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hokkeynutt

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  1. hokkeynutt
    That’s the headline going into tonight's Blackhawks/Blues game. One concern that I have is that whichever team is singing the blues after tonight's contest they will not be as hawt as Elisabeth Shue was at singing the blues. The Mighty Blackhawks are in St Louis tonight to take on the Blues, a place where the the Blackhawks have dropped five of their last seven games. This could be one of the stiffest challenges the Blackhawks have faced all year. The first half of this shortened season has been fairly successful for the Blues. They are 10-6-2 and have the #1 Power Play in the league. For the Blackhawks, they will be looking to add to their NHL record and make it 20 straight games to start the season without a regulation loss. I expect tonight's game to be played like it is Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. The Blues have had this date marked on their calendar since losing to the Blackhawks on January 22nd and are a much improved team. The Blues are on a mission to show the league and the Blackhawks that they are a team not to be messed with and are serious about wanting a Stanley Cup. The Blackhawks will need to play disciplined hockey and avoid the penalty box or this game could get ugly. The boys in the Indiancrest better be ready to match the Blues intensity to silence the crowd at the Scottrade center, otherwise they will be singing the Blues. The Rat is likely out after injuring his surgically repaired back.
    Below are the NHL Rankings of the two teams:
    Blues 10-6-2 24pts:
    Goals for: 2.94 (5)
    Goals against: 2.83 (18)
    PP%: 30.3 (1)
    PK%: 78.8 (20)
    Blackhawks 16-0-3 35pts:
    Goals for: 3.10 (4)
    Goals against : 1.79 (1)
    PP%: 18.2 (13)
    PK%: 88.7 (2)
    Did you know:
    1) The Blackhawks are 10-0-3 in games decided by one goal. In each of the last five games and all but one on the homestand were decided by that margin.
    2) The Blackhawks have won three straight vs the Blues, all at home and all by one goal with two going to a shootout. The Crow made a season-high 32 saves in a 3-2 win Jan. 22.
    3) Rumors are heating up in Philly that the Flyers are inquiring the Winnipeg Jets in acquiring ex-Blackhawk Dustin Byfuglien. Hmm. Not sure if the Flyers acquisition of Simone Gagne will silence these rumors.
    Tonight's expected Hawks lineup
    Offense:
    Saad Tazer Hossa
    Sharpie Krugs Kaner
    Bicks Shaw Stalberg
    Carbomb Meyer Frolik
    Defense:
    Seabs Keith
    Hammer O-do-ya
    Rozsival Leddy
    Netminder:
    The Crow
    GO HAWKS!
  2. hokkeynutt
    Remember game 5 against the Detroit Scum when I commented, “Game 7 is tonight and a win is necessary to get it to another Game 7 and then another…” Blackhawk fans its “Gut Check” time again and tonight’s game 4 is simply do or die. No other way to put it. So while you digest that, here are a few observations from Monday’s embarrassment:
    Where was the net front presence for the Hawks, there was none until Q sent Bicks out after pulling Crow late in the third period?
    Where was “look at my cool mullet”, Kane, a $6.3 million player, other than missing a clear shot in the third period? Kaner did Tiki have another father/son talk with you? If not he needs to!
    How can a power play be that disorganized, chance after chance, game after game? Didn’t Q bring in “his guy” to solve the power play issues? My gosh I sound like a broken record when I say, “Q, the power play sucks!”
    Why are the Hawks getting there azz kicked in the faceoff dot? Stan isn’t the team built to be a puck possession team? (Oh yeah, all you did at the trade deadline was bring in Zus.)
    Stan, if players, including your $6.3 million a year Marketing Boy Wonders, aren't playing like with all the piss and vinegar, it's time for this organization to make some hard choices.
    One last point, are there too many passengers on this team (Stalberg, Zus, Bolland, to name a few)?
    A friend Efren, commented on his FB page, “I can't even listen to the Score Radio or Facebook page who feel the series is over at 2-1.”
    I don’t feel that the series is over but the good guys have not scored in over 122 minutes, a lil over two games and look like a clusterflop on the ice, disorganized with no sense of direction and Q I blame you and the players for this. Boston smells blood and heading into Game 4, the boyz in the Indian Crest need to play bigger and better, obviously. What I mean by my comment is that they don't necessarily have to be bigger, but they have to play to their size if they are bigger or play the game and get results like bigger players if they're small. Example of a player playing big: C/W Marcus Kruger, who at 175 pounds, rarely loses a board battle, blocks shots, absorbs checks and always goes to the front of the net. He has desire and the will. An example of a player who plays "small" 6'3", 210 pound winger Viktor “No Hands” Stalberg, who, for all his speed, rarely wins a battle physically or finishes any checks. (I guess he doesn’t want to break a nail.) The Hawks have to stop disappearing in physical games, stop giving up on pucks in the corners and stop wilting under a forecheck. If this does not change and certain players continue to play small, they must realize that they are putting a much larger burden on the rest the Hawks players. If you're not going to go to the front of the net, then your teammate's centering pass goes right to an opposing defenseman and very quickly the other way. If you're not going to win the puck on the wall... well than your linemate has to. If you're not going to take the hit to make a clearing pass, then the whole team has to expend more effort to get the puck out and on and on and on. Ok I vented!
    Tonight, I expect Q will use Kane, Tazer and Sharpie together on the same line. With the 'Hawks down 2-1 and struggling to score goals, there is no better time than tonight to see how this line produces against the Bruins. This will leave Big Hoss, to be on line 2 with Zus/Bolland and Bicks. For the 3rd line, I believe it could look like Saad, Shaw, and Stalberg and the 4th line Frolik, Zus and Krugs.
    The Blackhawks need to change their game and it better start tonight. They need to play harder, more physically and fearlessly. Can they do it with the roster they have? We’ll definitely find out tonight and for any remaining games in this series. Its Gut Chek time and remember Blackhawks, checking is allowed.
    Thanks for reading.
    Go Blackhawks!
  3. hokkeynutt
    A few comments on last night's contest with the Kings… Simply put…Frolik was the Ironman last night and it proved that Captain tazer can make anyone look good except for Carbomb. The Blackhawks however failed again to close out a game for the second time in a row. Shaw should of sat out as it was clearly evident that he still had flu like symptoms. Missing…The Chicago Police Dept have issued APB's for Bolland, Stalberg, Krugs, Bicks and the Blackhawks power play. The bigger and more physical Kings forechecked the hell out of the Blackhawks last night and why not, they knew the Hawks are not a physical team. From the Bollig fight on, the Kings outshot the Hawks 28-14. Some are saying that the Blackhawks are missing Hossa and Sharpie and in my opinion that is simply not the case. The Blackhawks scored 4 goals last night and on any other night 4 goals should be enough to secure a victory. The reason they have lost two straight is that the Ducks and Kings are built for the playoffs using their physical play and the forecheck to wear down and an opponent where as the Blackhawks are a finesse team built on speed for the regular season. I hope this changes by April 3!
    Tonight the Blackhawks look to break a two game losing streak as the the Flames visit the Madhouse. The Flames ended a three-game slide this past Sunday with a 3-2 victory over the Blues. Jarome Iginla scored to snap a third-period tie for the victory and Miikka Kiprusoff made 36 saves. Kiprusoff, whose 3.43 goals-against average is one of the NHL's worst marks, had a rare outstanding performance. He has posted a ghastly 4.54 GAA in the last 11 games played at the Madhouse and he is expected to start in net tonight.
    Tonight's Expected Lineup:
    Offense:
    Saad Tazer Frolik
    Hayes Rat Kaner
    Bicks Shaw Stalberg
    Bollig Krugs Mayers
    Defense
    Keith Seabs
    Hammer O-do-ya
    Rozsival Ledpipe
    Netminder:
    Razor
    Iggy update:
    Word today is that the Pens are back into the running in the Jarome Iginla Sweepstakes. While being interviewed last night, Penquins GM Ray Shero confirmed that the Pens are still in on Iggy. Other news indicates that the Flames are askoing way to much for his services. With that said the Hawks appear to have stepped back and a major deal could be brewing between the Hawks and the Islanders. Reports coming out of New York have stated that the Hawks have been scouting the Islanders winger Matt Martin. Stay Tuned.
