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Hurricanrana Is Hurricanrana In Any Language: Hawks at Canes Preview/Craft Gin Week

By 1511

 vs. 

RECORDS: Hawks 23-10-5  Canes 15-12-7

PUCK DROP: 6:30 pm 

TV: WGN

HE HIT THE FUCKIN’ BULL, DIDN’T HE?: Canes Country

PROJECTED LINEUPS

ADJUSTED TEAM CORSI %: Hawks – 49.5 (16th)  Canes – 52.8 (5th)

ADJUSTED TEAM xGF%: Hawks – 47.0 (26th)  Canes – 53.6 (6th)

POWER PLAY %: Hawks -19.2 (14th)  Canes – 20.4 (10th)

PENALTY KILL %: Hawks – 74.8 (29th)  Canes – 90.6 (1st)

TRENDS: Teuvo and Aho combined for 11 shots against the Penguins on Wednesday… The Canes rang up a 67% Corsi in Pittsburgh last out

The title is something my friend who wrestles in Chikara told me once. I think it applies to most things.

The last game of 2016 and the last of the two-game swing through NASCAR country comes up for the Hawks tonight. They arrested their small skid last night, averting something a little more definitive, and will attempt to head into West East St. Louis with a little momentum (assuming this Winter Classic actually ever gets played, which it might not).

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I Guess I Got What I Deserved – Blackhawks 3, Predators 2

By 1441

Box Score

Natural Stat Trick

HockeyStats.ca

In one of previous podcasts, we discussed how games against St. Louis don’t carry the same vitriol as Barrett Jackman, David Backes, TJ Oshie and others have found different sewers to dwell in. Perhaps the Predators can fill the gap that’s currently missing in our dark and empty hearts.

The Predators (when without PK Subban) are a truly unlikeable bunch. From Mike Fisher’s holier than thou silliness to the truly disgusting Mike Ribeiro to David Poile’s self-appointed genius, there is plenty to dislike about the Preds. So it was truly amusing to watch them self-destruct in a very St. Louis-esque meltdown in the last half of the third tonight.

Let’s get to the stuff and things.

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“Pred” Backwards Is “Derp”: Hawks at Predators Preview/Brake Alignment

By 1427

 vs. 

RECORDS: Hawks 22-10-5   Predators 15-13-6

PUCK DROP: 7pm Central

TV: CSN

GIMME GIMME THE HONKY TONK BLUES: On The Forecheck

PROJECTED LINEUPS

ADJUSTED TEAM CORSI %: Hawks – 49.8 (15th)  Preds – 52.2 (8th)

ADJUSTED TEAM xGF%: Hawks – 47.0 (25th)  Preds – 52.7 (9th)

POWER PLAY%: Hawks – 18.3 (15th)  Preds – 19.5 (13th)

PENALTY KILL%: Hawks – 74.7 (29th)  Preds – 81.5 (14th)

TRENDS: Johansen has two goals this month… Rinne has given up 30 goals in his last 10 appearances for a SV% of .867

The Hawks take their three-game losing streak, with one point gained, down south the next two nights to take on the Predators and then the Canes to close out the 2016 portion of the schedule. They’ll find a not quite floundering, not quite surging, just kind of quite there Predators team at the Bridgestone tonight. Why we haven’t been saying, “At that confounded Bridge!” every time the Hawks go to said arena, I don’t have any idea but it starts now, big boy!

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Preds Spotlight: RyJo Sen

By 1367

The Predators came into this season perhaps the most watched team in the West, if not the whole league. For the first time, it really appeared they could be one of the last four, or two, or even last team standing. They had a deep forward corps, though perhaps lacking star power. They had one of the deepest blue lines around, made only better by swapping out Shea Weber for He Who Should Be President Of The World. There were certainly questions about the goaltending, as Pekka Rinne has fallen off elite status. If it all went balls-up, that’s where it was most likely the arrows of blame (a great My Bloody Valentine album) would be pointed.

It hasn’t worked out that way, and it hasn’t worked out the way the Predators and their fans would have hoped either.

