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hokkeynutt

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  1. hokkeynutt
    This was brought to my attention via an email received earlier today and I wanted to share it with all of you. First let me state that, the Mighty Blackhawks do an outstanding job of supporting and honoring our military, and tonight will provide another example of the organization helping a veteran and raising awareness for a great cause.
    At each home Blackhawks game there is an active-duty member of the Armed Forces as well as a veteran in attendance during the singing of the National Anthem by Jim Cornelison. Tonight, prior to Hawks facing the Minnesota Wild, Evergreen Park resident Lance Corporal Luis Ocasio will be standing on the ice for this special honor.
    Luis Ocasio has served two tours of duty in Iraq, one in 2004 and another in 2007. During his deployment he suffered a traumatic brain injury and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. His transition back to civilian life, like many veterans, has been challenging and he’s still working to make ends meet financially so he can provide for his wife and children.
    A few months ago Luis noticed his furnace was no longer functioning properly and with the cold winter quickly approaching he knew he had to swallow his pride and ask for help. With the assistance of the Hines VA Hospital, Luis got in contact with the Helping Our Heroes charitable foundation. Nancy Neimoth, Director of Helping our Heroes, immediately contacted the Heat for Heroes program and within weeks a new furnace was on its way to the Ocasio family.
    Heat for Heroes is an effort of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Chicago (MCA) and the members of Pipefitters Local 597. Their mission is to donate time and materials to repair home heating and cooling systems for eligible military personnel.
    "I thought getting a new furnace was such a blessing, but now I’m being honored at a Blackhawks game. The Heat for Heroes program has really gone above and beyond for me and my family."
    For more information about Heat for Heroes or to find out if you are eligible, please visit www.mca.org.
  2. hokkeynutt
    Last night, Blackhawks winger Viktor Stalberg recorded a Hat Trick giving him seven goals this season against the Jackets. He only has twelve on the season and was quoted after the game, "I wish it was like that every night!" I am sure he was referring to his goal output and not playing the 82 games against the Jackets. The Hawks PK killed all five of the Jackets power plays including a four minute pp in the first period when Montador was given an additional two minutes for instigating the fight with a face shield against Boll and an additional two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Hawks PK was expected to perform well against the worst team in the League and did so. The Hawks earned two points last night and the Blue Jackets just might have been the Preparation H that this Hawks team needed, we shall see.
    Kane Watch: Kaner has three goals in 24 games and this should be his time to shine with Sharpie being out. Last night Kane did have an assist on Stalberg's goal but as I stated in my previous post, he is making bad decisions on the ice and is playing Bantam hockey. sh!t, even recently called up Jimmy Hayes is playing better then Kane. Coach Q, you must send Kaner with a cap hit of $6.3MM, a message now and sit him a game!
    Odds and Ends:
    - The Blue Jackets out shot the Hawks 34-25
    - The Hawks were 0/5 on the power play. (UGH!!!)
    - Tazer won 11 of 15 face offs to continue his league lead.
    - The Hawks are now tied for the Central division lead (55 points) as the Blues blanked the Canadiens 3-0 and the Deadwings lost to the Islanders 5-1.
    - The Hawks next game will be Thursday when they play host to the Minnesota Wild.
    Thanks for reading.
    Scott
  3. hokkeynutt
    The Hawks are on a four-game losing streak and have dropped five of their last six overall and tonight they face the Blue Jackets and the debut of interim coach Todd Richards, who took over for the fired Scott Arniel on Monday. Usually, when playing a team that has just changed coaches you worry about that teams players coming out with so much piss and vinegar to try and impress the new guy. Not sure how the Jackets will perform but if you recall when the Blues hired Hitchcock, the Hawks played the Blues the next night and were driven out of St Louis with a 3-0 loss. The Blue Jackets come into tonight's game with the fewest points in the league and are 2-8-1 in their last eleven games.
    Coach Q has juggled lines quite a bit tonight due to the broken wrist suffered Sunday by Sharpie and the suspension of Carcillo (tonight he serves game four of a seven game suspension). I further expect Q to shuffle the lines around as the game progresses. The Hawks cannot take the Jackets lightly tonight, if they do the Hawks would lose their fifth straight game, something they have not done since March 13-20, 2009.
    　
    Tonight's Expected Hawks Lineup:
    Stalberg - Toews - Kane
    Smith - Frolik - Hossa
    Bickell - Bolland - Shaw
    Brunette - Mayers - Hayes
    D-Men:
    Keith - Seabrook
    Leddy - Hjalmarsson
    Scott - O'Donnell
    Netminder:
    The Crow
    Odds and Ends:
    - In the last meeting between the two teams the Hawks won 4-1
    - Trade Rumors are all over the net. Some Hawks being mentioned are Bolland, Bickel, Stalberg, Leddy, Hjalmarsson, Frolik, prospects Brian Connelly, Shawn Lalonde and Philippe Paradis. One rumor melting the ice is Hawks sending Dave Bolland, Viktor Stalberg and prospect Shawn Lalonde to Florida for Stephen Weiss and a mid-round draft pick.
    Thanks for reading!
    Go Hawks!
    Scott
  4. hokkeynutt
    Wow what a rough weekend for the Blackhawks. On Friday, the Hawks could not escape the Avalanche at the UC and were shutout 4-0 and last night they gave up a two goal lead to the Deadwings and lost 3-2 OT. During last night's game with the Wings, Sharpie absorbed a slash on his left arm as he scored the second Hawks goal. No penalty was called. Moments ago we learned that Sharpie will be out 3-4 weeks. It is believed that he has a broken wrist.
    The Hawks are now on a four-game losing streak and are watching teams glide past them in the Central Division standings.
    It is becoming more evident that the Hawks (as I have said before) could use a second line center and they need another top 4 defenseman in the worst way. And now add to the mix a left wing, given the fact that Sharpie is out up to four weeks.
    Hawk fans these are just some of the issues facing the Hawks. Another issue is the overall team character, although improved over last year, some are still a a bit lazy and undisciplined as compared to other top teams in the league. Example, it is becoming evident is that Patrick Kane needs a firecracker lit under his ass. He has three goals in 23 games and his back-check is terrible and in my opinion, he is making bad decisions and playing poor hockey. Hey Q, send him a message and sit him a game!
    Hawks' fans, nothing is going to get easier any time soon. After Columbus and Minnesota this week, here’s how it looks, in order: at Detroit, vs San Jose, vs Buffalo, vs Florida, at Nashville, vs Nashville, at Vancouver.
    Stay tuned tomorrow as the Blue Jackets come into town.
    Thanks for reading.
    Scott
  5. hokkeynutt