    Did you know?
    1) The Flames are 0-10-1 in their last 11 visits to the Madhouse
    GO BLACKHAWKS!
  4. hokkeynutt
    "Calling all cars. Be on the look-out for a violent offender who's been missing for a week. He's 6'4 235 pounds. You can drive a squad car through the three-tooth-wide gap on his grill. He has chunks of flesh missing from his face and is sporting bruises and contusions about the head and neck. He's got a recent history of controlled violence, and excessive physicality If seen, approach him with caution as he may be agitated and upset. He's been slumping and isn't happy about it. He was recently demoted at his job, days after he single-handed whipped the ass off the City of Los Angeles. If you happen to see him, call for back-ups as he is in hot demand. Do not try to handle this hombre on your own. He has the ability to escape easily by dropping his shoulders and mowing over opposition. He was last seen in Chicago on June 8, just after Game 5 of the Blackhawks series win at the United Center".
    Challenges! Dating back three years to the 2010 Final against Philadelphia, the Hawks have lost the first game away from the United Center in six straight series. Overall in that time frame, the beloved have gone 7-10 on the road, 3-4 this post season. In order to win this series, the Mighty will now have to win at least one game on the road, with the first of potentially three games in Boston tonight.
    For the Boyz in the Indian Crest, it’s been confirmed that Stalberg will once again be in the lineup, this time on the fourth line with Krugs and Frolik. Stalberg obviously hasn’t produced much, but his speed is definitely a problem that the Bruins’ defensemen will have to account for, particularly if he gets his chances against the third pairing of Adam McQuaid and Torey Krug, who figure to be far more sheltered tonight and Wednesday with last change. Stalberg has a clear size advantage on Krug and a definite speed advantage on McQuaid, so forcing them to make decisions faster than they’d like could go a long way in jumpstarting his dormant game.
    The top three lines for the Hawks remain the same, and quite simply, the Hawks are going to need more out of Captain Tazer and Kane for the Blackhawks to be successful. Yes, Tazer has been dominating possession, but at a certain point he needs to put the biscuit in the basket.
    Additionally there is no other time like that tonight when it will be needed, the Blackhawks power play needs to produce. Because the Bruins cover the slot in front of Rask so well, more low-high plays need to be attempted, both at even strength and on the power play. It’s yielded three goals, so far (Saad, Oduya, and Shaw courtesy of Rozsival), and can yield more if it’s exploited properly. The key will be for Blackhawk forwards to engage along the boards and in the corners to occupy a defender, then kicking the puck high for a shot through traffic. Once the puck gets kicked out high, Keith, Seabs and Hammer must shoot fast and stop hitting the opposing player in the leg. Keith especially must not panic when being pressured. Poise and Control boyz!
    The Garden faithful will be at near psychotic levels of fervor at puck drop, and the Bruins are sure to feed off of that energy. They’ll come at Hawk defensemen looking to put them in the 15th row, and might just succeed more than a few times. With that said, the Hawks looked to me and many others like a team that was scared as the game went on Saturday. A couple of players started quitting on plays. That trend will continue because Boston will not let up, especially tonight at Home. If we can see it, the Bruins definitely can. In fact, they’ll dial it up even more tonight. The Hawks need an injection of nasty. So Bicks we need you now! Additionally, to offset the Bi's d-men physical attack, the Hawks puck support early must be impeccable, both from defensive partners and forwards. Giving the puck carrier a 15 foot target is far preferable than one 70 feet up ice with 4 other black sweaters in its path. Additionally, the Bruins forwards will be deep enough to give the Hawks space enough to at least hit their own blue line with speed exiting before hitting the neutral zone bog Julien is sure to employ.
    Ultimately, this series will come down to which takes its toll first: the Hawks making the Bruins skate, or the Bruins wearing the Hawks down physically. The Hawks must be more successful on their scoring chances and get someone in front of Rask. Doing so, may stop or slow the the oncoming tide of black and gold. Patience, smarts, and above all else speed are going to need to be on full display tonight if the beloved are going to get any closer to their goal. If there’s a textbook road game in this team’s capabilities, it better be tonight!
    Hawks let's break that Game 3 losing streak dating back to 2011.
    Go Blackhawks!
  5. hokkeynutt
    There’s really not much more that can be said about tonight’s Game 6.
    The Blackhawks enter a tough building where they won in last year’s WCF, but unfortunately have not done so in this year’s. That changes tonight!
    The pressure is on the Kings and if the beloved Blackhawks force a Game 7, lookout!
    Coach Q’s Game 5 adjustment of re-mixing his top 4 D, underscores the luxury he has… two top shutdown pairs. The Kings aren’t quite there. So if Q can roll two dangerous lines, as he did in Game 5, this will negate Sutter’s home ice last change advantage. I also expect Q to keep the line of Saad, Shaw and Kaner together. The other forward lines will probably be 1st line of Bicks, Captain, and Big Hoss; 3rd line of Sharpie, Backhandzus and Regin; and finally the 4th line of Bollig, Krugs and Smitty. With that said watch for Krugs and Smitty to be mixed in the upper lines as needed.
    So here are my keys for the Mighty Blackhawks to win this game:
    1) Crow has to play better. Enough said.
    2) “Kneel down to the Saad Father”, Can he play two games in row like he did in Game 5? Really it’s not a question, it is a MUST.
    3) Kaner too had a really strong Game 5. The Kings will try to put bodies on Saad to stop him. If they do, guess what… Kaner must be the finisher.
    4) Big Hoss and Sharpie need a breakout game from a points standpoint. If the Blackhawks are able to get any point production from these two, there will be a Game 7.
    5) The Blackhawks must stay out of the penalty box and if given the opportunity to go on the Power Play, they must score.
    Since it is a “Feel Good Friday”, and I have confidence in my veins, I’m predicting another OT special… Blackhawks 3, Kings 2.
    Let’s hear your thoughts…
    Go Blackhawks
  6. hokkeynutt
    Kings Come to the Madhouse and the Trade Deadline (sorry its a long post)
    After their latest successful road trip (going 3-1), the Mighty Blackhawks will play11 of their final 18 games at the Madhouse. After four much needed days off, the Blackhawks will be aiming for their third win in as many tries over Los Angeles. If you remember the Blackhawks held on for a 3-2 victory on February 17 at the Madhouse after scoring the game's first three goals. The Kings' Mike Richards scored twice in the 3rd period to draw Los Angeles close. The Blackhawks also spoiled the Kings' Stanley Cup celebration with a 5-2 season-opening victory at Staples Center on January 19 so, the Kings are looking for a lil payback tonight. The Kings come into tonight's contest having been been shut out in its past two contests and have lost a season-high three straight on the road. Los Angeles outshot Dallas 40-21 in a 2-0 loss last Thursday and held a 20-13 advantage in a 1-0 defeat to Vancouver two days later. hardworking Frolik has been promoted to the #1 line for tonight's game.
    Tonight's Expected Lineup:
    Offense:
    Saad Tazer Frolik
    Hayes Rat Kaner
    Bicks Shaw Stalberg
    Bollig Krugs Mayers
    Defense
    Keith Seabs
    Hammer O-do-ya
    Rozsival Ledpipe
    Netminder:
    CROW
    Did you know?
    1) Captain Serious has posted five goals and four assists in his last six against Los Angeles
    2) Kaner has four goals and seven assists during a five-game point streak
    3) With a win tonight, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville will pass former Toronto Maple Leafs teammate Ron Wilson for sixth on the all-time coaching wins list with 649.
