Chicago Hawkie

See I like the combo in Chicago! I think Ed Olczyk is one of the best color commentators in today's NHL

This may sound weird, but I think Ed Olczyk reminds me a bit of Mickey Redmond with how he analyzes the games.  They both give hockey tips that begin with "All you young hockey players out there ...".

Why are the following series my Blackhawks favorite?

2013 Hawks-Bruins

I liked this one because it was an Original Six matchup.  Original Six playoff matchups are becoming more and more of a rarity, particularly in the Western Conference since the Hawks are now the only O6 team in the conference.  That alone gave this Finals matchup penty of intrigue.

2013 Hawks-Wings

An Original Six playoff matchup - between two historic archrivals.  What more is there to say?  I was going back and forth over the phone with my dad and brother over this.  My dad was to work a golf tournament in Alabama on the following week and told me he expected to see the Blackhawks there ... but I think he saw his Wings there instead. 

2010 Hawks-Flyers

In 1997, the Wings faced the Flyers in the Cup finals and ended a 42-year drought.  Likewise, the Hawks ended a lengthy Cup drought against the Flyers.

2010 Hawks-Canucks

This was part of the Hawks-Canucks rivalry.  This series went back and forth, with each team getting a blowout win in the series.  The Chicago media had a field day with this series, as well. especially after the Hawks won one of those games 7-4.    The Canucks had the last laugh vs. the Hawks in the playoffs in the following year, however (That was perhaps my favorite Blackhawks playoff series that the Hawks lost).

Does anyone have any funny stories about when their team's coach, or any team's coach, blew their stack on TV, either during a game or a press conference?

I thought this thread up today as I was watching the rest of the Hawks-Rangers game and how Rangers coach Alain Vigneault kind of reminds me of Marc Crawford. 

Marc Crawford, of course, was the former Colorado Avalanche (and Vancouver Canucks) coach who blew his top during a game agsint the Red Wings (I think it was a playoff game, if I'm rigjht ... Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, maybe?) when he got into a shouting match with Scotty Bowman (I think he also got into a similar shouting match the following year with then-Edmonton Oilers coach Ron Low during a first-round playoff game, but I may be wrong on this one).

Bummmmmmmmmmerrrrr ...

The Blackhawks gave up a goal late and lost 3-2.  What was interesting was that shortly before the winning goal, the commentators were saying that the Blackhawks were trying to be too fine and make the picture-perfect play.  The Rangers didn't have to try to go to those lengths to win the game, however.

The commentators also mentioned abput how quiet it seemed at the UC.  Maybe the fans were as tentative as the team, perhaps?

I never know what will happen when the team plays the Rangers.  This was also the case when I was living in Michigan and cheering for the Wings back in the day.  I never know what we're going to get with the Rangers - they're so unpredictable, in my opinion.  Two years ago, the Blackhawks had an unbelievable 9-game losing streak going inot a game vs. the Rangers in New Yorks and then won that game (I think it was a 5-2 final but I may be wrong).

This one should be very interesting - mainly because Alain Vigneault is behind the Rangers' bench.  I think Vigneault is a major factor behind the Hawks' rivalry with the Vancouver Canucks in recent years.  It will be interesting to see if any of that nastiness is evident in the game vs. the Rangers tomorrow night.

Hawks lose 3-2 in shootout

This one ended in a sister-kisser, especially since the Hawks had a lead at one point.  I was hoping that this game would be a "Battle of the Anttis" ... maybe next time.  This was a pretty even game, with a nasty edge to it at times ... could have playoff implications, perhaps?

The Hawks won the first game against the Shaaaaarks in this series rather convincingly, so what will happen in this rematch?  I hope it will be a battle of the Anttis - Antti Raanta vs. Antti Niemi.  That will be very interesting, since I think both goalies are very alike in the way they play the game.

This is a great thread topic!

I like the Chicago tandem of Pat Foley and Ed Olczyk.  Yeah, they may seem a bit "homer-ish" (as my Wings fan dad believes, to a point), but they also tell it like it is.  For example, if a call goes against the Hawks but it is the right call, they will say so.  If a Hawks takes a stupid penalty, they will say so.

I will probably comment on this thread later, also.

Sharp does it again!

For the second time in a week, Patrick "Hat-Trick" Sharp scored a hat trick to put the Hawks over the Devils 5-3.

