Chicago Hawkie

@goalnut3133 I think the Hawks will be fine. The injuries as of late are a challenge but I think the Hawks will rise above it.

@goalnut3133 You're welcome! Thank you for the link! I didn't find much online at the time testerday and I don't subscribe to the Trib (mainly because I can go to the Trib website and hence not use up paper). It will be a good game vs. the Stars and I think Raanta will stand on his head.

@jammer2 Raanta signed a 1-year entry level contract with the Hawks this summer. I hope the Hawks hang on to him.

@jammer2 I hope your prediction will be right on! From what I've heard (which is not much since I only caught bits and pieces of the sportscast since coming home from work followed by a "detour" to the local pub afterward for a dinner and beer), Crow will be out about 3-5 weeks. I think he pulled or strained something ... hip flexor, perhaps? Or something similar.

Very interesting! Especially given the teams' playoff history, notably in the 1970s.

Not again!! The Hawks will go to Big D yet again to meet the Stars tomorrow night. The Hawks have done well vs. Dallas overall, but each game has gotten tougher and we lost the most recent game 4-3 last week on Antoine Roussel's penalty shot.

The Blackhawks called up goalie Kent Simpson following the injury to Corey Crawford. I'm not sure how long Crow will be out ... maybe for a few weeks. Antti Raanta has taken the #1 goalie spot for now as Crow recovers, with Simpson to back him up.

Hawks win! Hawks won the game 6-2, with 3 power play goals. The PK was better, also, with 5 kills. The Hawks scored 2 goals in each period.

@JulesOmlam Hi! Welcome to HockeyForums! That sounds a lot like my Wings fan brother and I ... of course, he could just be talking a mess because I'm his sister and that's what brothers do. He'll even call me just to laugh at me if he's watching a game involving the Hawks and the Hawks get scored on.

Hawks stay in control after two with a 4-2 lead The Hawks had a 3-0 lead beginning the second period, then had to weather a storm when the Panthers narrowed the lead to 3-2. The Hawks went up 4-2 on a goal by Handzus.

@hf101 I hope it's nothing much, but Crow was unable to move his leg much after the injury, so it's possible that it may be a knee injury rather than a groin injury. Neither one is good, though ...

Hawks lead 2-0 after one The Blackhawks scored two power play goals (Good for the special teams!) to go up 2-0. On the downside, Crow went down with an undisclosed injury with about 6 minutes to go in the period and Antti Raanta had to take over.

I hope the Hawks' game tonight against Florida won't be like this ...

@yave1964 I only saw a tiny bit of the recap, but I agree with you on all those points. What a nasty game this was ... they'll have to have a second "NHL Rivals" episode on this series because it has gotten even nastier. THis rivalry was starting to spin out of control during the conference finals last June.

After a busy day at work and a snowy trip home, I am glad to watch some hockey ... and it's going to be "one of those great 6 o'clock starts". The Hawks won their previous game against the Panthers 3-2 in a shootout, but have lost three in a row while the Panthers have won two in a row. One of those losses was in a shootout, however. One glaring area in need of improvement for the Hawks is special teams, particularly the penalty killing. I think Coach Q should have blamed the recent loss to Minnesota on the need for better special teams instead of on Crow. The best \way to kill penalties is not to take them in the first place ...

It was amazing that the Hawks even made it a 7-game series after being down 3 games to none. I think Kane may have grown up a bit after that series. I was not cool with some of the stuff going around about him at that time and even read some op-eds in the Trib then saying that he should get out of town before he gets run out of it.

Bummer ... The Hawks lost in a shootout 4-3, but at least got a point. This game seemed kind of choppy to me and did not have much flow, at least not for the Hawks ... but that could just be because I was tired from work and my subsequent attention span was lacking.

@yave1964 "Don't know why they didn't save Crawford back for this one instead of playing him at the wild last night" I agree, and not only that but it seems, according to the local media, that there may be a goalie controversy (oh goodness, NO!) because Coach Q expressed his dissatisfaction about Crow's game vs. the Wild at a press conference after that game. That, to me, was very un-Q, not like him at all IMO, so I think Q was just frustrated about the loss and did not think much about what he was saying. I think the media here are making this into the dreaded goalie controversy ... I'm sure Q will clarify this issue soon.

@goalnut3133 "Sorry they lost this one, bud! I missed the game but my reasons were less morose than yours, was at the mall for Xmas shopping, heh heh! (Well, also at the dentist there, patooey!)" Especially that part about going to the dentist . Wait ... that would be more morose ... (Wow, we actually won the Yotes tonite, can't believe it! lol) Next games for usses is Sunday nite...Panthers for you, Avs for us...hmm, I wonder if Nucks will get out alive? :unsure: I wish your Canucks the best against Colorado. The Avs IMO have taken the Hawks' nemesis spot away from the Edmonton Oilers.We lost 6-2 to the Avs last year and lost 5-2 thus far this year. Can it be Sunday right now? I'm in hockey withdrawal until them ...

@goalnut3133 Well, I'm glad you liked one of my quotes ... . I'll have to use one of your quotes in a sig sometime, because I like reading your posts. I was very surprised by Q after this game. To blame a goalie like that, especially one who has had so much to prove in the past like Crow just did not seem like Q. The media here are starting to stir with rumors of the dreaded goalie controversy because Q started Raanta in last night's game vs. the Ducks. I think Crow just needs a break.

Game tied at one going into 2nd period The Ducks scored first when Cory Perry scored on a setup from Ryan Getzlaf. That lead was erased 45 second later when Ben Smith tied it. Unfortunately, I have to hit the hay after the second period because I have to be well-rested for work tomorrow ... quack quack quack.

@goalnut3133 I don't know where Kaner was, but I think I need to use my magnifying glass to find him in that game ... . It was a battle of special teams ... that's what it came down to, and special teams have been our Achilles' heel. Coach Q seemed to put more of the blame on Crow than I think he should have. Perhaps Q was just really frustrated? It appeared that Q didn't even stop to think before saying to the media that he thought Crow could have been better. And don't worry, I won't say anything about your secret favorite team ... Oh, I just noticed you have a quote from me on your sig ... COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!

@hf101 Scandella is a Hawks killer if I've ever heard of one ...

@TropicalFruitGirl26 Thank you and congratulations to your Wild! It was a good, well-played game by your team and they deserved every bit of that win.

@Rink Rat That's very possible! I have a boss ... actually more of my bosses' boss, who is a Canucks fan and this is exactly what he noticed, that the West is a very tough conference this year. We were talking about it today, in fact ...