    The Trade Deadline…
    Stan are you awake? It's right around the corner and if I'm Stan Bowman, I have a shopping list prior to the upcoming April 3rd trading deadline. On my list are strong faceoff/penalty kill guys and a 2nd line center. Like center, Nate Thompson from Tampa, or Mike Ribeiro or Jay Beagle from the Caps. Ribeiro known as Ribs, would be a perfect fit for the Blackhawks. He can win draws and can score (10 goals/34 points). My thoughts are for the Blackhawks to land Ribs, that Razor would be part of the deal as the Caps are in desperate need of help in net.
    After dealing Captain Brenden Morrow, the Stars could soon be hanging the “For Sale” sign. I expect the following players to be available from the Stars, winger Jaromir Jagr, center Derek Roy and winger Eric Nystrom, as well as winger Loui Eriksson. Eriksson has proved that he can produce, netting 25-plus in each of his last four seasons and would net a tidy return on investment by virtue of the three years remaining on his contract beyond 2013 at an affordable $4.25 million. However, the Blackhawks really do not need another winger, what they need is a 2nd line center. Out of the bunch of Stars' players possibly available and based on the Blackhawks needing a 2nd line center, Derek Roy would be a good fit as a face-off guy as he is averaging 49% at the dot.
    Now to Iggy, that's Jarome Iginla from the Calgary Flames. We have heard the rumors over the weekend that he has provided the Flames with 4 teams to who he would agree to a trade with. The teams are very strong Cup contenders LA, Boston, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. However, as of last night the teams the Flames are seriously taking offers from are the Blackhawks and LA. In my opinion the Kings have the inside track on Iggy. Former Flames GM and coach Darryl Sutter is now the Kings bench boss, plus they have a promising goalie in Jonathan Bernier to offer up as part of the return. However, late last night it broke (depending on who you listen to) that the beloved has offered Brandon Saad in return for Iggy. Here are my thoughts on Iggy… Do the Blackhawks really need him? I am not sure. Yeah he adds even more scoring depth but I want a true 2nd line center as the Rat (Bolland) is having a terrible year as the second line. The Rat is better utilized on the 3rd line where he can be a pest against opponent's number 1 lines. If the Blackhawks were to acquire Iggy, the playoff lines could be as follows (assumes Hoss and Sharpie are back)
    Iggy Tazer Big Hoss (Saad dealt)
    Sharpie Rat Kaner
    Bicks Shaw Stalberg
    Bollig Krugs Frolik
    Note that with the addition of Iggy there is no improvement to the 2nd line. Unless of course Stan makes another deal.
    Other possibilities… The Blackhawks have had discussions over the last two years with Columbus about center Derick Brassard and winger Derek Dorsett. Also the chemistry between the Blackawks and Winnipeg are very strong, due to Jet GM Kevin Cheveldayoff’s ties to the Hawks organization. The Blue Jackets Brassard is having an off year and is struggling at the dot with a 44% faceoff percentage. The problem with the Jets 'player the Blackhawks have coveted in the past is that he has signed a long term deal. This player is center Jim Slater. Another name who might bear watching is center/winger Chris Thorburn, who would be a very low-risk, low-cost pickup and would fill a range of needs on the Hawks’ lower lines and penalty kill. Although the Blackhawks have depth at defense, Lubomir Visnovsky from the Islanders would be a great acquisition to help ignite a power play currently (and for a couple of years now) being run from the point by at best 2nd unit guys.
    Lastly, the Blackhawks scouts were at yesterday's Panthers-Islanders game. One more point, the Pens have made two trades in two days acquiring Douglas Murray from San Jose moments ago. Pens are getting serious! Stan are you?
    GO BLACKHAWKS!
  7. hokkeynutt
    We all knew earlier this week that Stalberg wasn't skating with his usual line mates at practice and as a result, I thought Coach Q was looking to get his attention, including his teammates. In some ways it appeared Q was looking to manufacture some drama. He knew the boyz in the Indian Crest would need a better effort to start the series against Detroit and wanted the team to focused, at least that is what I thought. That was until a story was reported yesterday that Coach Q and Stalberg had some words. The first indication of a confrontation in Game 5 concerning Stalberg's role etc. came from the Tribune's Chris Kuc and two other reporters who reported that Stalberg basically talked back to his head coach late in the 3rd period in a way no player should.
    When looking back, Stalberg's ice time in Game 5 against Minnehaha did not reflect a coach who was dissatisfied with his effort. Stalberg actually played a little longer that game than Bicks who had a great series, as did the entire third line. So it seemed like there was more to Stalberg's situation than could be blamed on a poor performance.
    Supposedly at some point on the bench late in Game 5 Stalberg snapped at Q, which is wrong on every level. Q can't lose the respect of his entire team and Stalberg's actions (or least as reported) forced Q to make a difficult decision.
    If the Hawks lost last night against the Wings many would have blamed Q. If Q had done nothing, he could have lost the respect of the entire team and there is no way he could take that chance, so in the end Stalberg was benched. He also did not skate in last night's warm-ups. A tough choice no doubt for Q but a head coach has to be in charge.
    As it stands Stalberg will have to wait until Q feels he has been punished enough. Maybe Stalberg dresses on Saturday, maybe not. I do know the Hawks would be a stronger group with Stalberg in the lineup as I would like to see him shadow Pavel Datsyuk versus Hadzus which as we all know is not an easy task.
    I am certain Q knows this but at the same time he also realizes respect is a must.
    BTW, Coach Q has denied anything happened between him and Stalberg in this morning's media session.


  8. hokkeynutt

    Speechless

    By hokkeynutt,

    Last night was a "Wild" game… First, the Blackhawks Organ-I-zation provided an awesome tribute to Big Hoss playing his 1,000th NHL game. Then the pucked dropped and the game started in sloppy fashion. And with a sloppy start, Shawzam turned the puck over at the Blackhawks blue line which led to the Wild netting the opener. Then the Blackhawks awoke and the dam broke. Or rather, the "Manchild" (Brandon saad) as he is referred to by Tazer set the tone. Saad would tie the game up on his second whack at a backhander on a goalmouth scramble. Forty-four seconds later, Bicks would put the Blackhawks ahead with a lead they wouldn’t look back and the Wild Team saying, "oh $hit!". The onslaught continued as General Saad would then find both Bicks and Hossa about 90 seconds apart to give the Hawks a 4-1 lead and send Minnesota netminder Backstrom to the bench at the period’s end. Later in the game, there were some scary moments as the beloved Blackhawks spent most of the 3rd period playing the 1-2-2 trap. I hate that damn trap and just wished the Blackhawks would have continued to play the game as they finished the 1st and 2nd periods. By playing the trap, allowed the Wild to get back into the game on Ryan Suter’s first goal as a member of the Wild (how much are they paying him?) and then Kyle Brodziak outworked the entire Blackhawks fourth line and Keith and Seab pairing to make it a one goal deficit. But no worries, Superman wouldn’t stand for that kind of bull$hit as put the team on his cape and put the game out of reach 61 seconds later with a goal high on the glove side. So now the Mighty have 43 of 46 points leaving me speechless.
    Tonight the Avs come to the Madhouse after losing 2-1 in Detroit last night to start a home-n- home series. I am not going to say much other than I expect the Blackhawks to come away with two more points tonight. One last point, from now until Sunday, the Hawks will play the Avs Friday in Colorado and the Oilers on Sunday at the Madhouse, two of the very few teams that can keep up with the Blackhawks speed. If the Blackhawks sit back as they did late in the game last night playing that 1-2-2 trap and doing so with a one goal lead, any one of these opponents will surely spell the end of streak.
