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Ex-Arizona Coyote Antione Vermette Scores First Goal As Blackhawk

By William Grigsby

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Antione Vermette Finally Scores First Goal Since Joining the Blackhawks… and it Was a BIG ONE

Since Antione Vermette was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes at the trade deadline, he had only 3 assists in 19 games during the regular season. He couldn’t have waited for a more timely moment to put the puck in the net, than the pivotal game four of the playoffs against a tough Nashville team.

Antione Vermette’s goal was a re-direct from a centering pass off the stick of another former Arizona Coyote D-man, Michal Rozival. It tied the score at 1-1 at the time. Antione Vermette was a healthy scratch for the first two playoff games. His ice time has been reduced compared to the 18:59 he averaged while in a Arizona Coyotes uniform, to only 14:04 with his new team.

He may have gained some confidence in his abilities by scoring this important goal. He was in the right spot at the right time. I think his abilities were much more prominent when a member of the Arizona Coyotes, who relied on him as a second line center-man.

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He has been a fourth liner with the Blackhawks. His faceoff won percentage for the two playoff games he’s played has been decent at 52%.

So, the intriguing question becomes will the Blackhawks re-sign him for next season? Or, was he just a “rent-a-player” while Patrick Kane recovered from his broken clavicle? He doesn’t seem to be in the plans for staying with the team, or why sit him out the first two games of the first round of the playoffs?

His numbers were really excellent with the Arizona Coyotes in the playoffs of the ’11-’12 season. He collected five goals, five assists in 16 games, and was instrumental in helping the team make it to the post-season.

With the Blackhawks nearing the salary cap limit…even if it does get raised before next season, it will take some creative financing to fit him into the payroll numbers. They may choose to trade another player, but I see Vermette becoming a free agent, and moving on to another team. He just hasn’t seemed to fit in, for some reason.

Hey… where did the puck go?

For an agonizing three minutes, which seemed at least ten minutes —  Nashville goalie, Pekka Rinne actually lost the puck in his equipment. He dug down deep to try to locate the frozen disc, without much success. Then, the linesman tried to assist, without any luck either… finally he located the puck down deep in his right pad.

Think about how fun it would have been if  TWO active pucks had been in play! Watch it below… and I wonder if he had gone back into his crease and crossed the red goal line, if it would have been called a goal, as what happened to Mike Smith of the Arizona Coyotes. I thought when the referee loses sight of the puck, the whistle is to be blown?? Curious, huh? I have NEVER seen this happen in all my years of watching NHL hockey!

Next: Antione Vermette: Should The Coyotes Offer A Five Year Extension?

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