Despite the hat trick, this game was closer than the score shows.  The Devils cut the Hawks' lead to 4-3 in the third period before Sharpie capped off his hat trick.

@TropicalFruitGirl26

"I also believe that Alain Vigneault has an affinity for a certain type of...ahem...donkey rear end player (i.e. Alex Burrows, Matt Cooke, Todd Bertuzzi as examples), and thus, I find myself not at all surprised to see Carcillo now picked up by the Rangers."

That is so true ... . 

Hawks fall to Islanders in OT, 3-2

Kyle Okposo was a name I heard all evening long in this game as he and John Tavares were key players in this game.  The Islanders kind of looked like those early 1980s teams that won 4 Cups, and not at all like a team that is statistically 29th in the league in goals-allowed.

Those kinds of statistics can be tossed out the window sometimes ...

The Hawks played well, but the Islanders played much better.

I enjoyed watching the game, along with the two alumni games, on NBC sports network.  Since it was a cold, snowy day in Chicago, I was happy to spend the day at home, watching hockey and loading up on some warm coffee (and a beer ).

I noticed that many Winter Classics have been tight, low-scoring games ... with the exception of the Hawks-Wings game at Wrigley Field in 2009.

I'm way late with this since I just got home, but this should be an interesting match.  The Hawks won big in the first matchup, but I think the Devils will harken back to their mid-'90s form and play a trapping game in order to stonewall the Hawks.

Speaking of stonewall ... Antti Raanta will be in goal for this second of back-to-back games.

The Islanders are a hard team to figure out, so I'm not sure how this one will play out.  The Islanders played a tight game vs. the Hawks in October, although the Hawks won the game.  John Tavares is the Islander to watch out for in this game.

For the Hawks, Corey Crawford is expected to return.  We'll see if Crow shows any rust after sitting out with an injury for a month.

Raanta nets first shutout

Antti Raanta nearly notched a shutout in the first game of this season vs. the Kings, then went ahead and shut out the Kings in this one.  Brandon Saad scored the game's only goal on a twisted wrister.

@bunnyman

I certainly hope it's not that way if our teams meet in the playoffs.     If it's one thing I can't stand, it's when teams throw away games by taking needless penalties.  I do hope our teams meet in the playoffs, though ... because it will be an epic throwdown of a matchup! 

It's time for a rematch between the Hawks and Kings!  The Hawks had the upper hand in the previous game, 3-1 on Dec. 15th, and Antti Raanta nearly had a shutout.  How will this one go?

I'm not a big fan of shootouts, but this one was particularly bitter.

The Hawks are going to have to figure out how to beat the Blues, because it's more than likely going to be these two teams squaring off during the playoffs.

I'm glad I didn't make a signature bet on this game ...

Maybe it would have been different if the Hawks hadn't began a parade to the penalty box.  THe Blues' tying goal was on the power play. 

I think this game will be tough.  The Blues have taken both games thus far in the series, and they play well as a team, all around.  The Hawks have been playing much better as a team compared to early in the season, as well.

Will the Hawks continue to sing the blues against St. Louis, or will this series take on a whole new tune?  We shall see ...

Hawks down Avs 7-2

What a game for Patrick "Hat Trick" Sharp!  Sharp scored a hat trick ... on his birthday!  Jonathan Toews also scored twice.  Antti Raanta was in goal for the game.

I didn't expect a blowout win against Colorado, either, so this was fun to watch. 

Yay!  There will be hockey here in Chicago both tonight and tomorrow night after the Christmas break!  Let's go HAWKS!! 

What will happen in this game?  Will the Hawks finally turn the tables against the Avs?  Or will Paul Stastny the Nasty (scoreboard-wise vs. the Hawks) keep sticking it to us?
 

This game will be at the United Center, so maybe we might have a better chance than if it were at Pepsi Center.

I'll post more on this thread later in the week, but for now, I'll go with:

2013 Hawks-Bruins

2013 Hawks-Wings

2010 Hawks-Flyers

2010 Hawks-Canucks

I'll discuss these and more on this thread later ...

@goalnut3133

Hi goalnut! 

I think that differential might not be so good against Colorado, the Hawks' next opponent, though.  The Avalanche are taking the #1 Chicago nemesis team ranking from the Oilers.  Stastny is a Hawks killer.