Blackhawks Win By Seven — Yes, Seven — Goals In Switzerland

Exhibition test in Davos isn't much of a test at all

If a completely random and unrelated exhibition game in Switzerland is any indication of how the Blackhawks' 2009-10 season will go -- and it isn't -- then the Hawks can expect plenty of good things in the coming year.

In the meantime, they can relish a confidence-building 9-2 drubbing over HC Davos, Switzerland's national champs, in the teams' exhibition Monday afternoon. Patrick Kane and Radek Smolenak both scored two goals, while Troy Brouwer, Patrick Sharp and Brian Campbell each had a goal and an assist of their own.

What did the Hawks expect from the game? Kane told the Blackhawks' Web site the team had no idea what to expect, and so a 9-2 blowout was a pleasant surprise:

"We had some pretty good speed out there and made some nice plays," Kane said. "Going in you don't really know what to expect, especially against a team you've never seen before and a league you've never seen before. It was a good performance by our team."

Of course, there's not very much to learn about the Blackhawks from a foreign exhibition blowout, and it's doubtful the Hawks will learn much about themselves. But if there is one lasting benefit to come from this game, it's the opportunity it's provided local copy writers to mine Swiss stereotypes for headline gold. Our favorite comes from the Sun-Times, which gave its story on the game last night the very awesome: "Hawks Work Like Swiss Watch in 9-2 Win." Well played, S-T. Well played.

Eamonn Brennan is a Chicago-based writer, editor and blogger. You can also read him at Yahoo! Sports, Mouthpiece Sports Blog, and Inside The Hall, or at his personal site, eamonnbrennan.com. Follow him on Twitter.

Copyright FREEL - NBC Local Media
Contact Us