Everything Else

A Spider Monkey Is A Good Lie: Hawks at Blues Game 7 Preview/Purge

By 1451

Hawk Wrestler vs. old_school_blue_l

PUCK DROP: 7:30pm

TV: NBCSN, CSN, CBC In Da Great What Nort’ 

PALLBEARERS: St. Louis Gametime

Well now we’re gonna see if #ThisTimeWillBeDifferent, aren’t we?

There’s so much riding on this game tonight for St. Louis I kind of want to hurl in delight. If they lose, their coach will assuredly be fired, playing staff will be changed. We can look for CAPTAIN! to have a new address next year (probably going to happen anyway). Kirk ShattenKevin will almost assuredly go on the trade block again. The great goalie search of St. Louis could kick up into hyper drive again, or they’ll try for the 87th time to give the job to Jay Gallon and he’ll watch it go right by him.

If they win, then they’ll have slain their biggest demon, overcome a major mental hurdle, and be looking at a matchup with a Dallas team that probably won’t have its top center and is trying to play with no goalies and a defense that uses the youth soccer tactic of just chasing the puck in packs. There might be some validation for this Blues core with a win tonight. With a loss, it gets broken up.

For the Hawks… eh, if they don’t win they’ll have been a flawed, tired team that still has three banners in seven years with a core intact that is always in position to make a run for more. Win tonight, and they’ll have broken a main rival for nearly just the sheer joy of it. Who’s got more pressure y’think?

Everything Else

Beard Of The Day – April 25th: The Undertaker

By 1557

undertaker

We’re sticking with the wrestler theme and going away from our normal drummer post on a possible clincher. It is not just a season the Hawks look to bury tonight. It is an entire era of an organization. So we summon The Phenom, The Dead Man, The Best There Ever Was. St. Louis, the Creatures Of The Night request your demise.

Everything Else

I’m A Bad Man, I Do What I Can: Blues 3 – Hawks 6 (Series Tied 3-3)

By 1522

Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Like this wrap was ever going to come last night.

Normally, you’d come here for some shrewd analysis and a couple insults/jokes about the game. Today I don’t feel like that. Feels like something a little more emotional is needed. For most of the season, I’ve been accused of being overly negative, much too extreme. And you know, that’s basically correct. While I think it is our job to poke holes in common narratives (for instance, the utter hokum that was “Dark Horse Norris Candidate) there have been times where I’ve been sour just for the sake of it. As most of you know, this season hasn’t been all that much fun for any of us here. Whether you agree with that or not, I think we’ve illustrated pretty clearly why so you could understand. The Hawks have made themselves a hard organization to root for, and those complaints and feelings are still very much present. I’ve let that boil over at times, and I know that. I’ve openly rooted for opponents or made it clear I didn’t care if the season ended on Thursday or last night. That’s over the top.

And then games like last night happen, and you are thoroughly reminded why you bothered in the first place.

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High On The Hog: First Round Exit

By 1513

The Rockford IceHogs exit from the Calder Cup Playoffs was certainly swift. The Hogs were fortunate enough to get to begin their first-round series with Lake Erie at home but made zero use of having home ice for the opening games.

Rockford dropped both games at the BMO Harris Bank Center, then traveled to Cleveland and had the Monsters complete the series sweep Saturday night. With little exception, Lake Erie was the better team and dominated play.

I’m not ready to forecast the state of the farm just yet, so I’ll focus this week’s gaze on the first-round debacle and how it came to be.

Everything Else

With Intellect And A Savoir-Faire: Blues at Hawks Game 6 Preview/Paint Huffin’

By 1354

old_school_blue_l vs. Hawk Wrestler

PUCK DROP: 7pm (so calm down)

TV: NBC

I AM BECOME DEATH: St. Louis Gametime

Done it once, can you do it twice? And then thrice?

The Hawks staved off elimination on Thursday night, essentially letting the Blues punch themselves out in the 3rd period and 1st overtime without landing a knockout blow. The Hawks slowly, slowly made their presence known at the end of the first OT and then were the better team in the 2nd, bringing everyone back to Chicago for a Saturday night on the town. And really, where would you rather spend a Saturday night?

Everything Else

April 23rd Beard Of The Day: Kevin Owens

By 1560

Kevin_Owens_bio

Guess we’ll stick with the wrestler theme, worked on Thursday. Kevin Owens is something of the true wrestling fan’s wrestler on the main roster. While he certainly doesn’t look like the true Greek God that the WWE would prefer, Owens made his name on the indie and Japan and NXT circuit by simply being better than everyone else in the ring. There isn’t an Owens match that doesn’t have you completely riveted, and his NXT title match with Finn Balor last August is considered one of the best of the year anywhere. He also cultivated the perfect heel personality, which certainly is something the Hawks are working towards. Few are better on the mic, or carrying their persona and telling a story through a match than Owens. Oh, and he’s had the same blood feud with Sami Zayn for years now, much like the Hawks and Blues. If the Hawks are going to extend this, they’ll need to Fight Owens Fight.

Everything Else

The Old Familiar Sting: Blackhawks 4, Blues 3 (OT)

By 2023

Box Score

War on Ice

Natural Stat Trick

When this thing eventually runs out of gas, I hope everyone truly appreciates how far Corey Crawford has carried these cast of clowns this year. Much like they’ve done all season, the Hawks were absolutely buried by the opposition and gave up a barrage of shots. SPOILER ALERT: Crawford kept the Hawks in it while they weathered the storm of St. Louis looking to close it out quickly.

Everything Else

Leave Me Lying Here: Hawks at Blues Game 5 Preview/Dress Fitting

By 1342

Hawk Wrestler vs. old_school_blue_l

PUCK DROP: Somewhere in the neighborhood of 8:42pm

TV: NBCSN round the nation, CSN here

THE SWORD OF DEMOCLES: St. Louis Gametime

All right, let’s get the positive right here at the top. No team has put the Hawks to the sword at first time of asking since the ’09 Wings. It took the ’11 Canucks four tries, the ’12 Coyotes two, and the ’14 Kings three. Quite simply, when the Hawks haven’t won the whole fucking thing they’ve been just about the toughest out around. And that’s with rosters as or more limited than this one. This is also a Blues team that has one series win to its name in this era. So for proceedings to end tonight, both teams are going to have to do something that has gone against their recent nature.