Toews finally finds the back of net
By Mike Nadel – editorial@nwhearald.com
Things turned out pretty well for Jonathan Toews last season, and things are going OK this year, too. Scoring early in the season, obviously, is overrated.
The Blackhawks’ captain didn’t score a goal in the first dozen games of 2008-09, but still finished with 34 and went on to help the Hawks to their best season in 15 years.
Through the first seven games this season he was goal-less again, but the team was 5-1-1 and leading the Central Division. Saturday, he finally broke through, but his goal couldn‘t prevent the Hawks from losing, 4-3, to the Dallas Stars.
“Three or four games in, people started joking about it,” Toews said. “It was funny then, but when it gets to seven or eight games, well, it’s not so funny any more.
“Now that I got the first one, I just look at it as the floodgates are open and hopefully I’ll start getting a lot of breaks.”
Toews then laughed and added: “I’m on a much better pace than last year.”
Hawks used to own Stars: The Hawks won all four games against Dallas last season. Before that, they hadn’t won a season series against the Stars since 1995-96.
From 1996-97 through 2007-08, the Hawks were 11-28-7 against the Stars, so they’re hoping Saturday’s loss doesn’t start another drought.
