Well I, I am a time bomb. And I, I lay forgotten at the bottom of your heart, I’m fine. Ticking away the hours ’til I blow your world apart.
at 
Game Time: 6:00PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, NBCSN, 87.7FM The Game
Politics Is All One Big Ass Blast: Japer’s Rink, Russian Machine Never Breaks
With the Colorado Avalanche winning last night and usurping the top spot in the division, the Hawks are now sealed into the #3 seed in the Central Division and will start the playoffs on the road. However, there are still two games left in the regular season, the penultimate of which will take place tonight in D.C. against the already eliminated Capitals. Exhibition hockey in April. Wonderful.
I thought I’d knock this out today, with two games to end the season and attendance at HockeeNight’s thing on Saturday making Sunday completely useless. So let’s do our full season Atop The Sugar Pile.
The Dizzying Highs
Niklas Hjalmarsson – I named him The CI’s Player Of The Season in last night’s issue. And for me, everything has basically centered around him this campaign. Yes, Duncan Keith is the main cog in the engine, or maybe even the engine himself, that drives the Hawks game. But Keith was allowed to be that this season because Hammer was so good and earning the top assignments. It allowed Keith to dominate lesser competition, and when Keith is controlling the ice everything about the Hawks’ game opens up.
While we can look at almost every other Hawks and find a portion of their season that dipped or had a slump, it’s hard for me to remember a time when Hammer’s game varied 5% either way. The only time he looked vulnerable was lately when he had to be paired with Sheldon Brookbank. But who wouldn’t? Hammer’s poise defensively and with the puck has been startling to watch when you consider where he was two years ago. He never panics, he’s always in position, and his short but assured passes to the middle simple deflate every forecheck and start the Hawks the other way.
Has he been the all around game that Keith has? No. But he’s the best defensive defenseman on the team this year. He might be the best kept secret in the NHL, but I don’t think it’ll stay that way for much longer.
Sometimes the end of the regular season presents incredibly exciting hockey as both teams are fighting for their post-season lives or hoping to make a reputation for themselves as they head to the next round.
And sometimes it presents some absolute stinkers.
If you could save yourself, you’d save us all. Is that what you called me for, is that why you’re knocking on my door? The time I’ve spent, working myself to death, thought that’s what you wanted. I thought you needed my help. To make it good again, to make us strong. To make you happy, to push you along. And gain some respect, to be thrown a crumb. I was on my knees, when you knocked me down.
The wheels fell off, the bottom dropped out, the checks all bounced, I came in your mouth. Your mother came calling but there was no one around. The trash caught fire when the leaves turned brown, the vultures were circling when the circus left town. I left you a note but I wrote it in disappearing ink.
On a free ride home from the embassy I saw the governor, and his lover holding hands. When I got to my place, I emptied my suitcase and opened the windows wide.
vs
Game Time: 6:30PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, TSN (Anglophone), RDS (Francophone), 87.7FM The Game
Les Incompétents: Habs EOTP
Tonight the home schedule for the Hawks’ regular season comes to its thrilling conclusion with an Original Six Matchup (TM) against their perpetually entitled ancient nemesis Montreal Canadiens. And neither really have much to play for at this stage heading into the final weekend of the season.