    Below are the NHL Rankings of the two teams:
    Avs 8-9-4 20pts:
    Goals for: 2.38 (24)
    Goals against: 2.90 (19)
    PP%: 12.3 (29)
    PK%: 77.8 (24)
    Blackhawks 20-0-3 43pts:
    Goals for: 3.13 (4)
    Goals against : 1.78 (1)
    PP%: 17.2 (14)
    PK%: 88.8 (3)
    Did you know:
    1) The Blackhawks went 1-2-1 against Colorado last season
    2) Coach Q served as an assistant coach on Colorado's 1996 Stanley Cup Championship Team
    3) Duncan Keith led the Blackhawks with five points (5A) in four games vs. Colorado last season
    4) With their efforts to date this season, Bicks and Stalberg are going to receive significant pay increases, it’s just probably not going to be here
    Tonight's expected Hawks lineup
    Offense:
    Saad Tazer Hossa
    Sharpie Rat Kaner
    Bicks Shaw Stalberg
    Carbomb Krugs Frolik
    Defense:
    Seabs Keith
    Hammer O-do-ya
    Rozsival Leddy
    Netminder:
    The Razor
    GO HAWKS!
  9. hokkeynutt
    The Stanley Cup Finals are now a best of three and you have to like that two of three remaining games are at the Madhouse. Tonight, the fans at the Madhouse will definitely provide an extra boost to the boyz in the Indian Crest who are back home with some momentum. They not only won in dramatic fashion providing their fan base with numerous ups and downs Wednesday night in Game 4, but the Hawks could have won by a couple of goals had Crow played better.
    Game 4 showed the Hawks what they need to do to beat Boston: skate hard, forecheck, backcheck, send bodies to the front of the net and everyone must play big! I expect the Blackhawks to come out tonight as they did in Games 1 and 4 using their speed to open the ice and once in the Bruin zone the d-men pitch in at the opportune time. Crow will need to tighten up his glove side and has consistently rebounded all year long after bad games. I expect him to do the same tonight. Lastly, the boys in the red jersey will need to stay out of the sin bin has Blackhawk penalties kept Boston in Game 4. The success of the PK has allowed the Hawks to get away with that plenty of times this season, but both of Boston’s powerplay goals changed the complexion of the game.
    If the Mighty can replicate the essence of their Game 4 performance, stay out of the sin bin and Crawford can tighten it up, the beloved will be 1 victory from hoisting their second Stanley Cup in four years.
    Did you know?
    - In the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Mighty are 7-0 in games 5, 6 and 7’s.
    - The Blackhawk PK must improve as the Bruins are 4/13 on the power play.
    - Chara was on the ice for five of the Blackhawks goals in Game 4.
    - Sharpie’s powerplay goal was the Blackhawks first conversion in their last 24 opportunities on the man advantage.
    - Q has assured Leddy that he will see more ice time tonight.
    Tonight's expected Hawks lineup:
    Offense:
    Bicks Tazer Kaner
    Sharpie Bolland Big Hoss
    Saad Shaw Stalberg
    Zus Krugs Frolik
    Defense:
    Seabs Keith
    Hammer O-do-ya
    Rozsival Leddy
    Netminder:
    The Crow
    Lets go BLACKHAWKS! BRING US THE CUP!


  10. hokkeynutt
    A "Shaw-Zam" goes out to Andrew Shaw who scored his 4th goal of the season (his first GWG) that was set up by gritty play by both O-du-ya and Bicks. But it wasn't all good for Shaw. He wasn't feeling too good on the bench after taking a spear right to the family jewels from James Wisniewski. Shaw, who has a reputation growing of being pesky was in a tussel with Wisniewski in the Blue Jackets' goal crease. It was at that point that Shaw delivered a cross-check right to Wisniewski's back, certainly enough to upset anybody. So Wisniewski's repsonse was to jab Shaw in the family jewels. (I suppose that's one way to clear the crease.) It's going to be interesting to see if the league wants to look at this one. Wisniewski has a history with the league office and no, I don't buy that it was an accident. Wisniewski seems to give a pretty hard jab with his stick, not just an accidental shot. Whether or not there is any more punishment for Wisniewski, there was plenty of punishment for Shaw. But a game-winning goal will probably help take away some of the sting. Here is a link to the video of theattack on the Shaw's family jewels:
    Now for tonight's action!
    Tonight, marks the last game of a seven game homestand for the Mighty Blackhawks and is the beginning of a nine-game, 17-day road trip for the Edmonton Oilers as they come into the Madhouse on Madison. For the spectators of the game, tonight's game promises to be a game of speed and talent as the Oilers are branding themselves similar to the Hawks. The Oilers are a team built on speed and their puck movement and their power play are exceptional. The Hawks can't afford to make the same mistakes made against Columbus last night (e.g. Kaner turnovers and penalties (5)). Additionally, both the Crow and Razor have struggled versus the Oilers, with Crow compiling a 5.75 gaa over the past three meetings, losing two starts and Razor has surrendered 10 goals on 40 shots over his two appearances, losing his only start against the Oilers. On the positive, the beloved Blackhawks have momentum and I truly believe that this Blackhawk team is faster than perhaps any Hawk team in years, including the slightly bigger, more physical 2010 Cup Team. The Blackhawks will have to skate hard for 60 minutes and play smater tonight if they want to keep the streak alive.
    Below are the NHL Rankings of the two teams:
    Oilers 7-7-3 17pts:
    Goals for: 2.24 (27)
    Goals against: 2.65 (16)
    PP%: 23.7 (7)
    PK%: 87.5 (4)
    Blackhawks 15-0-3 33pts:
    Goals for: 3.11 (4)
    Goals against : 1.78 (1)
    PP%: 17.3 (14)
    PK%: 89.6 (2)
    Did you know:
    1) The Blackhawks have lost the last three meetings with the Oilers.
    2) With last night's shuout, his secon of the season, The Crow is Crawford is 8-0-3 with a 1.50 gaa.
    3) Hammer was very good last night against Columbus and was credited with six blocked shots.
    Tonight's expected Hawks lineup
    Offense:
    Saad Tazer Hossa
    Sharpie Krugs Kaner
    Bicks Shaw Stalberg
    Carbomb Meyer Frolik
    Defense:
    Seabs Keith
    Hammer O-do-ya
    Rozsival Leddy
    Netminder:
    The Crow
    GO HAWKS!
  11. hokkeynutt
    Not me… just ask Carole (my wife).
    Here's some thoughts on the Blackhawks 4-3 shootout loss to the Blues last night.
    Once again for the fourth straight home game, the Blackhawks collapsed again in the 3rd period. In my opinion, there are two causes. The first is that the bigger, physical teams wear the Hawks down by out hitting them taking the Hawks off their game. (How many times have you heard me say this?) Second is the failed powerplay that has blown chow for the past three years and Stan did not address on "Dud" Day (that’s Trade Day for all you young hockey players). Yesterday, Stan had the ballz to stand up in front of the media to exclaim that the organ-i-zation is satisfied with the chemistry and the make up of this Blackhawk team to win the Cup. Stan what the hell are you smoking? Stan you don’t' have a 2nd line center and the power play is dog crap! Be prepared Hawks fans for a depressing playoff run. I hope I am wrong.
    Back to last night… The Blues did what all teams do to give the Hawks trouble, had their forwards hard on the forecheck and pummeled the Hawk defensemen to cough up pucks, especially in the 3rd. Speaking of the Blackhawk defense, overall each pairing had breakdowns here and there. And by the way Duncs, were your skates sharpened last night? You went down 3 times in open ice with no one around you! Also Roszival, you have to be more careful with offensive zone gambles. You gambled by attempting to dump the puck deep in the offensive zone, only to have the dump in cutoff and just like that …the Blue's Cracknell scores his 2nd goal of the night and his 2nd of the season. And did anyone else notice how slow and lost Bolland looked last night? Thankfully the Blackhawks play at 2pm tomorrow against the Preds in a home in home series in which they should take both games. Note, I said, "should".