    Mountain Climbin?

    By hokkeynutt,

    Tonight, the Hawks will try to climb out of a 2 game losing skid, going 1-3-0 in their last 4 games. How quickly things change for a team that had a dominant December.
    The Avs are currently one of the NHL's hottest teams right now and invade the Madhouse on Madison. With an 8-2 record in their last 10 games and a three-game winning streak, it's clear things are clicking for the Mountain Men. Goalie Semyon Varlamov is expected to be the net minder tonight and is 13-13-1 with a 2.96 gaa and .900 save %. The Avs last played Monday night winning in a shoot out in LA 2-1.
    For the Hawks, the short time home should be enough time to reflect on last night's loss and regroup for tonight's challenge. I expect Andrew Shaw and Dylan Olsen to be again in the lineup tonight. The Hawks did not provide themselves with a PP (ranked 15th in the league) last night so tonight I expect to see how Coach Q's moving Kaner to the second power-play unit works out tonight (the PP is 1-for-21 in the past 6 games). Note, the PK ranks 26th in the league at 78.3%...OUCH.
    Tonight's Expected Hawks Lineup:
    Shaw - Toews - Hossa
    Sharp - Kane - Stalberg
    Bickell - Bolland - Frolik
    Brunette - Mayers - Hayes
    D-Men:
    Keith - Seabrook
    Leddy - Hjalmarsson
    Olsen - O'Donnell
    Brick Layer:
    The Crow
    Odds and Ends:
    - The Hawks are 4-0 on Friday night Home games
    - The Avs have won their last 3 road games.
    - In the last meeting between the two teams at the UC, the Avs escaped with a 5-4 SO victory.
    - The Crow has stopped 51 of 56 shots while going 1-0-1 against the Avs this season.
    - Kane finally scored last night (thats 3 goals in his last 21 games).
    - Car Bomb's knee injury have many believing that he may have played his last game in a Hawks' jersey. I have no opinion on this yet.
    Just a thought... here's a new drinking game: Every time a Hawks forward shoots a point blank shot wide, take a shot. Bonus: If the wide shot results in an opponents rush the other way, chug your chaser before all Hawk forwards make it back into the defensive zone. If the last player back is Scott or Lepisto drink again. An alternative to this game... Every time the Hawks are scrambling in their defensive zone (with players out of position) take a shot. Bonus: If the Hawks' escape the scrambling and rush up ice on a 2-1 and score chug your chaser.
    Thanks for reading!
    Go Hawks!
    Scott
  6. hokkeynutt

    That Hurt!

