Everything Else

High On The Hog: Who’s In Goal For The Playoffs?

By 1461

The Rockford IceHogs reserved their spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs this week. However, Chicago’s AHL affiliate continued to scuffle along as the regular season comes to a conclusion this week.

Rockford dropped three of four on the road this past week. Three points in Charlotte early in the week assured the Hogs of a postseason appearance for the second consecutive season. This team is not giving off the shine of a group that will get out of the first round, though.

It’s hard to expect much from this group the way the latter half of the season has progressed. There are lots of new faces and probably more coming before the regular season ends. There are also a lot of questions for this team to answer in the final week of action.

First and foremost, who starts in net for Ted Dent in the playoffs?

Everything Else

One More Special Message To Go: Hawks at Jackets…. Preview? Maybe? I Guess?

By 1213

Hawk Wrestler vs. Chief_Blue_Meanie

PUCK DROP: 6pm 

TV/RADIO: WGN for both

WAITING TO DOT THE I: Jackets Cannon

Jackets Stats

Jackets War On Ice

As has been the case for the past three seasons, the Hawks last game of the season doesn’t amount to much more than a glorified scrimmage. There aren’t even individual milestones to grab. Hossa isn’t going to play, so 500 will have to wait until October (and none of us thought that would happen when this season started), Kane already has his 100 points. I guess they could go David Robinson here and try and get Kane six goals to get to 50. About the only thing worth watching is Corey Crawford getting one dress rehearsal before the playoffs. And considering the amount of players that the Predators are putting in suits, you can be pretty sure it’s going to be in St. Louis.

Everything Else

Three Feet High And Not Rising: Blues 2 – Hawks 1 (OT)

By 1420

Boxscore

Event Summary

War On Ice

There are several ways you could look at this one. I’m not sure any of them matter. On the one hand, the Hawks kept one of the better Western Conference teams to barely a threat without their best d-man and three forwards. They had chances to make it a bigger lead. In another way, they only put up one goal, weren’t a constant threat, got pretty well stepped on in possession and coughed up a lead to lose for just the second time when leading after 40 minutes. You could say that the Blues haven’t beaten the Hawks without a gimmick this year. You could try and project what it means for next week. In the end it all seems a bit futile.

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Manifest Destiny – Blues vs Hawks Preview, Workplace Mediation

By 1737

bluestrumpet_jersey vs evil empire

Game Time: 7:30PM
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Toasted Ravs, Man: SLGT

Tonight’s game between the Hawks and Blues is being labeled a playoff preview by all of the flapping heads around the league, and in one sense, that’s not accurate at all given the number of injuries on both sides that will surely answer the bell this time next week, as well as the fact that this first round matchup is anything but a foregone conclusion. And in that respect tonight already is a playoff game unto itself. Should the Blues gain a single point, they will clinch some form of home ice and the Hawks will be locked into third in the Central. However a Hawks regulation win still keeps them in position for home ice if not the division, depending on the outcome of Stars/Avs. The Hawks would still need some help from the Preds and/or Capitals on Saturday, but they still have to close out their regular season home schedule properly tonight to give themselves a chance.

Everything Else

How About You? Blackhawks 6, Coyotes 2

By 1274

Box Score

War on Ice

Natural Stat Trick

Finally. FINALLY. My long national nightmare is over. I jinxed an early season blowout against the Blues by mentioning the letters “D-L-R” after the first period only to see the Hawks cough up that massive lead. Then on Sunday, I started thinking about which video I was going to use and watched in horror as Scott Darling did his performance art in the crease.

Tonight, all it took was 4 special teams goals. One short-handed. Two power play goals scored during a five minute major. And of course, an opponent that is tanking harder than an Eddie Robinson-led Bulls team ever did.

Without further ado, it’s my turn to put on the leather chaps.

Everything Else

Kokopelli Face Tattoo – Coyotes vs Hawks Preview, Car Repair Estimate

By 1231

wileEcoyote vs evil empire

Game Time: 7:30PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
I Hope Joe Arpaio Is Tortured To Death: Five For Howling

It took until game 80 on April 5th for the schedule to finally roll around to a game of actual consequence that the Blackhawks on paper should give a shit about. Sitting at 99 points with three games to play, they can max out at 105, which is the current total for both the Stars and Blues. If the Hawks win tonight as they should, and can beat the Blues on Thursday, that at least puts home ice still seriously on the table on Saturday, as the Blues face the Caps in the closer, and the Hawks would hold the definitive edge in ROWs. There’s still barely a chance at the division as well, but on top of needing help from the Caps, the Stars get what could be an already eliminated Avs team on Thursday and then a locked-into-seventh Preds club for the finale. But failure to accumulate all six of the remaining points available makes all of this moot, and it begins tonight at home against the Coyotes.