Finally

Yesterday marked the first Game 1 the Hawks have won since the series against Calgary in last year's Western Conference playoffs. Antti Niemi made his season debut against the Sharks and made 44 saves to cap off a 2 to 1 Game One victory. Niemi was huge from start to finish Sunday. His only blunder came 11:19 into the first period when Jason Demers' wrist shot from the top of the right circle sailed over his outstretched blocker and into the top left corner of the net. San Jose, which was on its heels for most of the first 14 minutes of the first period and getting outshot 14-6 by that point, turned it on when Seabrook went to the box. The Sharks kept the puck in the zone and kept firing it at Niemi. He came up with eight saves during the two-minute power play, and none bigger than a miraculous glove stop on Ryane Clowe with 4:13 remaining before the second intermission. HP Pavillion was recently voted the toughest venue to play in for an opposing team, but the boys in white didn't let that faze them one bit. The two goals scored by Sharp and Byfuglien also came against the Sharks number one line, which features "No Show" Joe Thornton as he is commonly known in circles around the league for his lack of postseason scoring, which can be backed up by his -8 put up this year on the road to Lord Stanley's Cup. We will see if Niemi and the Hawks can carry this Game One momentum into Game 2 Tuesday night. If captain Jonathan Toews has anything to say about it, the series will be 2-0 when they return to the Madhouse on Madison. "We're not going to be satisfied with just one win," Toews said. "We want two before we go home."