    By hokkeynutt,

    Hawks vs Flyers Recap:
    The Negatives:
    - The Hawks allowed 46 shots (21 in the second period) in an uneven performance defensively that should have general manager Stan Bowman stepping up his efforts to find defensive help. I have been stating this for some time now. Stan are you listening?
    - Razor was exposed by a team that had the skill and patience to get him to move laterally. All 5 Flyer goals forced Razor to move post to post.
    - After going 15 games without a regulation loss when scoring first, the Hawks have now lost their last two.
    - Kane was called for a high sticking penalty with under two minutes left in regulation and vanRiemsdyk scored his second goal of the game with just under 33 seconds left.
    　
    The Positives:
    - In a game that saw the Hawks' Andrew Shaw and Dylan Olsen make their NHL debuts Thursday night, it was Shaw that made a big impression. On just his second NHL shift, Shaw was challenged by Flyers tough guy Zac Rinaldo. Unfortuantely for the big hearted Shaw, he needed some repair work after the scrap was broken up (big left cut over his left eye upon receiving a haymaker that cleanly landed from Rinaldo. Shaw exited the rink to the locker room only to returned to the game later. For Shaw made up for losing the fight by fighting hard to get a puck out from behind the Flyers' net and scored his first NHL goal in the second period. The score gave Chicago a 2-1 lead that would last only 17 seconds.
    - Hayes scored his second NHL goal in his second NHL game
    - Kane finally scores (3 goals in his last 21 games)
    　
    Avalanche/Hawks write-up to come later.
    Thanks for reading.
    Go Hawks!
    Scott
  7. hokkeynutt
    Tonight,for the first time since the 2010 Stanley Cup Final, the beloved Blackhawks travel to the Wells Fargo Center to take on the Philadelphia Flyers (22-11-4).
    Regarding the Flyers, they skaters in orange are a tough, physical and skilled team that is built for the playoffs. As you know, this is the kind of team that gives the Hawks, as currently composed, a lot of problems.
    For the Hawks there are some changes to the lineup as they try to regroup from Monday's loss to the Oilers and Car Bomb's 7 game suspension. As I posted yesterday, Coach Q plans to start the Razor (Emery) in net against Flyers and recently signed Andrew Shaw will be in the lineup and likely paired with Toews and Sharp on first line to start the game. Rumor has it that rookie Dylan Olsen will be paired with O'Donnell tonight which would mean that D-man John Scott will be out of the lineup against a very physical Flyers team. In the past 5 games the Hawks are 1-for-21 on the power play which has prompted Coach Q to move Kaner to the second power-play unit in an attempt to get the pp firing again.
    This game will be physical and will be a tough challenge for the boys wearing the Indian Crest. The Hawks better bring their "A" game tonight as they do not want to be on a 2 game losing streak and then come home to face the Deadwings tomorrow night. Last year the Flyers beat the Hawks at the Madhouse on Madison 4-1. Hawks, lets return the favor tonight!
    Tonight's Expected Hawks Lineup:
    Shaw - Toews - Hossa
    Sharp - Kane - Stalberg
    Bickell - Bolland - Frolik
    Brunette - Mayers - Hayes
    D-Men:
    Keith - Seabrook
    Leddy - Hjalmarsson
    Olsen - O'Donnell
    Wall:
    Emery
    　
    Odds and Ends:
    - On Wednesday, the Hawks placed both center Marcus Kruger and defenseman Steve Montador on injured reserve. I expect Car Bomb to me moved to IR after completing his 7 game suspension.
    -This is the only regular season meeting between the two teams. Last year the Flyers won the game at the Madhouse on Madison 4-1.
    - Oh where, oh where, has Kaner gone, Oh where, Oh where can he be??? Kaner has only two goals in his last 20 games.
    Thanks for reading!
    Go Hawks!
    Scott
  8. hokkeynutt
    Coach Q plans to start the Razor (Emery) in net against Flyers on Thursday. Also recently signed Andrew Shaw will be in the lineup and likely paired with Toews and Sharp on first line as that is were he practiced today.
    The Hawks remain deadly silent on Car Bomb's (Carcillo) knee injury. Rumor has it that the injury is serious and that surgery is a high possibility.
    Rookie Dylan Olsen was paired with O'Donnell act practice today however it is still to be determined if he will play Thursday against Philadelphia. He has been added to the Hawks 23-Man roster.
    Thanks for Reading.
    Scott
  11. hokkeynutt
    The Blackhawks have recalled defenseman Dylan Olsen from the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs, and placed forward Marcus Kruger and defenseman Steve Montador on Injured Reserve. Additionally, forward Andrew Shaw has been added to the active roster.
    Olsen, 21, was the Blackhawks first selection (28th overall) in the 2009 National Hockey League Entry Draft. He has tallied one goal, one assist and 38 penalty minutes in 30 regular-season tilts this year with the IceHogs in his first full professional campaign. Over parts of the last two seasons, the Calgary, Alberta, native has registered six points (G, 5A) and 48 penalty minutes in 72 regualr-season AHL contests.
    Prior to his professional debut, Olsen registered 24 points (2G, 22A) and 71 penalty minutes in 53 tilts over parts of two collegiate seasons (2009-2010) at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Last winter he captured a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2011 World Junior Championships, registering two assists in seven games, and he also posted four points (2G, 2A) and a +4 plus/minus rating in six games with Team Canada at the 2009 Under-18 IIHF World Championships.
  12. hokkeynutt

    This is our House!

