Everything Else

Ds Equal Degrees: Hawks 3 – Canucks 2

By 1436

Boxscore

Event Summary

War On Ice

At this time of year, and with the way things had been going, points are pretty much all that matters. You can worry about the style points later. Which is good, because the last two wouldn’t really have any outside of the 4th line and Scott Darling. The Hawks clinched a playoff spot, not that that was in doubt, and can at least claim a mini-winning streak. They did what they had to, even if it was by the skin of their teeth, Dave Mustaine.

On the other side, needing you goalie to bail you out against the dreck of the Pacific Division isn’t going to cause anyone to write songs. The Hawks gave up 15 shots in the 3rd period to a team with four forwards (maybe) and two defensemen that you’d call NHL quality. I think the past two games are more the Hawks struggling to find interest more than anything structural, as past games against better teams probably have been. But whatever changes they have in store we’re not going to see for another two weeks, so let us deal with what is.

Everything Else

I Think Feather Has Made A Dr. Feelgood Joke Before So I Can’t: Hawks 4 – Flames 1/It Could Happen To You: Hawks at Canucks Preview

By 1394

Boxscore

Event Summary

War on Ice

Let’s spin it all in one today.

I’ve seen a few on Twitter, nearly begging for reasons for optimism in this March Of The Pigs (as Slak called it and I’m going to use for the last four days of March and again next March). Last night was clear evidence of what one of those pieces can be. Though it was only the Flames, the Hawks’ 4th line essentially ran the show on yet another night where it looked like the rest of the team could barely be arsed.

Piece of evidence of that: Marcus Kruger’s line started 8 shifts in the d-zone and two in the offensive. They were still double-digits in the black in attempts. This is what Kruger does, and why he’s making more money than most of the hockey world can fathom. Again, only the Flames but it’s hard to think of a team that is going to toss out an equivalent 4th line. If the Blues didn’t insist on dressing professional rodeo clown for the insane Ryan Reaves they might. The Stars are close. But Desjardins-Kruger-Shaw is probably the best 4th unit you’ll find.

Everything Else

The Difference Between Me And You Is That I’m Not On Fire – Hawks at Flames Preview, Provincial Referendum

By 1349

evil empire at The Flame

Game Time: 9:00PM Central
TV/Radio:  WGN, Sportsnet, WGN-AM 720
Learn How To Wear A Tie, You Fat Sloppy Irishman: Flames Nation, M & G

After four days off for everyone around the organization to prattle on about urgency and jump and turning on the switch and whatever other nonsense they can spew, the Hawks now take to the road in the northwest not to salt away a division, but to keep themselves out of a wild card position thanks to their own ineptitude.

Everything Else

March of the Pigs

By 1368

The month of March and the Blackhawks go together like me and shaving. They’ve been losing and playing terribly against the kinds of teams they’re going to have to beat, eventually. They aren’t even fun to watch, at least ever since Patrick Kane stopped scoring at a ludicrous pace. The final straw was when team MVP (non-Kane division) Corey Crawford went down with a mysterious upper body injury.

We don’t know that he got hurt in a mosh pit after seventeen Bud Lights but he’s been out for long enough that people should no longer consider Scott Darling a viable starting goalie in this league.

That said, there are legitimate reasons to be concerned. Most of us have been guilty of the “they do this every March” trope and it’s lazy. I admit I’ve done it. It’s no longer a cute little joke.

Everything Else

Angry At Numbers: I Make A Lot Of Graphs

By 2160

Something of a new approach to this bit today. One of the things that people have pointed to in this current Hawks’ streak of silliness is that the second line hasn’t scored much. Kane and Pantera have only combined for four points in the past nine games. We’ve been commenting that the top line hasn’t really pulled its weight at even-strength for any length of time this season, and I wanted to see if this has affected how teams have played them. It kind of looks like it has:

Kane and Toews graph

Everything Else

Another Fuck Up, Yet Another Chance

By 1395

Boy this season just gets more and more fun.

Close friend of the program Chris Block tweeted out a story last night about Hawks’ prospect Garret Ross being charged with one count of non-consensual dissemination of sexual images, or in terms you might have heard “revenge porn.” I’m not going to go into what it is for those who don’t know, but just understand it’s thoroughly disgusting and basically if guilty Ross should be beaten across the face with a piece of heavy mining equipment, to quote one of my favorite philosophers.

Where the discussion should turn at some point is how the Hawks handled yet another story of sexual misconduct, or didn’t. Whatever you think of how the Kane story went down and how the Hawks handled it, this is the second straight season that a story of sexual impropriety is being told about the Hawks organization. I think we’re definitely approaching “trend” designation if we’re not there already.