Everything Else

Make Them Believe: Hawks at Ducks Game 2 Preview/Pregame Thread/Soakin’ It

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Hawk Wrestler vs.howard_the_duck

PUCK DROP: 8pm (or 20 minutes later) Central
TV/RADIO: NBCSN, CBC In The Great White North, WGN 720
MICKEY GROPERS: Anaheim Calling, Battle Of California

Now that all the teeth-gnashing and forcible hair removal after Game 1’s loss has faded, the Hawks get down to the business of trying to grab a split in Orange County, which is what they needed when this all began anyway. Nothing is fucked here, Dude.

As you may have seen the debate rage on Twitter last night, it looks like there’s going to be one lineup change for the Hawks tonight as Kyle Cumiskey will come in for David Rundblad. Let’s be clear, neither is an answer to any question anyone is asking. This isn’t about one being better than the other. But it is highly strange that after it was clear that Rundblad was struggling with rust after not playing in a month combined with the deficiencies in his game, that Q would then opt to try another d-man who hasn’t played in a month and hasn’t even been playing in the NHL this season save for six games that weren’t all that impressive. It’s unlikely he’ll play enough to make a difference, but then we thought that about Rundblad, didn’t we?

Everything Else

It Wasn’t A Pretty Picture – Anaheim’s Special Teams And The Rest

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Time to clean up our preview of the Hawks’ Western Conference Final opponent the Anaheim Ducks.

Special Teams

Now this is where things could go a bit sideways for the Hawks, and clearly the biggest flashing red light. Just like the Hawks did last round, the Hawks will face the team heading into it with the playoffs’ hottest power play, as the Ducks are clicking at 31% in two rounds. Both Winnipeg and Calgary had middling kills during the season, but it’s not like the Hawks’ can claim much else from about March on.

Everything Else

We’ve Had Enough – Game 5 – Hawks at Predators Preview, Pregame Thread, Cross Examination

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oldschool at predator

Game Time: 8:30PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN+ (Ch. 201), NBCSN, SN360 (Anglo), TVA3 (Franco), WGN-AM 720
Opryland Season Pass: On The Forecheck

After 101 minutes of hockey that spanned Tuesday well into Wednesday, the Hawks are at long last in a position to advance in the post season. And that opportunity presents itself tonight in the form of the Nashville Predators once again at Bridgestone Arena.

Everything Else

I’ve Always Been Crazy But It’s Kept Me From Going Insane: Hawks 4 – Preds 3 (2OT)

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Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

Oh right, the Hawks don’t know how to ease themselves into the playoffs in the shallow end, as this marks the 4th straight year the Hawks have gone to OT in R1G1, and the second straight year it’s been a mult-OT game. Why do things easy? Isn’t this more fun?

Rarely will you see a playoff game swing from one side to the other so violently so quickly. The Preds, at least about halfway through the 1st, took this one over and put up three. The Hawks tightened everything up in the 2nd and were all over Nashville in the 2nd. The Preds were slightly better in the 3rd and first OT, and the Hawks waited them out.

Of course, after we said this was two disciplined teams with anemic power plays, this turned out to be a game of indiscipline and special teams, which the Hawks actually won. Perhaps the excitement gets to the players too. And the ice didn’t help, but the Hawks should be used to that.

Still, you can’t be blowing three-goal leads at home, can you? Let’s try and clean this one up, if we can.

Everything Else

Who’s Your John Druce?

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As is tradition around these parts before the playoffs, we ask you Who Is Your John Druce?

For those who don’t know, John Druce was a middling third-liner, only cracking 20 goals once in his career in the late 80s and early 90s. However, in the ’90 playoffs he exploded for 14 goals in 15 games, becoming the term for a player who shockingly becomes a playoff hero.

So who is it for this year? I hesitate to put Bryan Bickell on this list who has made something of a career of being a Baby Druce the past four years. Brandon Saad is already a star, so he can’t be on the list. But we’ll do our best. Who’s your John Druce?

 

Who’s Your John Druce?

Kris Versteeg
Marcus Kruger
Joakim Nordstrom
Teuvo Teravainen
Andrew Desjardins

Poll Maker

Everything Else

One More Special Message To Go: Hawks at Avs Preview/Gamethread/Hornet’s Nest Burning

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AltLogo vs. abom_bugs

FACEOFF: 8pm

TV/RADIO: WGN for both

ALTITUDE AND ATTITUDE: Mile High Hockey

I’m writing this as the Wild-Blues goes on and fully admit by the time you get to read this the result of that game will have rendered this one meaningless. If the Wild don’t claim both points, the Hawks will open at Nashville next week for Game 1, and I guess you could argue that’s what they’ve been angling for anyway. Or not. I don’t know. It’s probably the best of a bad bunch of matchups.