    By hokkeynutt,

    Hey Q, put this on the white board “9-2”. This is all the motivation the Hawks should need tonight. Welcome to the Madhouse on Madison, Oilers!
    The last time these two teams met the Hawks were licking their wounds and wondering how the hell a mediocre team like Edmonton had managed to put 9 (yes, NINE) goals.
    Since that game, the Hawks turned things decidedly for the better following that humiliating 9-2 loss in Alberta. Their record is 12-4-1 since that night, they are 8-2-0 in their last 10 outings, and they’re 14-3-3 at home on the year. The Mighty Blackhawks are in first place in the overall league standings, though it would be foolish to say that this team is dominant, or even consistently good.
    Tonight’s Expected Hawks’ Lineup:
    Carcillo-Toews-Hossa
    Sharp-Kane-Stalberg
    Bickell-Bolland-Frolik
    Brunette-Mayers-Hayes
    D-FENCE!
    Keith-Seabrook
    Hjalmarsson-Leddy
    O’Donnell-Lepisto
    Bricklayer:
    Crow
    Odds and Ends:
    - Happy New Year Everyone
    - The Hawks’ Marcus Kruger and Steve Montador are out with injuries.
    - The Crow, who turned 27 on Saturday, is 3-1-0 with a 1.52 gaa in the last four games.
    - The Hawks are 1-1 against the Oilers winning 6-3 at Home and losing in Alberta as stated above.
    GO HAWKS!
    Thanks for reading.
    Scott
  13. hokkeynutt
    Last night in Pittsburgh, the Penguins followed the blueprint necessary to beat the team with the NHL's best record, the beloved and Mighty Blackhawks. The Pens set a physical tone early, outworked the Hawks in the corners, got them on their heels, drew penalties and took advantage of the Hawk’s weak PK. Just as St. Louis, Boston, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton did earlier this year, the Pens worked that plan to a 3-0 lead, before the Hawks threw the kitchen sink at them in the 3rd, making it close. If the Hawks played the entire game like they did in the 3rd, there is no question that they win the game. Credit to the Razor for keeping the Hawks in the game early. But you can’t win em all. You must play and learn.
    Tonight, the Hawks face the Habs a little bit tired after last night's loss and late arrival in Chicago. Crawford gets the start tonight as he's due for one and the Razor could probably use the rest. So tonight is a good test in more ways than one. With Kruger likely out for a little while, the Hawks moved Car Bomb to IR earlier today to make room for Brandon Pirri. Note tonight’s lineup changes below as I expect Kaner to center the #2 line.
    Tonight's expected lineup:
    Morin-Toews-Hossa
    Sharp-Kane-Pirri
    Brunette-Bolland-Bickell
    Stalberg-Mayers-Frolik
    D-Men:
    Leddy-Keith
    Hjalmarsson-Montador
    O‘Donnell-Scott
    Brick Layer:
    The Crow (Confirmed)
    Odds and Ends:
    - The Hawks are 11-2-3 at home. They've outscored opponents 11-5 during three straight wins at the United Center.
    - Despite last night’s loss, the Hawks remained atop the league's overall standings with 46 points.
    - With the Canadien’s Carey Price having started nine straight games, backup tender, Peter Budaj is scheduled to start. Budaj, is 1-4-0 with a 3.83 goals-against average in his last four starts against the Hawks.
    GO HAWKS!
    Thanks for reading.
    Scott
  14. hokkeynutt
    Tonight the red hot, sizzling Hawks will try for a sixth consecutive victory when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight at Consol Energy Center, without star defenseman Brent Seabrook. As you know Seabs was on the end of a hit from behind by the Flames Rene Bourque Sunday night. Monday it was announced that Bourque will sit two games for the hit. In my opinion, any hit from behind or head hits, if the player being hit is injured, the NHL should sit the player initiating the hit for the same time period as the player being injured. This is one way the NHL can clean this garbage up.
    But Back to tonight’s game, the Hawks have the most points (46) in the NHL and of late, scoring first seems really important to their success. When scoring first, the Hawks have the game's best mark in the league with a .929 winning percentage. The Pens have been dealt with substantial injuries lately, especially to Sid the Kid and other players which is beginning to take its toll on Pens, who have lost four of its last six games. Although the Pens are without Crosby tonight, this road game is a good test for the Hawks and some NHL experts are calling tonight’s game a possible Stanley Cup preview. I won’t hold my breath. The Hawks have greatly improved in the last 11 games but their schedule gets a LOT more interesting from here on out. Not that I think this Hawks team is bad. Far from it. I think it's very good. I just have no idea how very good. I'm not sure any of us do. Tonight is one of those nights we may get a clue. As I’ve stated before, in my opinion still have areas of the game to fix (see my prior blog posts) and I also still expect Stan to pull the trigger on another solid blue line defensemen and a possibly a top 6 forward. Looking ahead The beloved Hawks will face the Canadiens, Kings, Red Wings (I mean Scum) and the Flyers. These are legit teams sports fans. It’ll be fun to see how the Hawks stack up.
    Tonight's expected lineup:
    Stalberg-Toews-Kane
    Sharp-Kruger-Hossa
    Brunette-Bolland-Bickell
    Smith-Mayers-Frolik
    D-Men:
    Leddy-Keith
    Hjalmarsson-Montador
    O‘Donnell-Scott
    Brick Layer:
    Emery (Confirmed)
    Odds and Ends:
    - The Hawks have won five in a row for the first time this season and have yet to lose in regulation this month, compiling a 7-0-1 ledger in December. The Hawks are also 9-1-1 since their three-game losing streak from November 18-23.
    - The Razor has gone 6-0-1 in December after an unimpressive showing in October and November.
    - The Hawks, who are 10-6-1 on the road this year, will be on home ice tomorrow to host the Montreal Canadiens.
    - Car Bomb is out again tonight with a head injury sustained in the Wild game.
    GO HAWKS!
    Thanks for reading.
    Scott
  15. hokkeynutt
    Could this be another trap game for the Hawks or another emotionless game? We'll see. Tonight, I am expecting a physical effort from the Ducks as they are trying to avoid a ten game road losing skid and the beloved Hawks are coming off two big OT victories over conference rivals. Who can ask for a better set up for tonight's game? For the Hawks, as I mentioned in my previous post Car Bomb has been diffused and is out of tonight's game. Coach Q is calling it an upper-body injury, but perhaps it is a bruised ego from taking a good beating from the Wild's Brad Staubitz. The Hawks have once again recalled Ben Smith again and I am not certain yet if he will be taking Car Bomb's roster spot tonight (Q just might move Scott to forward on the 4th line and add O'Donnell as the sixth D-man). Razor also gets the call again in net to face his former teammates. With repect to the Quacker's, they have at least one line that can score, and long-time Hawk nemesis Teemu Selanne, and some talented defensemen to boot. The Hawks maintain discipline and intensity to tonight and also continue to improve upon the penalty killing.
    Tonight's expected lineup:
    Stalberg-Toews-Kane
    Sharp-Kruger-Hossa
    Brunette-Bolland-Bickell
    Smith-Mayers-Frolik
    D-Men:
    Seabrook-Keith
    Hjalmarsson-Leddy
    Montador-Scott
    Brick Layer:
    Emery (Confirmed)
    　
    Odds and Ends:
    - The last meeting between the Hawks and Ducks was on November 25, which the Hawks won 6-5. Tazer recorded 2 goals and 3 assists and Sharpie recorded a hat-trick. That began the Hawks 7-1-1 surge, and Emery has gone 4-0-1 with a 1.75 GAA in six games (4 starts).
    - Look for Captain Serious to continue his reign of terror. He simply has been blowing the rest of the league away lately, amassing 15 points in his last 9 games. Dayum!
    　
    GO HAWKS!
    Thanks for reading!
    Scott
  16. hokkeynutt
    Last night it was a battle between two of the top teams in the Western Conference and in case you missed the ending, see Kaner's shootout winner below in which he totally undressed Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom below:

