For whatever reason, Game 3’s have historically been a difficult game for the Hawks over the past several seasons. Sometimes it was self-induced (See Game 3 vs. Anaheim last year); sometimes it was a matter of bad luck (See Game 3 vs. Tampa last year); and then sometimes it was a matter of being outclassed (See Game 3 vs. Vancouver in ’11).
Today’s loss would probably fall under bad luck more than anything else.
vs 
Game Time: 2:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBC, TVA-S, SportsNet, WGN-AM 720
Holidae In: St. Louis Game Time
After having the tide of the series flip on a dime on two controversial goal calls (and one not at all controversial slashing call), the Blues are now afforded with an opportunity to show the hockey world that their continual, perennial faith in them is justified. To show them, yes indeed, this time it will be different.
Over the past eight years, the Hawks have watched their rivals time and time again try and thrash and bash their way past them. They have remained above the fray, trying to play an elegant game. Well, no one in any sport has played a more elegant game than Andrea Pirlo. Sure, he barely moves these days. But the thing is, he’s never been able to move. He’s never had to. Pirlo simply sits in the midfield, stroking passes everywhere with the ease and touch of some sort of god. And there is no doubt that he carries not just soccer’s, but perhaps sport’s most divine beard. For the Hawks to advance, they’ll have to keep their composure, their nerve, and continue to play the game on a higher level. Just like Pirlo has done for seemingly 108 years now.
As frontman for two of the more beloved (if under appreciated) Chicago based emo-ish bands of the late 90s and early aughts in Braid and Hey Mercedes, the ginger bearded Bob Nanna has flown consistently under the radar as one of he genre’s more prolific and inventive song writers. While Braid’s hallmark was (and still is) tempo changes, odd time signatures, and Nanna’s interplay between co-vocalist Chris Broach, Hey Mercedes’ focus was more on sweeping choruses and Nanna’s baritone croon of a voice. Braid’s style can’t help but seep through even when covering an oddball 80’s one hit wonder from a band named after an obscure Star Trek character. And even after 16 years in between proper releases (1998 to 2014, during which Hey Mercedes’ was Nanna’s focus), Braid returned with a worthy entry to their catalog with No Coast; a rallying cry for a midwest-based series such as this if there ever was one.
This is what happens when an undisciplined team has a very unfavorable call go against them. I get that this is a Blackhawks-centric site and I’m really not trying to rub salt into a gaping wound by comparing the Blues to the Hawks. But over the past four years, the Hawks have had two historically horrific calls go against them in the playoffs.
The first being in Game 7 vs. Detroit which needs no explanation.
The second was in Game 1 vs. Los Angeles of the 2014 Western Conference Finals where a goal was wiped off the board for…reasons.
Both times, no one would’ve blamed them if they lost their minds and lost the game. The Hawks won both games.
Tonight, the Blues had a perfect opportunity to join them. Instead, they did what they’re known for. And now the series is tied at 1.
vs. 
PUCK DROP: 7pm Central (Holy shit a normal time)
TV: CSN and NBCSN
GOOD GOD DON’T GO THERE: St. Louis Gametime
It took about one game for this series to get annoying in all the ways we knew it would. The raging debate out of St. Louis is whether the Blues were physical enough, which is always the fucking debate down there and shows that no one has learned anything from the Hawks’ reign of dominance or how the one team to beat them during it actually did it. For the Chicago side, the return of Duncan Keith is the main story, and whether he will shift the balance of this series and/or change how the Blues might play it (I tend to doubt it).
If nothing else, this bit has served over the last eight playoff seasons as a compendium of “Oh, THAT guy” character actors. And one of the most active over the past 25 years has been the ubiquitous and often bearded Donal Logue.
Of course, looking like a casting agent’s dream of a quintessential first-generation Irish-Canadian (born in Ottawa) helps Logue’s case, and has kept him busy with 103 IMDB acting credits to his name, and even those don’t include all his work with MTV as Jimmy The Cab Driver or hosting 120 Minutes with fucking Greg Dulli back when that network gave a shit about music. A young Logue also provided a pivotal and scene stealing performance in 1992’s Sneakers among such Hollywood royalty as Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, and Ben Kingsley as Dr. Gunter Janek, who makes a cryptographic breakthrough of Gaussian proportions.
Recently, he has been found all over the place on Law & Order: SVU, Vikings, Gotham, and Sons of Anarchy, but his starring vehicle of Terriers remains one of the greatest shows in television history that literally nobody watched. And if that isn’t a metaphor for hockey fandom, nothing is.
While not the biggest guy, much like the Hawks (at least in the past) WWE NXT champ Finn Balor uses his speed, flair, and creativity to better his opponents. While Balor is a great wrestler and watch in his normal gear, for the big occasions he has to “unleash the demon” and comes out possessed and unpredictable.
As we’ve seen with the Hawks, when the chips are down and they have to have it, they find their own “demon,” and generally no one can stick with them. At some point this series we’ll see it, and the Blues will know they have a true fight on their hands.
I suppose if I were on the other side of this (meaning I was about 50 pounds heavier and hell of a lot uglier and I’m not pretty now), I would say that the Hawks have scored one goal against the Blues in about 130 minutes of play the past two games against them. I would say that it doesn’t matter that the Blues are doing exactly what they shouldn’t against the Hawks, i.e. backing up and trapping and grinding, because even with Keith returning for Game 2 he’s still the only trap-buster the Hawks have. I suppose I would say that the Blues probably can play better and they still have a 1-0 lead.
But I’m not on that side, so all I can help but say is, “Haven’t we seen this before?”
