wonder if he is getting tired since he hasn’t started a string of games like this all season. We’ll see if he gets the nod Tuesday night when the Hawks travel to Nashville.

After the brutal road stretch, the Blackhawks have 16 of their last 24 games at the United Center.  They remain 10 points behind the Red Wings in the Central and they’re tied with Calgary for the third most points in the Western Conference.  While a four seed  is the highest the Hawks can hope for if they don’t catch the Wings, it would be nice to have home ice for at least the first round.