As rumors build regarding teams’ interest in Blackhawks defensemen, most notably Eric Weinrich, Weinrich had this reply Tuesday night:
“I don’t want to go anywhere. I want to stay here.”
The way he played against Tampa Bay, it would be awfully tough for the Hawks to let him go.
With his team trailing 2-0 late in the second period, Weinrich cut it to 2-1 at 16 minutes 36 seconds. Then he scored the equalizer at 6:50 of the third period as the Hawks pulled out a 2-2 overtime tie, running their unbeaten road streak to start the season to five (3-0-2).
” `Weino’ was excellent,” said Hawks coach Craig Hartsburg. “He’s been real good for us all season.”
He was never better than on his first goal, when he took a pass from Murray Craven in the slot, faked Tampa goaltender Corey Schwab to the left, then went to his right, lifting a backhander into the back of the net.
“Murray is always looking for people to pass to, and it just opened up,” Weinrich said. “The Red Sea parted.”
Then, with the Lightning (5-3-1) trying to hang on in the third period, Weinrich picked up the puck after it was poked away from Ethan Moreau in the deep slot and let fly with a slap shot that Schwab (38 saves) never saw. It was Weinrich’s fourth goal. He had five all last season. “I just got lucky on the second one,” he said.
The luck didn’t continue for the Hawks (6-4-2) with :25 left in overtime. Schwab saved Chris Chelios’ drive from just inside the blue line, then robbed Eric Daze on the rebound.
Tampa’s Dino Ciccarelli beat Ed Belfour (33 saves) twice, the first one during a 5-on-3 advantage at 12:06 of the first period. He added his 558th career goal at 10:55 of the second.
“Coming back from two goals is always tough to do in this league,” said Belfour.