    Some positives from last night…
    Hey, Michal Handzus might help this club a lil bit as someone other than Tazer won faceoffs and he placed his big body in front of the net. Also if Stalberg had not scored, Zus was planted in front of the net and would have banged it in. Captain Tazer had a great game and how about the Man Child having another great game and he has an 8 game point streak. And lets not forget Big Hoss with that shootout blast!
    Did you know??? The Blackhawks have not allowed a goal in OT in the last 21 games that have gone to the extra session.
    Regarding Nashville game tomorrow… Sharpie and Bolland are out.
  12. hokkeynutt
    Tonight, we will see how the Hawks respond to a humiliating 8-4 loss last night to team 20 points beneath then in the standings when the visit the Calgary Flames in Calgary. This will be the third road game of a nine game road trip. The Hawks are sixth in the Western Conference with 65 points, one point out of fourth and five points ahead of seventh. The alarm clocks should be buzzing of the harsh reality that this team is currently not a playoff caliber team. Let me rephrase that, they can make the playoffs but will not make it past the first round. As I mentioned before, this team struggles against the NHL elite teams as evident in three of the last four losses and weeks earlier two losses to Detroit. This team has holes... in net, on defense and needs another top 6 forward. Things need to change now! I am sure Stan is working the phone lines but dammit, get something done and now. Hey Stan there are only 30 games left! And before I turn my attention to tonight's game against the Flames... Hey Q! Q ! Hey Q will you bench that idiot who stupidly wore a Superman's cape at the All-Star game, he has not scored in how games now??? and still has not learned that thing called "team defense". He's no Superman! Hey Q grow a pair and bench him! Or move him to the third line and bring Shaw up to the first.
    Ok enough venting... Tonight's game with the Flames is the fourth and final meeting this season. Interesting enough is that the home teams have won each of the first three games, all by comfortable margins. The Hawks have won 4-2 and 4-1, while the Flames won 5-2. The Hawks are expected to start the Razor in net tonight and word is Bruny is out with an upper-body injury in which some are saying anonymously that it is serious. The Flames are coming off 3-1 loss Tuesday to Detroit and in seven of their last twelve games scored less than two goals.
    Tonight's Expected Hawks Lineup:
    Stalberg - Toews - Kane (bench him or move him to the third line)
    Hossa - Kruger - Sharp
    Frolik - Morrison - Shaw
    Bickell - Mayers - Scott
    D-Men:
    Keith - Seabrook
    Leddy - Hjalmarsson
    Montador - O'Donnell
    Netminder:
    Razor
    Odds and Ends:
    - The Hawks are 7-3-1 in the second game of back-to-back scenarios.
    - The Flames record when leading after two is an impressive 15-0-3.
    - In the last 10 games between the Flames and Hawks, the Hawks are 7-3-0
    Thanks for reading.
    GO HAWKS!
    Scott
    　
    　
    　
    　
    　
    　
    　
    　
  13. hokkeynutt
    Duncs earned a 1 game suspension and even a hearing that neither Bolland or Matt Cooke got for their actions in earlier 2013 play off games. Obviously, there’s no consistency or even reason except for one to conclude that Brendan Shanahan is a freakin idiot! In my opinion Keith should have been fined. Additionally why wasn't Carter suspended for his swing to Dunc's upper back? If you were to go back a year you even have the Preds Shea Weber slamming the Red Wing's Henrik Zetterberg’s head into the glass and not being supsended.
    So what is the impact to the boyz in the Indian Crest in Game 4 tomorrow night?
    Obviously, Sheldon Brookbank will skate. How the defensive pairing are set up could be the challenge for Q. My guess is that Q could reunite Leddy and Seabrook, but that might be a lot to ask of Leddy. But with that said I look to Hammer will flip to the left side to play with Seabrook (they have before). That would at least keep Leddy-Rozisval and Oduya-Brookbank together and those are the pairs that have lined up for a lot of the season. Another thought is that Brookbank will see less than 5 minutes and everyone is going to skate with just about everyone. For one game, I think the Hawks can survive, we need Leddy to be on top of his game and Rozsival needs to step up.
    Regarding the inept power play, I expect Oduya will be added to the point its not like the power play can get any more useless.
    Where there is major impact is on the penalty kill where Duncs has the ability to chase down a lot of loose pucks and clear them. The key is the Blackhawks must stay out of the box and not fall for the bull$hit that Sharpie fell for in Game 3. Stay focused on the task at hand boyz.
  14. hokkeynutt
    Let the Madhouse begin rockin!
    As you are fully aware, the Mighty Blackhawks survived a real threat from the Red Wings, winning in seven games Wednesday night… the Kings also won in seven over the Sharks in a series that didn’t seem as close as it was. Kings netminder, Jonathan Quick is on a roll, simply said, he is hot right now with a 94.8% save percentage and a playoff leading 1.54 goals against average. He is really making a case for a second consecutive Conn Smythe Trophy (The Crow is 2nd in the playoffs with a 1.84 gaa). Quick could be the difference maker in this series as L.A. has not given up more than three goals in a playoff game in over 30 games. The Kings are deep, especially upfront and their forecheck is going to give the Blackhawks problems at some point in the series to Blackhawks D-men. (The Wild and the Red Wings tried the same strategy. It can work at times, but the Hawks beat the forecheck with speed and transition.)
    For us Blackhawk fans, we are still waiting for the big guns to get hot and start putting the biscuit in the basket. If they do, this series could be over quick (no pun intended). Lets just state the fact that the Kings are going to get more hits in this series, but that will be in large part because the Hawks are going to possess the puck more. A lot more or so I expect. The boyz in the Indian Crest have speed that comes at you like a dragster in the quarter mile: Kane, Toews, Hossa, Sharp, Stalberg, Frolik, Keith, Leddy and O-du-ya. Pick your poison on any of four lines. Obviously, both teams will have matchup problems and in my opinon with Robyn Regehr, Matt Greene and Rob Scuderi on the back end, Darryl Sutter is going to have more of them. If the Kings end up chasing the Blackhawk forwards around the rink, look out, they become out of position, they're going to get tired, get frustrated, stop moving their feet at times and this results in the Kings taking penalties.
    So what does this all mean?
    To win this series the Blackhawks must:
    - Win game 1
    - Score on the power play (the power play iimproved the last 3 games of the Dead Wings series)
    - If Crow gives up a bad goal, he must rebound as he did in Game 6 against the Dead Wings
    - Penalty Kills must continue to remain red hot
    - if there’s a team that’s worse on faceoffs than the Hawks, it’s the Kings so boyz win at the dot
    Today's expected lineup:
    Big Hoss - Captain Serious - Bicks
    Kaner - Zus - Sharpie
    Stalberg - Shawzie - Lesnar's Beyotch (Saad)
    Frolik - Bollie - Krugs
    On D:
    Duncs - Sea Biscuit
    Hammer - O-do-ya
    Rozsival - Ledpipe
    Sportsfans this is going to be a great series of which I expect some bumps in the road for the Blackhawks. With that said, Blackhawks win the series in 7 games.
    Go get em boys! I know you can do it!
    Go Blackhawks!
  15. hokkeynutt
    Tonight the Mighty Blackhawks are in the Mile High City to take on the Colorado Avalanche. The Blackhawks will be without Sharpie tonight as it has been confirmed via non-Blackhawks sources that Sharpie has a fairly severe AC joint shoulder separation and usually with this type of injury the player is out 3-4 weeks. Additionally, although Big Hoss travelled with the team yesterday, he did participate fully in Friday mornings skate so I expect Hoss to be a game time decision. The Av's are looking for some payback tonight after they blew a 2-1 3rd period lead Wednesday night against the Blackhawks. I expect this game to be even more physical than Wednesday's barn burner and that tonight's contest promises to test the depth of the Blackhawks Team.
