Hey all, it’s a quiet Saturday night in Hawks-ville so allow me. In case you don’t know, in line with our gameday hockey program I also write a digital weekly about the Cubs called The Ivy Drip. It comes out every Monday or Tuesday during the baseball season, and our season preview issue is done. And you can have it for free. If you like it, please consider signing up for the season. It’s only $35.
April 5th Ivy Drip (Season Preview)
Sign up for a season subscription here:
vs. 
FACEOFF: 6pm Central
TV/RADIO: CSN, WGN Radio 720
THERE AIN’T NO MONORAIL AND THERE NEVER WAS: Die By The Blade
I’m not even sure this one needs much of a preview. It couldn’t be clearer that both teams, at least among their management, want the same thing tonight. That is a Hawks win. This seems such an oddly-scheduled game, as I would have thought for the last two weeks the NHL would have wanted to keep schedule intra-conference to really hop up playoff races. But then that would be logical, and we all know what we’re dealing with when it comes to his league.
In the Hawks’ quest to make me look like a Grade-A moron (because that’s totally the only reason they’re doing it, duh), tonight wasn’t as authoritative as the win over the Kings or the measure of testicular fortitude that the comeback over Winnipeg was. It actually had the feel, if you’ll excuse the comparison, of how the Jordan Bulls went about wins in their heyday. An early thrust to see if they couldn’t end that one early, and when that didn’t work sort of biding their time until a short, unstoppable burst towards the end of the game that ends proceedings.
While the Hawks didn’t smother the Canucks in the 1st, they were certainly more in control and would have gotten out of it with a 1-0 lead or more if they hadn’t hit a post and THOU WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED didn’t serve up an equalizer like a virgin to a volcano. The Canucks were much improved in the 2nd without looking a constant menace, and because they didn’t take advantage it only took the Hawks two 3rd period minutes to cinch this one.
Anyway, let’s do it:
vs 
Game Time: 7:30PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
I Was A Teenage Anarchist: Nucks Misconduct, Canucks Army
The mantra around these parts has been that for the most part the Hawks regular season is largely immaterial until the calendar shifts to April. And now that it has, the Hawks now find themselves still in a highly actionable position within the context of the Western Conference playoff picture all things considered. There are six key games left, five of which are against teams currently situated within the West’s top 8, starting tonight with a familiar acquaintance in Vancouver.
Hawks/Nucks: Blackhawks
Darling for Masterton: CSN
TVR hurt again: ESPN Chicago
88 Skates: PD
For my fellow degenerates: PHT
Big Buff’s big mistake: TSN
Sid’s 300: SN
Voynov trial delayed: SI
