Observations:Sportsnet.CA
Crazy:New York Times
Exactly:HockeeNight
I’m not worried:ESPN
You’re screwed:Daily Herald
Better than 91..I guess:USA Today
Damn Right!!PuckDaddy
The Blackhawks dropped Game 3 to a goalie that looked more like Jean Claude Van Damme in net than an NHL goalie. The Hawks missed two completely wide open cages in the first period. Ben Bishop could barely move side to side without dropping to one knee and yet the Hawks couldn’t scratch more than two pucks past him even though they threw 38 shots on net and an ungodly amount that went wide or were blocked.
Meanwhile, the Hawks killed off a 5-on-3, Corey Crawford stopped two breakaways and they let up for 35 seconds to find two pucks behind them.
Hockey is the absolute worst.
vs 
Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBCSN, CBC, TVA
From Her Lips To God’s Ears: Raw Charge
With the series shifting north to the United Center for games 3 and 4, both the Hawks and the Lightning believe themselves to be in highly actionable positions within the context of the series after a split in Tampa. But the team in red is the one that will be best served in maximizing their opportunity on home ice.
Now that the calendar has turned to June and the Hawks are now playing an Eastern Conference opponent, it’s time to take a look at Tampa Bay’s defense and goaltending. And both groupings are led by extremely large men.
…for those of you at home who get that, I’ll go ahead and let you finish that line out.
McClure and I were talking yesterday, and we’ve had to raise a bemused eyebrow at how Duncan Keith, that’s two-time Norris winner, two-time Gold Medalist, should-have-’10-Conn-Smythe Duncan Keith, is having something of a coming out party this playoff run. It’s amazing what amounting counting stats for the national hockey press can do.
But it takes a point-per-game to get people to notice a d-man we guess, even though this isn’t absurdly higher production than Keith has put up in deep Hawks runs before. In 2010 it was 17 points in 22 games (when he was taking on the toughest assignments as well and simply kicking a hole in the world). He had 13 in 22 games in ’13, and last year was 11 points in 19 games.
Even the next day I’m not sure where to begin this. So let’s flip it and look at it how a Ducks fan (if there is such a thing) might look at it. You still haven’t lost in regulation, and had Corey Crawford not put on two borderline-incredible overtime performances in Games 2 and 4, this series might already be over. Your 3rd period magic has now worked both ways, in that the Ducks were able to protect leads, and rather easily, rather easily in Games 1 and 3. And then there was that comeback, which has been a Ducks specialty this season, in Game 4. You’ve rolled the Hawks in the overtimes, they still only have four ES goals in the series. So yeah, things probably look pretty rosy, even if you think you can’t waste a three goals in 37 seconds burst like that.
vs
Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBC, CBC, TVA, WGN-AM 720
All The Answers: Anaheim Calling, Battle Of California
In Joel Quenneville’s seven year tenure as the Hawks’ coach, there has not been a single postseason wherein his squad has not trailed in a series at some point, including twice in each respective year that ended in a parade. So tonight’s Game 4 at home against the Ducks is not new territory for his team. But Game 3 certainly rocketed up the charts as one of his all-time coaching boners in what is already a greatest hits collection. The Ducks took advantage, and now tonight results in a crucial, near must-win for the home team.
Now that we’re all trying to settle the nerves, and pumping in the caffeine to try and get through our various days, would be a good time to clean up what we didn’t have time or the energy to get through in the wee hours. First, all the stat stuff:
Apologies for the lack of a box score or event summary or the other pretty stuff. It’s late and I know what I want to say. Besides, I’m not sure if any of that matters at this point. The Hawks and Ducks just essentially played two games and the series is tied at 1.