    Tonight's expected Hawks lineup
    Offense:
    Saad Tazer Carbomb
    Krugs Rat Kaner
    Bicks Shaw Stalberg
    Bollig Mayer Frolik
    Defense:
    Seabs Keith
    Hammer O-do-ya
    Rozsival Leddy
    Netminder:
    The Crow
    Below are the NHL Rankings of the two teams:
    Avs 8-10-4 20pts:
    Goals for: 2.36 (24)
    Goals against: 2.91 (21)
    PP%: 11.9 (30)
    PK%: 77.4 (25)
    Blackhawks 21-0-3 45pts:
    Goals for: 3.12 (4)
    Goals against : 1.79 (1)
    PP%: 17.8 (13)
    PK%: 89.0 (2)
    Other:
    As mentioned yesterday, the Blackhawks continued 3 streaks, the consecutive point streak now stands at 30 games, they have an 11 game winning streak and the Razor is the first goalie in NHL history to start the season 10-0-0. "Impressive, magical, amazing, special, remarkable, unbelievable, speechless and unreal". Those are just some of the adjectives being used by us Blackhawk fans to describe what the this team is doing. Other than the 3 streaks that I mentioned previous check out what else your Mighty Blackhawks have done
    - The Blackhawks now have not one, but two goalies, in the top 5 in the league for GAA and SV%. (Crawford 1.53/.940, Emery 2.02/.925)
    - They have goals from all but 4 players (Oduya, Bollig, Roszival and Brookbank)
    - They have 8 players with 5 or more goals and 9 players double-digits in points.
    - They have allowed the fewest goals in the entire NHL.
    - They've played half the season without a regulation loss and have captured 45 of a possible 48 points.
    - Incredible, ridiculous, surreal, stupendous, fantastic... Anyone have an other adjectives?
    The Blackhawks will inevitably run into the wrong team at the wrong time, ending what is quite a magical run. But there's no denying what the Blackhawks have done to date is unheard of. And please do not mention those wimps, the Miami Heat. Hey, there is absolutely no comparison, as the Blackhawks are on a much higher pedestal in regards to their strek when compared to the thugs from Miami.
    Speaking of streaks, check out this streaker who interupted the Flames/Sharks game last night. (its family safe)

    GO BLACKHAWKS!
  16. hokkeynutt
    I am still a bit numb from watching the last minutes of the Game 7 and the OT, wow what a finish! With the beloved Blackhawks sending the Red Wings to the links and the Eastern Conference, one must ask themselves, does this series victory erase all the past nightmares from previous series lost to the Scum? No, of course not. However its sweet to know that the end of the Hawks - Wings Western Conference rivalry will forever be known as Seventh Heaven as Brent Freaking Seabrook buried a shot over Howards glove after being partially deflected by Kronwall. Not only was Howard Bickell'D in the series, he was Kronwall'D too! There’s no other way to say it.
    Did I think it would happen? No. Not after being down 3-1 in the series and not after referee Steve Walkom waved off the orginal Game 7 winning goal scored by Hammer. Oh by the way…for those of you that did not know this, a bouquet of roses was delivered to the Blackhawk dressing room late Wednesday night. It was addressed to Seabs, with a note that read: "Mr. Seabrook, thanks for bailing my dumb ass out. Best Regards and Good Luck , Steve Walkom."
    Let me get this off my chest now... If anyone can tell me what Brandon Saad did to earn a coincidental minor to cancel out Hammer's winner, I’m right here, come get me! The includes you Steve Walkom! It doesn't matter what the rule book says about the appropriateness of whistling the play dead on co-incidental minors. The issue I have is your (Walkom's) arm should have gone up for a Detroit minor: no whistle (it was stuck in your ass), good goal, game and series over. I mean getting thrown into the bench? Getting punched from members on the Scum's bench? Then getting thrown to the ice like Brock Lesnar's girlfriend? I mean WTH?
    Next up for the boyz in the Indian Crest are the 2012 Stanley Cup Champions, the LA Kings. My immediate reaction is to pick the Mighty Blackhawks in 7 games. Get the ice packs ready as Clubber Lang and I expect a lot of "pain" in this series (that’s more physical for all you young hockey players).
    Today's morning skate had the following lines:
    Big Hoss - Captain Serious - Bicks
    Kaner - Zus - Sharpie
    Stalberg - Shawzie - Lesnar's Beyotch (Saad)
    Frolik - Bollie - Krugs
    Lastly, Stanley Cup Playoff tix went on sale at noon today and were sold out in 3 minutes! Enjoy the game(s) for those of you that scored tix.
    More to come. Thanks for reading.
    GO BLACKHAWKS
  18. hokkeynutt
    Most Blackhawks fans who had a preference, got what they wanted… the 2nd round opponent: The Detroit Red Wings (Scum).
    The Blackhawks and Red Wings have met in the Stanley Cup playoffs 15 times, dating back to 1934. The beloved own an 8-7 advantage in the previous series. As many of you know already, this will be the final season the Blackhawks and Red Wings meet in the playoffs as Western Conference foes as the Red Wings will move to the Eastern Conference next season.
    This season, the boyz in the Indian Crest won all four games against the Red Wings. The Blackhawks won 2-1 in OT at the Madhouse on January 27, won 2-1 in a shootout in Scumville on March 3, hammered the Scum 7-1 in Scumville and won 3-2 in a shootout at the Madhouse on April 12. Over the past two seasons the Mighty are 7-0-2 versus the Wings over the last two seasons.
    So to Game 1 at the Madhouse…
    I have waited for this series since 2010 as kicking the Scums azz in the playoffs that year would have made winning the Cup even better. Well that day is here and I expect the beloved to win this series in 6 games. Fans of the Scum can make all of the arguments they want that Zetterberg and Datsyuk are the equals to Kaner and Captain Serious, but Johan Franzen and Valteri Filippula are not Big Hoss or Sharpie and I repeat are not! Also consider the Mighty Blackhawks depth. The Scum can point to their youth, Nyquist, Eaves, Abdelkader, Brunner and Smith. But the boyz in the Indian Crest can point to Duncs, Sea Biscuit, Ledpipe, Hammer and O-do-ya! Also one must consider the depth of the Blackhawks and the speed and forechecking ability of the 3rd and 4th lines. The Scum may win 2, maybe 3 games in this series, but ultimately, they will lose because the Hawks will roll 4 competent, if not dangerous lines and have the NHL's deepest defense.
    Expected lines for tonight are:
    Saad - Tazer - Big Hoss
    Kaner - Zus - Sharpie
    Bicks - Rat - Shawzer
    Frolik-Krugs-CarBomb
    Defense:
    Duncs & Hammer
    Sea Biscuit & O-do-ya
    Rozsival & Ledpipe
    Netminder:
    The Crow
    A few additional comments…
    - The Crow has stopped 121 shots and allowed five goals in the four games against the Red Wings this season and had a 1.19 gaa.
    - As previously mentioned, Stalberg sits tonight… Only 1 assist in 5 games against Minneehaha
    - Top 10 Things You Need To Know About This Series
    10. Detroit sucks.
    9. Detroit sucks.
    8. Detroit sucks.
    7. Detroit sucks.
    6. Detroit sucks.
    5. Detroit sucks.
    4. Detroit sucks.
    3. Detroit sucks.
    2. Detroit sucks.
    1. Detroit sucks.
    GO BLACKHAWKS!
  19. hokkeynutt

    Battle of the Streaks!

    By hokkeynutt,

    Tonight the Hawks are in New York to take on one of the NHL's elite teams, the New York Ranger. This does not bode well for the Hawks. The Rangers have stayed relatively consistent through the month of January and the first half of February and might be able to put a string together with five straight wins with a victory over the struggling Hawks. The Rangers have won eight of their last ten games.
    The Hawks have lost nine straight games and their last eleven games on the road. After Tuesday's loss to the Preds, the Hawks are now tied for 6th with LA and are only two points ahead of Phoenix in the Western Conference. Scarier still, the Hawks are only three points ahead of 9th place Calgary. Both the Yotes and Flames are playing solid hockey right now, matching 6-2-2 records in their last 10 games.
