Everything Else

High On The Hog: Just Split It

By 1448

The Rockford IceHogs scored six goals in four games this week. Fortunately, they were able to win two of those games and earn a point in another. This came about through some improved play on the defensive end.

As the AHL’s second half of the season gets rolling, the Hogs welcomed goalie Jeff Glass to the fold. Glass was in net for the first three games of Rockford’s current road trip, which concludes Wednesday night in San Antonio.

Glass isn’t the only new face IceHogs fans will see when the team gets back.

Everything Else

Punch The Clock – Hawks 4, Canucks 2

By 1687

Box Score
Natural Stat Trick

During this time of year, particularly at home and against the drecks of the league, any points gained in regulation are to be taken happily. And while the parts of the second and the early parts of the third period reeked of a team taking its foot off the gas against a lesser opponent, the Hawks grabbed a win while inching the Canucks and their fans closer to the sweet release of the season ending.

Everything Else

I Don’t Even Know What This Is Supposed To Be: Canucks at Hawks Preview/Juice Cleanse

By 1409

 vs. 

RECORDS: Canucks 22-19-6   Hawks 29-14-5

PUCK DROP: 6:30pm

TV: WGN down here, SportsNet up there for Hilljack Hockey

CRYING INTO THEIR VAPORIZER: Nucks Misconduct, Hockey Dipshit

PROJECTED LINEUPS

ADJUSTED TEAM CORSI %: Canucks – 47.5 (24th)  Hawks – 50.0 (16th)

ADJUSTED TEAM xGF%: Canucks – 46.4 (28th)  Hawks – 47.5 (26th)

POWER PLAY %: Canucks – 13.2 (29th)  Hawks – 18.1 (16th)

PENALTY KILL %: Canucks – 79.7 (23rd)  Hawks – 75.6 (28th)

The Hawks will entertain the Canucks tonight, a half-hour later than normal for a Sunday because it features on SportsNet’s hilariously weird “Hometown Hockey.” For the uninitiated, every Sunday Rogers sends Tara Slone–who must’ve run over someone’s cat/child to be punished in such a way–out to some Canadian outpost/backwater/truck stop/hobo circle jerk where she gets stared at by a bunch of glassy-eyed, slack-jawed locals who are only slightly intimidated by all the blinking lights of the camera. There they talk about how much they love hockey, shocking for a Canadian city I know, while the children have to wear their gear for four hours and wave to the camera when told, which turns out to be a real task for them, because y’know, CANADIAN. Ron MacLean joins the fun to interview some doddering old codger who barely knows where he is because he spent 10 years toiling for the fucking Golden Seals or something and getting beaten about the head. But he’s from whatever ice-fishing hut they’re broadcasting from, so he has talk about how much they love hockey in this particular section of frozen hell. It’s really something.

Meanwhile, George Stroumboulopoulos kicks it at home with his awesome socks and thanks his lucky stars he doesn’t have to put up with any of this shit anymore.

Anyway…

Everything Else

You Ain’t Hardcore Cause You Spike Your Hair – Blackhawks 1, Bruins 0

By 1388

Box Score

Natural Stat Trick

HockeyStats.ca

If there’s ever been a time where one game stands as a microcosm for two teams, Friday night’s tilt between the Blackhawks and Boston Bruins would stand as Exhibit A.

The Blackhawks did what they’ve been doing – get lopsided in possession for one period while playing relatively even the rest of the game, take advantage of their limited opportunities and get stellar goaltending.

The Bruins did what they’ve been doing – maintain an edge in possession while throwing a high amount of shots from low percentage scoring areas, give up a backbreaking goal and then lose in the most heartbreaking way conceivable.

Needless to say, it was a fun one.

Everything Else

Rubber And Glue – Blackhawks at Bruins Preview, Inauguration Ball

By 1598

 at 

Game Time: 6:00PM CST
TV/Radio: WGN, NHLN (US), SportsNet (Canada), WGN-AM 720
Who’s Your Favorite New Kid? Call Me Joey: Days of Y’Orr

From one state with legal weed to another, tonight the Hawks find themselves in Boston to take on a B’s team that is once again teetering on the edge of missing the playoffs for a third straight year, and rumors of Claude Julien’s giant bald head being on the chopping block dominate any discussion about the Bruins.

Everything Else

Bruins Q&A With One Of The Eight Bruins Fans Who Can Read And Write, Marshall from DOY

By 1442

Days of Y’Orr was one of the best hockey blogs around. Then it went away. And then apparently it came back when I wasn’t paying attention. Mostly because Marshall and I are usually arguing about wrestling. Anyway, it’s back, you should read it, and follow Marshall and them on Twitter (@DOYMarshall @DaysOfYorr)

Once again, the Bruins underlying numbers are among the best in the league, and yet they’re jostling for a playoff spot in a pretty piss poor division. Is it all just poor shooting luck? Is there something more at work?

Their shooting percentage has finally started to turn a corner, but things have been pretty mind-boggling so far. To dominate possession the way they do, yet be so woefully inept at burying the puck really puts into question the adage of “good things happen when you put the puck on net.” Opposing teams are having far too easy a time forcing the Bruins to the outside, leading to some pretty poor shot selection. The top line is capable of creating offense from anywhere in the zone, but the others lack the necessary skill set.

Everything Else

Upon This Rock

By 1482

This week has seen Jonathan Toews be the target of more vitriol and criticism from Blackhawks fans than the rest of his entire career combined. Some of it is most certainly justified. Toews is on pace for less than 15 goals this season, his possession numbers have cratered in a lot of ways, and he just has not been noticeable on the ice most of the time. As we pointed out in the podcast, the coup de grace was doing his angry-Toews act in the press on Friday after the Hawks were picking parts of the Caps’ boots out of their chests for hours, and then getting completely worked over by Mikko Koivu on Sunday in response. This is just not something we’ve seen from Toews very much, if at all, in his now 10 years in the NHL.

It has been this blog’s contention, or maybe just this lone derelict’s, that Duncan Keith’s game has slowed so far this season as well, no matter how much Eddie Olczyk yells at me and no matter how much he piles up secondary assists.

Maybe it’s time we wonder if these things are at least partially linked.

Everything Else

All Your Friends Are Moving To Denver: Hawks at Avs Preview/Metal Spin Class

By 1315

 vs. 

RECORDS: Hawks 27-14-5  Avalanche 13-27-1

PUCK DROP: 8pm

TV: CSN, NBCSN for those outside the 606

CHILLING AT THE INVENTING ROOM: Mile High Hockey

PROJECTED LINEUPS

ADJUSTED TEAM CORSI %: Hawks – 50.0 (15th)  Avs – 44.8 (Dead Ass Last)

ADJUSTED TEAM xGF%: Hawks – 47.3 (26th)  Avs – 41.5 (Dead Ass Last)

POWER PLAY %: Hawks – 18.6 (15th)  Avs – 13.0 (29th, because the Wings are Dead Ass Last)

PENALTY KILL %: Hawks – 75.6 (28th)  Avs – 78.5 (24th)

If this recent stretch of Hawks hockey, be it this past weekend or the past couple weeks or the last month and a half, would be something you would define as “middling,” or “disappointing,” there simply can’t be a better cure than a visit to Denver for a contest with the Avs. Though the Hawks lost the last tilt to this bombed out structure, that was the game before the Christmas break when the Hawks were clearly had the motor running. Do that again, and you’ll know the Hawks simply could care less right now.