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What Comes Around: Avalanche At Blackhawks – Preview/Pre-Game Thread/Civil Trial

By Matthew Killion 1185 0

images @ oldschool

Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Comin’ Down The Mountain: Mile High Hockey

You most likely remember the ‘Lanche (and I’m going to call them that throughout the preview because I know it pisses off their fans) from one of the first lopsided losses of the year. Sure, the Hawks got their dicks kicked in a few nights before by Nashville when Khabby bit it but it was the loss to the ‘Lanche that probably pisses us off the most so far this season. We’ve made our feelings about the team very well known. It’s not just their piece of shit goalie, it’s their asshole coach who is raising asshole kids. The fact that this is only the second of five meetings between the new division rivals means we’re in for a long bile filled season, maybe year to come too. With Detroit out of the conference, we’re looking for a new team to hate. St. Louis will be the obvious choice, but this ‘Lanche team could quickly skyrocket to the top of my teams to despise list.

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Following The River: Blackhawks 3 – Predators 1

By Matthew Killion 1321 0

Box Score
Event Summary
Extra Skater

If you look simply at the first period stats, minus the goals obviously, you might assume the Hawks were in danger once again of getting their asses handed to them. The team that averages only 27 shots against per game allowed 17 total in the first period. Those stats are so out of whack given the 3 trips the Hawks took to the penalty box in the opening twenty. Three trips to the box are always going to be bad but that’s especially bad when the team is also near the bottom of the league in PK%.

Sure enough, the Predators were able to score on their opening power play when Seabrook failed to clear the puck and the Hawks ran around their own zone like teenagers who snuck into the Playboy Mansion. Raanta made a few big saves but couldn’t find a slapshot from Shea Weber. Though to be fair… most goalies aren’t going to be able to stop that guy if he gets a few chances to really wind up.

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The Bear Eats You: Blackhawks 3 – Maple Leafs 7

By Matthew Killion 1304 0

Box Score
Event Summary
Extra Skater
Shift Charts??

This one wasn’t too enjoyable, was it? The Leafs had been in a freefall and their week had them playing some of the top teams in the league in Boston, LA, St. Louis, Chicago and the Pens on Monday. They had lost every game so far coming into tonight. In the first, the Leafs managed some good possession shifts (shockingly) and took advantage of the second penalty from Chicago of the night, a stupid trip in front the net from Shaw. The Hawks would equalize on a power play of their own when a crossing pass from Kane deflected off Phaneuf and snuck in.

In the second, the wheels just came off. The Leafs put 14 shots on net and 4 of them found their way past Raanta, chasing him for the third. We won’t go through all of them on an individual basis since it was disaster and we’ve all get better things to do on this Saturday night. Sam wrote in the preview it would take something unpredictable for the Leafs to pull one out. I’d say 7 goals on 32 shots is pretty unpredictable from a team that averages 2.74 and 27 (third worse in the league). This sucks but lets move on and get ready for the Kings tomorrow.

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High Planes Drifter: Blackhawks 2 – Anaheim 2 (Ducks win Cards Against Humanity)

By Matthew Killion 1146 0

I haven’t actually bothered to look up the stats… but if memory serves me right, the Hawks tend to actually be pretty damn great when it comes to the second leg of back-to-backs. Like we saw on recent circus trip, when the Hawks should have been on their last breath, they actually ended up playing one of their most complete games.

So coming on the second game in as many days, I almost expected them to come out with their hair on fire and get close to a DLR. It’s just what happens. Only this time, not so much. We’ve seen some sloppy games but this might have been one of the worst we’ve seen for the year. The fact that it came from two of the top teams in the West, and therefore the top of the league, makes it that much more disappointing. If the Hawks shit the bed against the Oilers, we don’t get too upset. They aren’t really going to be a threat. The Ducks though, they could be a problem. As we wrote in the preview, we expected a back and forth exciting game. We didn’t get it. Both teams were garbage and the Ducks won in the silliest part of the game.  Moving on…

Everything Else

The Sweet Part Of The City: Blackhawks At Stars – Preview/Pre-Game Thread/Food Regret

By Matthew Killion 1065 0

AltLogo_medium @ dallas-stars-l-green05

FACEOFF: 7:30pm Central
TV/RADIO: NHLN, CSN/WGN 720
Texas Is The Reason: Defending Big D

Last time we saw the Stars, just earlier this month, they were starting to right the ship after a bit of stumble out of the gate. They had three straight victories (albeit all in OT/SO) and were looking to climb their way out of the basement of the Central division.

Well that hasn’t worked so much. They’re still in the basement but don’t let that fool you. They’ve got 26 points, which would actually tie them for second if they had the fortune of playing in the Metropolitan Division instead of the Central. It would also put them in the playoffs in the East as whole, instead of third to last as they are in the West. So it might be shit luck but they’re still going to need to get better if they want to play past 82 games this year.

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Blame It On The Rain: Blackhawks 5 – Sha-arks 1

By Matthew Killion 1220 0

I don’t like Nashville. The city is just fine, the people are nice and the barbecue is amazing. But when the Hawks get blown out there, it always makes me think back a few years ago when a group of us all went down there to watch the Hawks lose, sparking a full month before the Hawks would gain two points in a game. Bad memories.

Thankfully, we aren’t going to have to suffer through that again as the Hawks rebounded damn near flawlessly against one of the better teams in the league. It’s already the morning after (sorry about that) so let’s jump right to the bullets.

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Everything Old Is New Again: Blackhawks 4 – Coyotes 4 (Hawks Win Cup Stacking)

By Matthew Killion 1192 0

For the first six minutes of this game, you couldn’t have asked for pretty much anything more from the Hawks. They controlled the play, every shift seemed to be rolling and the puck was planted in the Yotes’ zone… oh, and they were up two goals.

Then things went off the rails a bit. It started with a deflection off a Hawk that snuck past Corey. Then on a power play, a shot from the point bounced hard off the board and found it’s way to Shane Doan’s stick who snuck an unreal wrister to the far top corner. The Hawks would play pretty much the rest of the period on the kill thanks to Bollig and took the game into the second tied.