Everything Else

Now Here Is Nowhere: Hawks 1 – Sharks 3

By 1493

Box Score

Natural Stat Trick

The sad thing is, however infinitesimal, that there was a good portion of this game that the Hawks played with some gusto, verve, pepper, whatever word you want to use there. But it might be a while before we see that again. Tonight’s loss leaves the Hawks six points behind the Zack Wyldes, having played three games more. Unless they take both the games in the next month in St. Paul in the reg, they’re going to finish second. There simply just isn’t much to play for the rest of the season, which is going to lead to some awfully snooz-y hockey.

Anyway, for tonight, both teams came out of the break rested and wanting to push the pace. The mini-problem was that neither teams is really capable of playing at the pace they attempted tonight, at least not for any long stretch. Thankfully they didn’t stop, which made for some wonderful entertainment. But there were a lot of missed passes, turnovers, scrambles at both lines, which did open things up for chances, at least for the first 40 minutes.

In the end, the Hawks were undone by two bits of bad luck and two bits of Hjalmarsson and Keith getting caught just a tad out. They also may have fallen victim to going a bit conservative in the 3rd period, only managing one shot in the last seven minutes or so. But I won’t hate on them for thinking at least a point at a Western Contender’s garden (in the shade) is a nice enough haul. Two shots wide that kick right back out in front, with Hammer on the first and Keith on the second not really having time to go from trying to front the shot to tying up whoever was in front (and on the second it caught up in Crow’s pads anyway). That’ll happen.

Everything Else

Do You Still Hate Me? – Hawks at Sharks Preview, Mini Van Taxi Reservation

By 1545

 at 

Game Time: 9:30PM CST
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
The Ol’ Diamondback Sturgeon: Fear The Fin

Now that the All Star wank-fest weekend has concluded in L.A., the NHL resumes what can be construed as the beginning of the end of the 82 game road to nowhere- the month between the the break and the trade deadline. And the Hawks will begin this stretch in San Jose at the start of a six game road trip while looking to correct some mistakes made to some of the also-rans of the league last week.

Everything Else

High On The Hog: Blowing In The Trade Winds

By Jon Fromi 1679

For the Rockford IceHogs, the All-Star break could not come at a better time. I guess it could come in the middle of a winning streak, but that hasn’t happened much during the 2016-17 campaign.

The Hogs are next in action this Friday and have plenty to ponder this week. Rockford hits the break losers of its last five games. The IceHogs dropped all three games this past week. In doing so, they were out scored 14-5, including 8-0 in the third period.

With a .400 points percentage that is the worst in the league, visions of playoff hockey at the BMO this spring is a delusion of grandeur. What players may be thinking in the coming weeks likely centers on where they will be when the season ends.

It would stun me if the roster remains intact through the NHL and AHL trade deadlines. Who might be on their way out? In my opinion, don’t mark anyone as 100 percent safe. Well…nearly anyone.

Live From The Five Hole

Live From The Five Hole -Midlife Crisis

By 1600

In this post All Star edition, all four of us are back in the fold, and here to discuss anything but what happened during the weekend, as none of us watched a second of it. There was brief discussion of the useless Top 100 list, as well as more extended league-wide deadline talk, and some interesting reader questions at the end. Listen after the jump.

Everything Else

High On The Hog: Blowing In The Trade Winds

By Jon Fromi 1801

For the Rockford IceHogs, the All-Star break could not come at a better time. I guess it could come in the middle of a winning streak, but that hasn’t happened much during the 2016-17 campaign.

The Hogs are next in action this Friday and have plenty to ponder this week. Rockford hits the break losers of its last five games. The IceHogs dropped all three games this past week. In doing so, they were out scored 14-5, including 8-0 in the third period.

With a .400 points percentage that is the worst in the league, visions of playoff hockey at the BMO this spring is a delusion of grandeur. What players may be thinking in the coming weeks likely centers on where they will be when the season ends.

It would stun me if the roster remains intact through the NHL and AHL trade deadlines. Who might be on their way out? In my opinion, don’t mark anyone as 100 percent safe. Well…nearly anyone.

Everything Else

Mission Report

By 1525

Much like baseball, the NHL has installed its All-Star break after the middle of the season. You get why, as you wouldn’t schedule the All-Star game on Super Bowl weekend or during the NFL playoffs (though the NHL All-Star game probably makes for a better pregame show to The Big Tilt than the actual pregame show. I guess the Canadiens wouldn’t want to give up that slot thought). Much like baseball doesn’t want to put it’s All-Star game anywhere near the 4th of July. So whatever. It’s a nice marker either way.