    Playing the first place team in the Eastern Conference while under the bright lights of MSG are ideal conditions for the Hawks to break out of their slump. This could be a confidence-booster if they do. The Hawks must be a very hungry hockey team tonight and must get on the board early to take the life out of MSG. I am tired of watching the Hawks playing from behind and I am afraid of what will happen if the Hawks get off to another one of their slow starts.
    Tonight's Expected Hawks Lineup:
    Sharp - Toews - Hossa
    Stalberg - Kruger - Kane
    Brunette - Bolland- Bickell
    Shaw - Mayers - Scott
    D-Men:
    Keith - Olsen
    Leddy - Seabrook
    Lepisto - O'Donnell
    Netminder:
    The Crow
    Odds and Ends:
    - The Crow is 0-4-1 in his last five games with a 4.35 GAA
    - Captain Marvel has been held scoreless in the last eight games
    - In '05-'06, the Hawks had a ten game losing streak in January. Do you know who the leading scorer on that team was? Kyle Calder with 59 points.
    Side Note(s):
    - Anyone else tired of hearing the Kaner trade chat? Look, Kaner has a no trade clause in his contract. While I admit, I have not been a big fan of his of late, he is still considered one the NHL's elite play-makers.
    - With all of this trade rumors occurring, if the Hawks were to make a trade or trades, do you really think that this will help the team this year? We have known all year long that the Hawks Special teams have been in disarray and continue to be. The Hawks defense has needed another solid blue-liner to anchor the D. And... it has been known since last summer that the Hawks have needed a #2 center. These issues have been clearly known up to this point. Furthermore with the current nine game skid these issues have become even more apparent. If Stan gets off his *** and makes a few trades, will it be enough? My guess is that the Redwings will not be silent at the trade deadline, nor will the Blues. In my opinion, the Blues and the Redwings are the teams to beat in the Western Conference and I would not be surprised to see one of those teams representing the West in the Stanley Cup.
    Thanks for reading!
    GO HAWKS!
    Scott
  20. hokkeynutt
    OH-EM-GEE, Jonathan Quick is human after all. The reigning Conn Smythe winner allowed more than three goals for the first time in 35 playoff games as the boyz in the Indian Crest jumped out to a 4-0 lead at the Madhouse Sunday night. In all the visions I’ve had of this series in my own mind, not one of them contained Jonathan Quick getting pulled from a game. Sutter had seen enough and he was pulled after 30 minutes of play in an effort to spark his team which did not help but to possibly save Quick's confidence. Blackhawk fans the 2013 Western Conference Final is far from over but with that said, the Mighty have a 2-0 series lead. It feels good now, but there’s such a long way to go and there is no time for complacency.
    Sooo, to tonight's game 3… . The Blackhawks better expect the Kings to be coming out onight like a California wildfire Tuesday. The Kings have been here before as they trailed the St Louis 2-0 before disposing the Blues. Look for the Kings to be energized by their fans and hitting everything in sight wearing a white jersey. If the Hawks can weather it for the first 10 minutes of period 1, I believe they can be victorious again, the key is to try to avoid getting down a goal or two in the first, maybe even grab one themselves, and continue to outskate the Kings, beating them to pucks and forcing them to chase. The odds favor the Kings tonight as they are 7-0 at the Staples Center this postseason and they have a 14-0 run dating back through the late regular season. The boyz in the Indian Crest would love nothing else than to put a 1 in that loss column, and extend their Western Conference Final series lead to 3-0. If the Mighty take this game, obviously it would be huge in terms of taking a stranglehold on the series.
    Tonight's expected Lines:
    Big Hoss - Captain Serious - Bicks
    Kaner - Zus - Sharpie
    Stalberg - Shawzie - Saad
    Frolik - Bollie - Krugs
    D-Men
    Duncs - Sea Biscuit
    Hammer - O-do-ya
    Rozsival - Ledpipe
    Netminder:
    The Crow
    A few last comments…
    - Kudos go out to Crow who stood up for his Captain when the Kings Kyle Clifford took exception to land few cheap shots on the Captain's chin. Q's assessment of Crow in that situation… "Spontaneous combustion. Sometimes you can't forecast or predict that stuff"
    - Mike Richards appears to still have concussion-like symptoms that were a result of an uncoordinated hit by Bolland in Game 1 and is questionable
    Thanks for reading.
    GO BLACKHAWKS
  21. hokkeynutt

    Shark Bait?

    By hokkeynutt,

    Just not sure bout this Hawks team, I have some concerns. Sure the Hawks own the best record in the NHL but… in my opinion they are not the best team in the NHL. I realize you have to be lucky to be good and good to be lucky but I have a number of concerns with this team and the time to improve and experiment is now, during the season. The Hawk power play, which in spite of all kinds of star power, was awful last year. This young season has seen the Hawks slide to 15th in the league, going 1 for 8 against the Ducks, including a couple of 4 on 3's. Someone has got to explain to Q that Sharpie should not be on the point on the PP when you have Seabs sitting on the bench who has one of the hardest shots in the league. Also, the opponents know the Hawks, nothing has changed… backdoor all of the time or a set up for a timer. My suggestion, the blueline on the PP needs to improve significantly if this team is going to have a deep run in the playoffs. How bout faceoffs… it would sure be nice if the Hawks could land a second line center to take the pressure off Tazer for game critical faceoffs. It’s a blessing that Tazer was 74% against the Ducks in key situations. Acquiring a second line center would also help Sharpie who has been in a funk. The Rat has a tendency to dump and chase and with Kane and Sharpie as your wingers, puck control is their specialty, not dumping and chasing. I mean ****, when was the last time you saw Kaner go hard into a corner for a puck that was dumped in, with a 225lb defenseman, defending him. Not blaming Kaner but that’s just not his game, puck control is. Next for improvement is the the Hawks shootouts. The Hawks have not been great and as I mentioned yesterday if the Hawks next shootout is tonight, Big Hoss gets his turn as the #3 shooter. The Hawks problem has been finding a consistent third shooter. Sharpie, Leddy and Saad were all given opportunities this season, but failed to score. Lastly, the Hawks need to against bigger and more physical teams. Rumor has it that the Hawks are exploring the possibility of acquiring some additional size and toughness on wing so stay tuned.
    Tonight, the Hawks face a rested Sharks club, who are in the middle of a six-game road trip, have lost six consecutive contests overall and are looking to even the season series between the two teams. Maybe, I am in a funk but I see tonight's game going to the Sharks, 3-1. Hope I'm wrong.
    Below are the two teams (NHL Rankings):
    Sharks 7-3-3 17pts:
    Goals for: 2.62 (19)
    Goals against: 2.08 (5)
    PP%: 21.2 (9)
    PK%: 87.0 (6)
    Hawks 10-0-3 23pts:
    Goals for: 3.31 (2)
    Goals against : 1.92 (3)
    PP%: 18.2 (16)
    PK%: 91.5 (2)
    Did you know:
    1) Car Bomb took to the ice yesterday and is now practicing.
    2) The Hawks dropped to 1-3 in shootouts this season with Tuesday's shootout loss to the Ducks.
    3) Big Hoss hasn't taken a shootout chance this season and hasn't been used much in recent years. He was 0-4 in shootouts last season, 0-2 in 2010-2011 and 2-5 in 2009-2010. He's 12 for 40 for his career.
    Tonight's expected Hawks lineup
    Offense:
    Saad Tazer Big Hoss
    Sharpie Rat Kaner
    Bicks Shaw Stalberg
    Bollig Krugs Frolik
    Defense:
    Seabs Keith
    Hammer O-do-ya
    Rozsival Leddy
    Netminder:
    Razor
    GO HAWKS!