    I mean how sick was that?
    When it all said and done, Patrick Kane was leading a victorious Blackhawks team off the ice with a 4-3 win over the Conference Leading Minnesota Wild.
    Below are a few highlights of last night's game.
    - the first period was thoroughly dominated by the Hawks who outshot the Wild 11-2
    - the Hawks scored another PP goal last night as Hossa scored his 13th goal of the season
    - Remember "Where's Waldo"? Hawks fans have been asking "Where's Frolik"? Well he has been found as #67 scored last night by cleaning up the garbage in front of the Wild net. Let's hope this continues and he gets hot.
    - I think last night was the best I've seen Duncan Keith play this season. The Hawks were very strong in the defensive zone from the net on out. This was especially nice to see.
    - Razor was again strong minding the net as his rebound control was outstanding.
    - On the Wild's first goal, the linesman blew an obvious icing call, which was apparently waived off for some unknown reason. During the third period, VERSUS reported that one of the officials apologized to Coach Q for missing the call.
    - Car Bomb gets diffused! Ok, I've said this before and I will say it again... I am a Car Bomb fan but last night he got his ass handed to him. With approximately 3 minutes gone in the second period and after some trash talking, Car Bomb challenged Wild RW, Brad Staubitz to a lil rumble at center ice. After a lil dancin and grabbin by both players, Staubitz landed 4 to 5 rights to Car Bomb's noggin, diffusing him as he dropped to the ice. I like the energy that Car Bomb brings but because he lost the fight, the momentum changed back to the Wild. Moral of the story, If you are going to trash talk and challenge another player to a lil rumble, you better kick his ass.
    Odds and Ends:
    - Last night was the fifth time in six December games that the Hawks have gone into OT; they have won four of those five contests (the exception being the shootout loss to Phoenix).
    - The Hawks are now 7-1-1 in their last nine games and have won three straight.
    Thanks for reading.
    Scott
  17. hokkeynutt

    Hawks, Lets Get Wild!

    By hokkeynutt,

    Tonight the beloved Hawks take on the Western Conference leading Minnesota Wild in St. Paul. The Hawks come into tonight's game with a record of 4-0-1 in their last five games and are 6-1-1 in their last eight. The Wild, a team that has greatly exceeded all expectations to date, has gone 7-3-0 in their last ten games losing Tuesday night after winning seven straight contests. Tonight's game is a critical game for the Hawks as the West is ending up being an extremely tough conference. As I have said before, every point counts and this is especially true tonight against a team that the Hawks may be in competition with for a playoff berth or maybe even competing for "home ice advantage". Hawks its time to make a statement and send a clear message to the Wild that you just don't mess with the men wearing the Indian Crest.
    Razor gets another start in net tonight and it just may be a bit premature to say Razor has won the #1 job from the Crow.
    Hawks Expected Lineup:
    Stalberg-Toews-Kane
    Sharp-Kruger-Hossa
    Bickell-Bolland-Brunette
    Frolik-Mayers-Carcillo
    D-Men:
    Seabrook-Keith
    Hjalmarsson-Leddy
    Montador-Lepisto
    Brick Layer:
    Razor (confirmed)
    Odds and Ends:
    - Four of the Hawks last five games have gone past regulation. Can you remember the last time this happened? I can't.
    - The Wild have lost six of the last eight games against the Hawks.
    - Patrick Sharp had quite the emotional weekend. Scoring two GWG's and bringing his newborn baby girl, Madelyn Grace home. Congrats Sharpie!
    - Bick's is back in the line up after being a healthy scratch the last five games. This a result of the Hawks sending Ben Smith back to Rockford. Let's hope Bicks got the message and is prepared to start playing better.
    Thanks for reading.
    GO HAWKS!
    Scott
  18. hokkeynutt
    I asked the yesterday, "Which Hawks teams show up tonight?" and the question was answered as I hoped. The Hawks had solid effort last night against the Islanders from the Razor last night and Hossa and Sharpie provided the offense in a Hawks 3-2 victory. It was nice to see the Hawks score first and play well except for a few minor spots during the game that I will touch on later. First, congrats to Hossa for scoring his 400th career goal, it was a lucky one. Two of the goals last night came from the new second line of Sharpie, Kruger, and Hossa. So, kudos go out to the second line. Also kudos go out to the PK last night as the Hawks killed off all six their penalties against the hawt Islander PP unit and are now 27th in the league in the PK. Just think, a lil over a week ago they were at the bottom of the league in 30th.
    Now for some of the negatives from last night...
    Car Bomb took a very dumb roughing penalty with a lil of three minutes to play in the game. As I watched the game, it was quite apparent that the Islander players were "egging" him on and he took the bait. Now as I said before I am a Car Bomb fan, I like what he brings to the Hawks, but he needs to be aware of the game situation at critical times, like late in a tie game. Also the forward defense in the defensive zone had two very bad breakdowns that led to both Islander goals. The Islander point men furthest away from the puck were being left wide open allowing for target practice on Razor. For the Hawks sake, most of these shot went wide but two did go in. On the second Islander goal, the Hawks had four players on the far boards all within 10 feet of each other. These are system issues that Coach Q must work out as this is a consistent weakness.
    　
    Odds and Ends:
    - Emery is 5-1-2 this season as a backup to Corey Crawford
    - Did you know that in league scoring Captain Serious is 4th, Kaner is 7th, Sharpie is 9th and Hossa is 13th. Pretty impressive, aye!
    - Captain Serious is 2nd in the league in faceoff percentage (among regular players)
    Thanks for reading!
    Scott
  19. hokkeynutt
    After a dissapointing loss to the Yotes Tuesday (Yotes 4 Toews 3), thats a big question. Think about it for a moment... The beloved Hawks are not as good as their record. Let me repeat that, the beloved Hawks are not as good as their record. I know, I know some of you may be upset at this realization but unfortunately its true. (Move to "Tonight's Game" below if you are afraid to read the next paragraph and face reality).
    If you are one of those that believes that this is a Stanley Cup team, you need to spend a lil time watching teams like Pittsburgh, Boston and San Jose. The Hawks continue to consistently start games unfocused and unprepared, this coming from a team with a lot of talent (even going back to last season). How many times have we heard at the end of a game, "we did not play a full 60 minutes...". Well why not? Defensively, the Hawks d-men consistently fail to engage anyone physically except for Seabs. Why Coach Q? I am waiting for an answer... Last year the Hawks were terrible on the penalty kill and guess what... again this season it sucks. Hawks' fans you probably would of thought that the PK would have been corrected by now. Hey Q, do we miss Soepel that much? If so tell Stan to get off his azz and bring him back for $500k. Also have you noticed that night after night, it's Toews, Hoss, Sharpie, Kaner or maybe Seabs, who bail the team out (when successful). This is a dangerous way to play hockey over an 82 game schedule. I've said it before and I will say it again... the Hawks need to acquire a stable, veteran (preferably physical) defenseman, NOW! Hey Stan, the longer you wait, the chance that the D-man the Hawks need will be snatched up by another team and hopefully not a conference rival. They also need a true 6th forward. Get busy Stan, you have the cap space!
    Tonight's Game:
    Ok, time to catch my breath. Tonight the Hawks take on the Islanders at Long Island. These two teams met less than a week ago and just to remind you, the Hawks escaped with a 5-4 SO win. It was Captain Serious who stepped up (sound familiar) and scored the game winner in the shoot out. The Islanders come into tonight's game having won two straight since losing to the Hawks in a SO with wins over Dallas and the Bolts.
    Tonight’s Lineup:
    Stalberg-Toews-Kane
    Sharp-Kruger-Hossa
    Frolik-Bolland-Smith
    Carcillo-Mayers-Brunette
    D-Fence!
    Seabrook-Keith
    Hjalmarsson-Leddy
    Montador-O’Donnell
    Netminder:
    Razor
    Odds and Ends:
    - Razor is 4-1-2 with a 2.93 GAA and .890 save percentage (the numbers took a major hit during the Hawks' 9-2 loss to the Oilers). He also has only surrendered two goals in his last three games for a 1.02 GAA.
    - Bolland is still nursing is right foot that was injured in the game against the Blues on October 6th
    - With 1/3 of the season completed, without a doubt Toews is the MVP of the league.
    - The Hawks PP has improved so much that it is now 10th in the league
    - The Hawks are 5-4-1 over their last ten games.
    Thanks for reading!
    GO HAWKS!
    Scott
    　
  20. hokkeynutt