So where are the Hawks? Well, in some ways this is the earliest the Hawks have been entrenched in their spot, aside from when they didn’t lose for half a season in 2013. The Hawks only sit four points behind the Wild, but have played three games more, and if the Wild win even one of those they’re going to be awfully hard to catch with how things work. Even if they fell off a bit, Dubnyk is going to get them into overtime just enough to prevent complete collapse. On the other side, the Predators are nine points behind, and even with their two games in hand that’s a massive gap. They’re not getting caught.

You know what’s weird? In the Q era, the Hawks have only finished second in the division once. And that was Q’s first year, when it was a conference system and that really meant being fourth in the conference. Since then it’s been 1st, 3rd, 4th, 1st, 3rd, 3rd, and 3rd last year. Just a note for all of you there.

Everything Else

Everybody’s Working For The Weekend: Jets at Hawks Preview/We’re Not The Bulls Celebration

By 1622

 vs. 

RECORDS: Jets  22-25-4   Hawks 30-15-5

PUCK DROP: 7:30pm Central

TV: CSN

FOR WE’VE GOT NOWHERE TO BE: Arctic Ice Hockey

PROJECTED LINEUPS

ADJUSTED TEAM CORSI %: Jets – 49.2 (20th)  Hawks – 50.0 (16th)

ADJUSTED TEAM xGF%: Jets – 50.6 (14th)  Hawks – 47.5 (25th)

POWER PLAY %: Jets – 17.7 (17th)  Hawks – 17.6 (18th)

PENALTY KILL %: Jets – 76.8 (27th)  Hawks – 75.8 (28th)

Interesting position the Hawks find themselves in here. Having won three of four, and with the break right on the heels of this one tonight, you wouldn’t be surprised if they played this one with sunglasses on and Bermuda shorts underneath their pants (I assume this is how Panarin has been playing the last month). On the other, the Hawks are coming off a bad loss on Tuesday, losing in regulation when leading after 40 for the first time since Daley was in charge or some shit (no, not Trevor, moron). Backing that up with an in-division loss would certainly put a small pall (see what I did there?) over the vacation time. But then again, this is still a game in January. So you tell us.

Everything Else

Just Get Me To the Airport – Jets 5, Blackhawks 3

By 1440

Box Score

Natural Stat Trick

HockeyStats.ca

There are a couple ways you can look at tonight’s final meeting between the Winnipeg Jets. You can stick your head in the oven as you watched the Hawks give up another 3rd period lead late and then followed it up by surrendering the go-ahead goal a few seconds later.

Or you can acknowledge that perhaps this is the luck of hockey and this sort of thing happens sometimes after 78 games in a row of holding 3rd period leads.

Either way, it kinda sucks.

Everything Else

All Lost In The Trade Market

By 1857

We’re getting into silly season now. We’re 34 days away from the deadline, and with the Hawks having their “bye week” in the middle of it soon, we know the chatter is going to heat up. There have been names already being tossed around, except almost all of them would be a complete waste of time. So let’s toss out a few players that aren’t going to do anything for anyone before we get to ones that could actually help.

Jarome Iginla – Old, slow, not good anymore, and would be too heartbreaking if it didn’t work.

Patrick Sharp – Will be out for the season if he encounters a stiff breeze, also stationary, and still small matter that most of the dressing room still hates his guts.

Shane Doan – Seriously?

All right, now that’s over, we can get on to something a little more substantial.

Everything Else

And Then Again Some Folk’ll: Bolts 5 – Hawks 2

By 1324

Box Score

Natural Stat Trick

The trouble with games in the middle of January, especially when the All-Star break is becoming clear in the distance and you know a lot of these guys are dreaming about beaches, drinks with little umbrellas in them, and whatever else, is that you’re not going to learn much. We know the Hawks are a flawed, good team. We know that they’re giving up chances at a rate that we haven’t seen, and we know they need their goalies to bail them out consistently. We also know there are some nights they just don’t give a shit. They’ll take what’s on offer if it’s there, but if things get away from them they’ll probably just shrug it off because it’s not the priority. You got all of it tonight.

Oh, and they also keep sending out a large collection of toe jam on their blue line that’s going to cost them a goal or two every night.