  22. hokkeynutt
    First, in honor of Big Hoss' 1,000th game this past Sunday against the Dead Wings, the beloved Blackhawks will honor his milestone by wearing commemorative jerseys during warmups and holding a pre-game ceremony tonight. Big Hoss has 921 points during his 15-year NHL career. Many of you know already that he signed with the Blackhawks in the summer of 2009. The commemorative warmup jerseys will include Hossa’s name and number, 81, on the back. Each jersey will be autographed by Hossa and the player who wore it during warmups and then be auctioned on chicagoblackhawks.com. Good luck if you elect to bid.
    Now to tonight's action…
    First, welcome back Rat, its good to see you in the lineup. Tonight, the Minnesota Wild come to the Madhouse on Madison. In the last meeting between the two teams, the Wild beat the 3-2 in a shootout at Xcel Energy Center on January 30th. The Wild are coming off their fifth win in seven games, a 4-2 victory over the Oilers Sunday. The Blackhawks have outscored opponents 24-13 during their nine-game winning streak and are looking to getting their 20th win of the season, which would also be a franchise-record tenth in a row. The Blackhawks also want to prevent the Wild from gaining any psychological edge against them by getting a victory tonight. Sidenote: Frolik missed the morning skate and I anticipate him missing tonight's contest.
    Regarding The Crow:
    It appears that he is fully recovered as he definitely looked great against the Dead Wings Sunday, and it came out that he had flu like systems/dehydration during Thursday's game against the Blues.
    Below are the NHL Rankings of the two teams:
    Wild 11-8-2 24pts:
    Goals for: 2.24 (26)
    Goals against: 2.38 (7)
    PP%: 14.5 (23)
    PK%: 86.2 (5)
    Blackhawks 19-0-3 41pts:
    Goals for: 3.04 (4)
    Goals against : 1.73 (1)
    PP%: 17.9 (13)
    PK%: 89.7 (3)
    Did you know:
    1) The Blackhawks have lost the last three matchups against the Wild, all in shootouts. This changes tonight with a Blackhawks victory in regulation.
    2) The Crow, who made 32 saves Sunday, is 10-0-3 with an NHL-leading 1.41 gaa
    3) The Razor is 3-0-1 versus Minnesota while the Crow is 2-1-2
    4) How do you casterate an Minnesota Wild fan? Kick his sister in the mouth.
    5) Whats the difference between the Minnesota Wild and a mosquito? A mosquito stops sucking.
    Tonight's expected Hawks lineup
    Offense:
    Saad Tazer Hossa
    Sharpie Rat Kaner
    Bicks Shaw Stalberg
    Carbomb Krugs Meyer
    Defense:
    Seabs Keith
    Hammer O-do-ya
    Rozsival Leddy
    Netminder:
    Crow
    GO HAWKS!
  23. hokkeynutt
    With 49 ticks left on the game clock, CarBomb put the fans at the Madhouse in Hysteria mode with a dramatic game winning goal. As a result three streaks continue, the Blackhawks consecutive point streak now stands at 30 games, they have an 11 game winning streak and the Razor is the first goalie in NHL history to start the season 10-0-0. However, this win hurts a bit. General Shaw (possible concussion due to a Paul Stastny elbow) and Sharpie (possible shoulder separation) would exit the game early leaving the depth at the forward position short to finish the game. Coach Q had decided to dress 7 D-men last night and Big Hoss and Frolik were out with the flu. So what does this mean as the Mighty Blackhawks travel to Denver? I'm going to assume that Frolik and Big Hoss are back and Bollig is recalled from Rockford. If this happens, I expect tomorrow night's lineup to look like:
    Saad Tazer Big Hoss
    CarBomb Rat Kaner
    Bicksl Krugs Stalberg
    Frolik Mayers Bollig
    If Big Hoss and Frolik are not back in the lineup tomorrow, it is my opinion that tomorrow night's contest with the Avs will be the Blackhawks biggest test to date and look for the Blackhawks to call up Jimmy Hayes, Ben Smith and Jeremy Morin.
    Until tomorrow, GO BLACKHAWKS!
  24. hokkeynutt
    It only took 12 seconds for the Blackhawks to put the game out of the Blues reach last night in St. Louis and today the Blues are singing the Blues. The Blackhawks faced a little adversity when starting tender, The Crow, left the game after stopping all six St Louis shots in the first period (see below). The Razor replaced him to begin the second period, but the song remained the same for the Blues as Razor put up a brick wall: zero goals. St. Louis presented the most physical opponent the Hawks have faced to date, and openly wanted to take the action to the Blackhawks out of the gate. But Captain Serious put home the first goal of the game and that proved to be all the Blackhawks needed. As the game got a little more physical and chippy, Q put Carbomb on the top line and that “encouraged” the Blues to back off the stupid crap against Tazer and Big Hoss. With that said, having Saad and CarBomb who can skate in the spot on the top line is indeed quite a luxury. Once again, the Blackhawks penalty killers were outstanding as they blanked the NHL's top power play in four opportunities. I mentioned yesterday, the Blues entered the game scoring 30.3 percent of the time with a man advantage but came up empty as they only had five shots on the PK against the Hawks. Note the Blues were without three of their top forwards, but who gives a sh!t, the streak continues.
    Tonight, for the second time in less than a week, the Blue Jackets have an opportunity to put a halt to the Blackhawks record-setting streak at the Madhouse. Looking back at the two games already played between the two teams already in this shortened season, it's that tonight's game will not be an easy one for the Blackhawks. Both prior meetings with the Blue Jackets this season have been tightly-contested, physical games, with one-goal decisions that could have easily gone either way. As I mentioned previously, a questionable disallowed goal on Jan. 26 at Nationwide Arena wiped out a tying goal for Columbus in the second period (eventually a 3-2 final) and just last weekend at the Madhouse, the Blackhawks escaped with a 1-0 win as the Blue Jackets put on a late push in the 3rd period. The Blackhawks better be ready. Out of tonight's contest are former Blackhawk James Wisniewski and for the Blackhawks The Crow and The Rat (that’s Dave Bolland for all of you young hockey players).
    Regarding The Crow:
    I have a feeling that Blackhawk fans and the Blackhawks themselves, might need to prepare for the Crow to be out for some time. As I previously mentioned, it was rumored the Crow’s last injury was a concussion, suffered against the Ducks. And it sure looked like that was again the problem last night as he could barely leave the ice after 20 minutes. That leaves the goaltending of the league’s best team in the hands of theRazor and former Calgary backup Henrik Karlsson.
    Below are the NHL Rankings of the two teams:
    Blue Jackets 5-12-3 13pts:
    Goals for: 2.15 (29)
    Goals against: 3.00 (21)
    PP%: 12.2 (29)
    PK%: 83.8 (10)
    Blackhawks 17-0-3 35pts:
    Goals for: 3.10 (4)
    Goals against : 1.70 (1)
    PP%: 18.0 (12)
    PK%: 89.3 (2)
    Did you know:
    1) Congratulations to the Razor, who was named the NHL's 3rd Star for February, going 7-0-0 with a 1.66 GAA
    2) The Blackhawks now are two games behind the 28-game streak set by the 1977-78 Montreal Canadiens. (The Blackhawks' reach is the most consecutive games with at least one point. Chicago stretched its streak to 26 games (the Blackhawks finished last season 3-0-3) by beating the Blues.)
    3) Blues fans couldn’t wait to tell you how much it meant for them to end the Blackhawks point streak. Now they’ll tell you how much it matters that they were missing key players. Seriously, I don't give a damn as it doesn’t matter, they’re still missing two points.
    Tonight's expected Hawks lineup
    Offense:
    Saad Tazer Hossa
    Sharpie Krugs Kaner
    Bicks Shaw Stalberg
    Carbomb Meyer Frolik
    Defense:
    Seabs Keith
    Hammer O-do-ya
    Rozsival Leddy
    Netminder:
    Razor
    GO HAWKS!
  25. 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
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