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Game Time: 9:00PM Central
TV/Radio: WGN, CBC, TVA2, WGN-AM 720
Rural Alberta Advantage: Copper & Blue, Oilers Nation
The Hawks’ Circus Trip makes its second stop tonight, this time a little bit further north in Alberta to take on the Oilers, who are currently in year 8 (thousand) of their rebuild. This will be the Hawks’ first of two to Edmonton this year, and the first chance to appreciate the odd lighting, backwards benches and penalty boxes, and the interminable prattle about how fast the ice is (it’s fast).
Before an intense weekend of late-night road hockey (i.e. getting more gassed up than usual for those of us without familial or employment requirements), thought I’d go through some stuff today that’s been on my mind. It’s not an “Angry At Numbers” piece entirely but won’t be devoid of that either.
Last night I referred to Johnny Oduya’s up and down season as something that should genuinely concern the Hawks and their fans going forward. Right now, the entire structure of the defense is dependent on Ebenholts och Elfenben taking on the top assignments. It frees up Keith to be the possession monster that he’s been (even more so than last year) and also gets the third pairing even cozier minutes. And it keeps Seabrook from having to do anything too hard, which is good because he’s still fucking up the lighter assignments he’s getting.
Sneaking out of Cal-Gary:HockeeNight
Just Enough: CTA
Well…Hello…Sir:LGH
Crease Conversations: Royal Half
Its been a rough year to say the least:ESPN
I doubt you could find a better microcosm of the Hawks’ season so far than this one tonight, the beginning of what will define the early season outlook for the Hawks. Pretty much dominant at even-strength, but a lack of focus and dumb mistakes make it much harder than it needs to be and then eventually barely making it through. The Hawks do enough to look like one of the league’s best while also doing just enough to let an inferior team hang around and then nearly come away with a win (and sometimes they have). It’s not that easy to pull off. The Hawks have basically been Tin Cup this season, having to use the incredible shot they’re capable of when there are much easier options on the table that they simply refuse to take. Hopefully in the end they end up with Rene Russo, in a figurative sense. Maybe literal.
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Game Time: 8:00PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Downtown Cowtown: Flames Nation, Matchsticks and Gasoline
And so it begins, the annual rite of passage known as the Circus Trip. This year, the Hawks kick off the six game roadie in Calgary, to face a numbers-defying Calgary Flames team who already took a bonus point away from the Hawks last month on United Center ice.
It’s time once again for another rousing edition of our podcast, Live From The Five Hole. This time Chris Block of The Third Man In joins the fray to elaborate on the comings and goings from Rock Vegas. Ryan Lambert of Puck Daddy, Deadspin, and other even more nefarious reaches of the internet (we assume) also offers insight on not only why the Flames have been so surprisingly good this season, but also some of the scoop on Jack Eichel and his pro prospect status coming out of Boston University.
Stick it in your ears here.