    Payback?

    By hokkeynutt,

    Less then a week ago the Yotes came into town and gave the Hawks who were returning home for the first time after a two week road trip a 4-1 a$$ whoopin. After chewing up and spitting out the Hawks, the Yotes went up to Winnipeg and lost 1-0 then went home and lost to the Flyers 4-2. Hmm. makes you wonder doesn't it?
    Look for Corey Crawford to start tonight but he must realize that the leash is getting shorter especially after the performance that Razor had on Saturday against the Blues. I also expect that Car Bomb will hold onto the 1st line LW spot with Viktor Stalberg moving to the 4th line and Ben Smith keeps Bryan Bickell in the press box.
    Tonight's game is a big one for the Hawks to prove that they now have some real momentum and the proper attitude coming off a huge road won in St. Louis on Saturday. This against a good and well-coached team.
    Tonight’s Expected lineup:
    Car Bomb-Toews-Kane
    Sharpie-Kruger-Hossa
    Frolik-Bolland-Smith
    Stalberg-Mayers-Brunette
    D-Fence!
    Seabs-Keith
    Hjalmarsson-Leddy
    Montador-O’Donnell
    Netminder:
    The Crow
    Odds and Ends
    - The Hawks are 3rd in the league in goals for
    - Given that vast improvement on the PP, the PP is now 11th in the league. Just a thought but when is the PK going to improve (29th)
    - Hossa gets his second chance to get career goal number 400 tonight.
    - Sharpie has eight goals and six assists in the last 11 games.
    - My apologies for the lack of analysis on the game with the Blues as I missed that game and did not record it. (My bad)
    Thanks for reading.
    GO HAWKS!
    Scott
  21. hokkeynutt
    For the Hawks, I hope they are not singing the blues as the Hawks head to St. Louis to take on the Blues.
    But first, a quick look at last night’s game against the Islanders. The Hawks escaped with a 5-4 SO win. Let me repeat the word “escaped.” Captain Serious continues to be a leader on this team and stepped up and scored the game winner in the shoot out as the Islander’s, Matt Moulson, (the final Islanders shooter), shot off the post secured the Hawk’s victory. The Hawks struggled last night against the a team dead last in the Eastern Conference. To put things in perspective, the Isles have exactly 1 more point than the Columbus Blue Jackets. They suck badly or so the Hawks thought.
    What sucked was:
    - the Hawks penalty kill, which allowed the Islanders to go 2/4 on the power play.
    - Hawks being out shot 23 to 7 in the 3rd period. (This after Coach Q emphasized the “team defense” in Thursday’s practice.)
    - The Crow’s lack of consistency in the net
    The positives in last night’s game:
    - Toews
    - 4th line of Carcillo, Mayers and Brunette
    - the Hawks power play continues to produce
    - The Hawks owned the 2nd period
    - Seeing Ben Smith in the lineup; seeing John Scott and Bicks out of the lineup
    While last night’s game was an ugly win, a “W” is a “W”. Hmm, didn’t White Sox win ugly a while back? Just saying? This team does need improvement and Q and Stan know it. Let’s just give it a bit more time before we panic.
    Now to tonight’s game… The Blues are playing strong hockey now although they had their four-game winning streak snapped last night with a 3-2 shootout loss at Colorado. Since Ken Hitchcock took over the reigns the Blues are 8-1-3 and have a very similar home record of 8-2-1. Tonight’s game will prove a big test for our beloved Hawks who previously lost to the Blues 3-0 earlier in the season. If the Hawks play like they did in the 3rd period last night, the Blues will have a cake walk. I hope the Hawks were “just looking past” the Islanders to tonight’s game and are ready to bring their “A” game. We’ll wait and see.
    Tonight’s Expected lineup:
    Stalberg-Toews-Kane
    Sharp-Kruger-Hossa
    Frolik-Bolland-Smith
    Carcillo-Mayers-Brunette
    D-Fence!
    Seabrook-Keith
    Hjalmarsson-Leddy
    Montador-O’Donnell
    Netminder:
    Emery
    Odds and Ends
    - The Hawks and Islanders play again on Thursday in New York. (The teams haven't met twice in a season since 2002-03.)
    - The Hawks have allowed 29 goals in their last seven games… This must stop and soon!
    - The Hawks have issued an A.P.B… has anyone seen Michael Frolik lately?
    - The Blues lead the league in G.A.A. at 2.00
    Thanks for reading.
    GO HAWKS!
    Scott
  22. hokkeynutt
    Tonight the Hawks take on the New York Islanders at the Madhouse. A repeat performance of Tuesday night loss to the Yotes and we’ll all be drinking Long Islands.
    After a long road trip the Hawks came home and played another emotionless game and the final score reflected it. Just think, it wasn’t that long ago the Hawks had a dominating lead in the Central Division and led the Western Conference. That is no longer the case.
    Their lead has all but disappeared and a review of their part of the schedule would demonstrate that the Hawks played an easier schedule in the first quarter of the season. The Hawks are now tied with Detroit and hold an insignificant one-point lead in a very tight division over the Blues. Its time to get serious Hawks has this season is quickly becoming a roller coaster ride that everyone would like to get off.
    Back to Tuesday’s game for a second, didn’t it appear that parts of the Circus Trip (Alberta Swing) resurfaced again. Defensive breakdowns, poor decisions with puck, and line changes being made at the wrong time.
    But enough of that lets talk tonight. The Islanders come to town and there are a number of things the Hawks need to fix now…