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The Great Russian Trendkill Sticks Around

By 1580

You have to say the Hawks are learning.

Over the years, we’ve lamented the Hawks fear of A) playing hardball with any of their players who are reaching restricted free agency (or even unrestricted) and B) their irrational fear of an offer sheet. While no two free agent situations are alike, it would appear the Hawks have learned some lessons in losing Brandon Saad or feeling they had to trade others like Our Special Boy (TM).

Tonight, the Hawks have inked Artemi Panarin to a two-year bridge deal, with $6 million a year. It’s about as good as either side could do, if you think about it, given what the constraints were.

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A Darker Grey Breaks Through A Lighter One – Jets 3, Blackhawks 1

By 1342

Box Score

Natural Stat Trick 

The Winnipeg Jets won their third straight game against the Chicago Blackhawks tonight and it wasn’t particularly close at any point. From the first whistle, the Jets were flying up and down the ice and while the Hawks certainly had their chances, once again they scored too few to matter.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild have decided to do that weird mid-season thing where they don’t lose games for a month. It won’t be long before first place in the division belongs to the Wild if the Hawks can’t figure out how to score a little bit more often.

Let’s make this quick because no one wants to think about Winnipeg longer than they have to.

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Incalculable Effects – Jets vs Hawks Preview, Amazon Gift Return

By 1597

 vs 

Game Time: 7:30PM
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Fireman Ed’s Cousin Gord: Illegal Curve

In what was a tradition unlike any other, the Hawks for seemingly eons played a home game on West Madison on Boxing Day, and even during the Stone Ages the building was more packed than usual. The league in its wisdom has opted to extend the holiday break, pushing the return to action to the 27th, and even giving the Hawks a road game or two in recent years on the date. But tonight will be as close to the Boxing Day games of yore as the league will allow, and the Hawks will be welcoming the Jets to the UC once again already.

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High On The Hog: Anatomy Of A Weeknight With The Wolves

By 1805

The Rockford IceHogs, AHL affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks, had themselves a pretty light week in terms of the schedule. The Hogs had just one game this past week, a Wednesday night matchup with their closest and biggest rival, the Chicago Wolves.

I considered taking the week off and just including a recap of the game in my next post. At that point, I realized that I had lots of thoughts on the IceHogs in general and some players in particular that I haven’t had much of a chance to discuss.

With that in mind, I’ll recap the one game for you this week. However, I’ll be that rambling cousin at the egg nog bowl. You’ll get your rundown, along with plenty of rest stops. Buckle up…

Wednesday, December 21, 5:50 p.m.-Upon entering the BMO Harris Bank Center (picking up my promotional hat and trying to ignore the folks in line complaining to the security staff that they were there first), I notice that the microphones normally attached to the plexiglass are noticeably absent. Also, there aren’t two or three extra cameras set up around the arena.

We are playing the Wolves, right?

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Merry Christmas From Us To You

By 1384

Merry Christmas and Happy second night of Hanukkah from all of us (along with Mike and El)here at the soon to be former TCI offices. We’ll soon be rolling out the new site and domain name, hopefully right at the turn of the year, so in the meantime have a safe and happy holiday, and we’ll reconvene Tuesday afternoon for previewing the Jets.

And grab RTJ3. Do it now, motherfuckers.

Everything Else

Stoned and Starving – Avalanche 2, Blackhawks 1 (OT))

By 1258

Box Score

HockeyStats.ca

Natural Stat Trick

When this era of the Blackhawks ends, I will miss games like Tuesday’s against the Senators the most. Those games where it looks like it’s just not the Hawks’ night and they find themselves down a 2-3 goals halfway through the game. Somehow, those games always end up in a scramble as the Hawks seem to claw their way back into the game. Sometimes, the Hawks tie it. Sometimes, they win. Sometimes, they lose but you never feel like you were cheated.

When this era of the Blackhawks end, I will definitely not miss games like tonight. Make no mistake, the Colorado Avalanche are counting down the days before this season ends. They go into games looking for the right opportunity to fold up the tents. Pop in a couple goals early and you can pretty much chalk up two points.