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Our Week Beats Your Year – Hawks 2, Blues 2 (Blues win Candy Crush)

By 1404

Box Score

War on Ice

It’s RIVALRY NIGHT in St. Louis which usually means The People vs Soap. But tonight the Blackhawks were in town in a huge divisional matchup for people who are very concerned about regular season games. Entering tonight, the Blues had a game in hand and trailed the Hawks by three points in the standings. If you’re hoping for home ice and/or a division title this is one you want to have.

This one looked like almost every game that the Hawks have played in the Drink Scotch center over the last six years or so. Chicago grabs a point they probably didn’t deserve and St. Louis probably isn’t happy about giving away. Thems the breaks. To the turnstiles we go.

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As You Were – Hawks at Blues Preview, Dog And Pony Show

By 1497

evil empire at bluestrumpet_jersey

Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBCSN, TVA-S, WGN-AM 720
Literally A Fucking Radioactive Trash Pile: St. Louis Game Time

Because literally nothing John McDonough and Jay Blunk do is on accident or by coincidence, the NHL’s quiet announcement that they have concluded their “investigation” of Patrick Kane and have predictably found nothing calls into question a couple other media blips over the past 24 hours.

First, yesterday afternoon the geniuses running the Hawks’ social media department thought it was important to include Patrick Kane and his mother in a tweet acknowledging International Women’s Day, which is insulting and disgusting. And today it leaked that Sports Illustrated will be doing a (regional) cover story on just how much Garbage Dick has had to overcome this year on his way to being the league’s leading scorer and a Hart Trophy front runner. Because John McDonough is very good at his job, these events are not to be viewed as anything other than deliberate and connected.

And the purpose of it is potentially two-fold. At the very least, with any bureaucratic loose ends now tied up with the conclusion of the NHL’s farce of an investigation, which allows McDonough and Blunk to start building a ground game and controlling a narrative ahead of what they figure to be a bright and direct spotlight once again on this team into May and June. The second more stomach-churning purpose is for a potential Masterton Trophy nomination, the NHL’s perseverance award for which every team submits its candidate. It would be a tremendously nauseating and ballsy move on their part, considering recent winners include a widower, a bereaved father, and an MS sufferer. But John McDonough is known for big moves after all.

[extremely sportsy radio host voice]….just like tonight’s big rivalry night tilt in St. Louis between the Blues and Hawks!

Everything Else

Dream Warrior Gets His

By 1370

There was always the feeling that when Marcus Kruger signed his one-year deal late in the summer that there was at least progress to a long-term deal. Considering the way both Quenneville and Bowman bat their eyes at Kruger, it was pretty clear he was never going anywhere. That was only confirmed when his first possible, viable, younger, cheaper replacement in Phillip Danault was punted to Montreal in return for two players that aren’t going to be here past June (at least not likely to be). If Kruger’s spot was assured, there was no room for Danault. And today we have confirmation that his spot was assured.

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Powerage And Other Tuesday Randos

By 1551

Most of the year, we’ve tried to point out that the Hawks’ success this year is largely built on their goaltender and their power play. Yesterday, I went through the brilliance of their goaltender. Today I thought it might be good to look at the power play, but not just in context of the Hawks. Because there’s something a little weird happening this season with the teams with the best power plays.

Generally, power play success isn’t indicative of playoff success. Ask the San Jose Sharks. In fact, the last time a team led the league in power play percentage and won the Cup was the Penguins in 2009. It just doesn’t happen that often.

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Crow For Hart

By 1477

Yesterday I tweeted out the hashtag #CrowForHart, mostly tongue in cheek but with some sincerity. It’s only based on the fact that I like to jump all over pretty much anything Eddie Olczyk says, and for the past little while Eddie Plugs has been saying that Holtby should not just win the Vezina, but should be a finalist for the Hart Trophy as well, along with Patrick Kane and I assume Alex Ovechkin (though Seguin, Benn, and especially Erik Karlsson would have serious cases as well).

So the following comes with some caveats. One, this article only works if you believe in Eddie’s claim that Holtby should get Hart consideration, because I’m going to show you why then it makes more sense that Crow should get that if you believe that. Second, really, a goalie should probably always win the MVP, because no one holds more sway over a team in any sport. Seriously, the Panthers would probably be looking at competing for the #1 pick without Luongo instead of leading the division until the weekend. The Rangers probably would have made the playoffs once in the past decade without Lundqvist. We can go up and down on this. So if you think that goalies should be contained to to just Vezina consideration, I totally understand.

Anyway, let’s do it, and we’ll start with this:

Screen Shot 2016-03-07 at 1.39.16 PM

Everything Else

High On The Hog: Leighton’s Vengance

By 1545

The Rockford IceHogs gained a measure of swagger back over the weekend, turning the tables on the Lake Erie Monsters. Last weekend, the Hogs were on the losing end of back to back games at Lake Erie. Saturday and Sunday, it was Rockford’s turn to sweep.

Despite being out shot 74-45 in the two contests at the BMO Harris Bank Center, the IceHogs limited their guests to a single goal. The big weekend, coupled with an overtime loss to Grand Rapids Wednesday, gave Rockford five of six points in this week’s action.

Saturday, in particular, was a big night for Michael Leighton, who had himself a record-breaking evening. Good thing I was wearing my brand-spanking-new Leighton sweater.