    1) Kaner, I am sure in Mite hockey they taught you that when your winger is breaking down the ice with the puck and takes a shot on goal, it would be nice to see you (who is coming into the play from the other wing) stop in FRONT of the net and pick up the damn rebound. STOP skating behind the net. What is there a pretty blonde in the stands behind the net that you are trying to impress?
    2) Hawks, when you have the puck, shoot on net. Too many times you are trying to make the pretty play and make another pass or you shoot a high hard wind or over the net.
    3) DEFENSE! Need I say more?
    4) Crawford, the Crow is in a slump now. He is breaking down and at times scrambling and sliding out to wide or to far in front of the net. Hey Crow, stick with fundamentals, stay square in the paint, get into the butterfly and stop the dang puck.
    It’s so difficult to figure out this Hawks team. Mostly because this team is going to look drastically different once the important part of the season kicks in. As I mentioned previously, the Hawks are far too dependent on their top two lines, aren’t getting nearly enough contribution from the bottom two lines, have three top-notch defensemen (Keith, Leddy, Seabrook) and three bottom pairing defensemen (Montador, Hjalmarsson, and you pick Scott or O’Donnell).
    With the above said, the Islanders just might be the team the Hawks need right now to once again start another winning streak and to start playing with some piss and vinegar. A Hawk’s loss to the Islander team would be like eating another bite of a $hit sandwich.
    　
    Tonight’s Expected lineup:
    Stalberg-Toews-Kane
    Sharp-Kruger-Hossa
    Frolik-Bolland-Bickell
    Carcillo-Mayers-Brunette
    D-Fence!
    Seabrook-Keith
    Hjalmarsson-Leddy
    Montador-O’Donnell
    Netminder:
    Crawford
    Odds and Ends:
    - Take note of the lineup as Q is juggling the lines again. Of note is Krueger centering the 2nd line. Kaner is back on right wing and Car Bomb is down on the 4th line where he belongs.
    -The Islanders have won their last two games on the road.
    - The Hawks received a conditional seventh round draft pick from the Senators in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for 25-year-old forward Rob Klinkhammer. In his 18 games this season with the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs.
    Thanks for reading!
    GO HAWKS!
    Scott
  23. hokkeynutt
    I did not provide a recap on the Circus Trip so here a quick one...As I previously wrote, I had set the goal for the Hawks to take 7 of 12 points and they came home with 6 points. I can live with that. The Circus Trip started great with an a$$ whooping of the Canuckleheads. Next came the "Alberta Swing" where the Hawks looked like they’d never played hockey before. The final leg of the trip in Wine Country and Highway 1, the Hawks should have won the last three games as they played well enough to win all three but only won in Anaheim and LA.
    Many improvements still need to be made for the Hawks to seriously contend for the Cup:
    1. Duncan Keith must play better: I not sure if he is being pressured to do to much.
    2. Where's the Physical play? Free agents, Carcillo (the Car Bomb) and Jamal Mayers have been pretty invisible so far. The Hawks brought them in this offseason to make the team tougher, and they did, for a while. What happened ?
    3. Scoring Depth: is becoming a problem for this year’s team. Of the 17 goals they scored on the trip, 11 came from the Hawks’ big guns (Toews, Kane, Hossa and Sharp). The players that the Hawks need to step up and contribute more offensively (mainly Stalberg, Bickell and Frolik) aren’t doing so. While not much can be expected offensively from the fourth line, they haven’t been contributing at all lately. This spells trouble, because if the Hawks’ top four falls into a slump, no one will be there to pick up the slack.
    4. Improve the defense: The Hawks have given up 74 goals in total, third worst in the Western Conference.
    5. Special Teams must become more consistent. The PP has improved considerably and must continue to produce but the PK SUCKS (see Odds and Ends)
    6. I expect the Hawks to trade for a stud Blue Line defensemen and also make a trade for a "true" #6 forward.
    Regarding tonight's game against the Yotes...
    The Hawks are glad to be back at the Madhouse on Madison where they have a 7-1-2 record and will face a team on a roll of late, the Coyotes. The Yotes come in with a 6-3-1 record in their last 10 games and also own the 3rd best road record in the West at 6-3-1. The last meeting between the two teams was in Phoenix and the Hawks won handily 5-2.
    Tonight's Expected Lineup:
    Brunette-Toews-Hossa
    Carcillo-Kane-Sharp
    Frolik-Bolland-Bickell
    Stalberg-Kruger-Mayers
    D-Fence!
    Seabs-Keith
    Leddy-Hjalmarsson
    Montador-O'Donnell
    Netminder:
    Razor
    Odds and Ends:
    - "Turn around Bright Eyes" - Through the Hawks first 15 games, the pp unit scored just five goals. Over the past nine games, the group has scored 11.
    - Captain Serious is a legitimate contender for the Hart Trophy (He had 10 points (four goals, six assists) in the six games on the trip and is in a tie with James Neal and Claude Giroux for third in scoring in the NHL, just three behind Phil Kessel for the league lead)
    - SUCK! On the trip the penalty killing was just awful. After not taking a penalty in the first game of the trip in Vancouver, Chicago allowed six power play goals in 18 opportunities, a below-mediocre 67 percent kill rate.
    - "Madhouse on Madison" - The Hawks play the next 19 of 26 games at home.
  24. hokkeynutt

