Everything Else

Travis Hughes Welches On Bets – Hawks at Flyers Preview, Pregame Thread, Grudge Holding

By 1375 0

als beef at pats-homelogo

Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBCSN, TVA (Francophone), WGN-AM 720
Where The Hell Are Our Cheesesteaks?: Broad St. Hockey

It has been nearly five years. Five years we have waited on Travis Hughes to make good on the bet from the 2010 Final between our former home at SBN and the above Broad Street; the loser of the series to send the other their city’s respective beef related delicacy. Travis now runs SB Nation’s entire hockey wing. He didn’t like it when in the months after we sent our commenters his direction to wonder why he hasn’t made good on the bet. He may think we have forgotten. We haven’t. Not even close.

Everything Else

High On The Hog: Regin Helps Close The Gap

By 1650 0

Recently, I noted that veteran center Peter Regin, drawing an NHL salary down with the Rockford IceHogs this season, could stand to raise his game in response to several offensive threats being called up to the Blackhawks. Regin has indeed increased his production in what has been a big run by the Hogs of late.

Regin’s seven-game point streak came to an end Sunday. Still, he has points in 11 of his last 13 games. He has three goals and eight assists in that span as Rockford went 9-3-1. This includes a four-game winning streak that has closed the gap on Grand Rapids in the AHL’s Midwest Division.

Everything Else

All We Are Saying… Is Give Us The Puck… : Hawks 3 – Canes 1

By 1271 0

Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

Not exactly how you draw it up, morons.

The Hawks got two points in just about the most unconvincing fashion tonight, giving up 44 shots to the Hurricanes (who to be fair, put up 38 in Minnesota not too long ago). And when the Hawks give up that many shots, you know something is structurally or fundamentally wrong.

Tonight, and for the second night in a row, the Hawks decisions with and management of the puck was a few zip codes away from suck. I lost count of how many times in the neutral zone they chose the wrong pass or option, or how many times they simply whiffed on either making or receiving a pass. And it was everyone. Even Toews looked like he was trying to juggle chainsaws on quaaludes at the other blue line tonight.

When the Hawks are this careless and sloppy with the puck, it basically tears down their whole defensive game. Because that is built on them standing up at their own blue line with furious back pressure forcing teams to make plays and decisions a whole lot quicker than they want to. But when the puck is just turned over, they can’t do that because their forwards get caught and beat up the ice, and hence the defense have to sink back and guard against giving up a 4-on-1 or something. They have no support from the forwards so can’t get aggressive. And that’s how they get trapped in their own zone.

Everything Else

Get This Over With – Hawks at Hurricanes Preview, Pregame Thread, Tub Scouring

By 1404 0

oldschool at whalers

Game Time: 6:00PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Mike Krzyzewski Is A Charlatan: Canes Country

A late season road trip playing out the interconference schedule now has the Hawks taking their only swing through NASCAR country this season. And really nothing has changed since these teams saw one another three weeks ago other than the fact that the Canes are actually eliminated.

Everything Else

2015 Ivy Drip Subscriptions Now Open

By 1259 0

Just a quick note today. For those who don’t know I do a Cubs version of The Indian, it’s a digital weekly that comes out every Monday during the baseball season (sometimes Tuesday, depending on days off and/or hangover) via email. It’s just $35 for the whole season right now until Opening Night. You can sign up right here. Certainly will be an interesting Cubs season to write and read about, that’s for sure. And sorry Sox fans, but you wouldn’t want a non-fan writing about your lot. Ask Fifth Feather real nicely, maybe you can convince him.

Everything Else

Splat: Hawks -6 — Stars 4

By 1224 0

Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

We don’t need to wait around to analyze this one. In a way, this was a good thing. I, and possibly others, possibly the Hawks themselves, had let Wednesday’s win fill our head with dreams and we had to have them all. As my compatriot McClure quickly pointed out, there is no such thing as an important win before April. The Hawks found that out with authority tonight in Texas. Everything that was good in New York was bad tonight.

While the record without Patrick Kane could still be considered gaudy, you’re still talking about a team that’s managed 22 goals in those 10 games. That’s simply not good enough. It’s been shutout three times. It seems when the top line doesn’t binge, they’re not going to score more than two (Sharks meltdowns not withstanding). And each line has its issues, and we’ll get to that in a moment.