Hawks have owned Flames
By PAUL LADEWSKI - editorial@nwherald.com
CHICAGO – The Blackhawks continued their domination of the Flames, whom they beat eight times in 10 games last season, with Monday’s 6-5 overtime victory at the United Center.
Included was a six-game series in Round 1 of last season’s playoffs. In the process, the Hawks did much to get their former coach, Mike Keenan, fired. After the season, Brent Sutter replaced Keenan as the Flames’ coach.
Shh! The plan to have Tony Esposito, Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Denis Savard skate together before the home opener Saturday was such a top secret that Savard was reluctant to inform even family and friends.
“I told them to watch the game on television because they would see something that they hadn’t seen before,” Savard said.
Hull revealed that he hadn’t been on skates in at least 25 years, and Mikita said it had been 12 years for him. Savard stays active with a youth team in the northwest suburbs.
Sharing the wealth: In the first four games of the season, only Colin Fraser, Tomas Kopecky and Brent Sopel failed to record a point. Patrick Sharp and Kris Versteeg had at least one point in each game.
Hendry sits: Defenseman Jordan Hendry was a healthy scratch for the fourth consecutive game.