    Heart Check Time

    By hokkeynutt,

    It’s only one game but tonight's game against the Sharks is a measuring stick of the Hawks heart and desire. The Circus trip continues tonight in San Jose and it will be interesting to see how the Hawks present themselves after being b*tch slapped the last two games being outscored 14-4. There was no one individual to blame for the bad losses to Calgary and Edmonton but its late November and tonights game will provide a test to determine how well the Blackhawks stack up against a key Western Conference rival.
    The Blackhawks may be catching the Sharks (12-5-1) at the wrong time. San Jose has scored 13 goals during a three-game winning streak and 20 over a 5-1-0 stretch.
    If Q decides to change the lineup and would like to seek my advise, I would suggest that Brunette would look pretty good with Toews and Hossa on the #1 line. Next move Stalberg to the 2nd line and Car Bomb to the 4th line. Car Bomb and the 4th line could manage against the Sharks #1 line of Couture, Thornton and Pavelski. Heck its just a thought.
    Tonight's Expected Hawks Lineup:
    Offense
    Stalberg-Toews-Hossa
    Carcillo-Kane-Sharp
    Smith-Bolland-Bickell
    Brunette-Kruger-Mayers
    D-Men:
    Seabrook-Keith
    Leddy-Hjalmarsson
    Montador-O’Donnell
    Netminder:
    Crawford
    Odds and Ends:
    - The Mighty Blackhawks are 10-3-1 in the past 14 games against the Sharks
    - Seabrook and Frolik practiced yesterday, look to return soon to the lineup. I expect Seabs to play tonight.
  25. hokkeynutt
    The Flames torched the Hawks last night and ended the Hawks four game winning streak last night so what does this mean? The Hawks get a chance to start a new one tonight in Edmonton against an Oilers team that has lost four straight. Games like last night's seems to be demonstrate the need for more heart, energy, piss and vinegar on the roster than that which was added in the offseason. Hey Q, please sit John Scott! In my opinion the entire Hawks team looked bad last night especially Crawford giving up two bad goals. This is the part of the game were I hope Coach Q does not burn him out to soon in the season. The Razor has proven to be a viable backup, use him Q, as I expect you to, tonight.
    The Hawks look to duplicate their effort from last Sunday's victory over the Oilers. The Oilers PK ranked 6th in the league has been pretty solid and the Hawks will need to find a way to keep their
    powerplay improving going (at least one pp goal in each of the last five games). The success while
    on the man advantage was a big reason for all of those comfortable 3+ goal wins over the last week or so. Speaking of offense, Sharp and Kane need to have a game; think about it, Hossa, Toews, and Stalberg can't score every night, right? Lets step it up 2nd line.
    Tonight's Expected Lineup:
    Stalberg-Toews-Hossa
    Carcillo-Kane-Sharp
    Smith-Bolland-Bickell
    Brunette-Kruger-Mayers
    D-Fence!
    Montador-Keith
    Leddy-Hjalmarsson
    Lepisto-Scott
    Netminder:
    Razor
    Odds and Ends:
    - The Hawks are 1-3-1 on Fridays so far this year.
    - Money to spend; Bowman has $6 million to $7 million at his disposal to improve his team, if needed.
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