3-1: Blackhawks
Still streaking: PHT
Bickell back: CST
Daley day to day for now: CSN
ooooops: PD
Box Score
Event Summary
War on Ice
Well that looks a bit more familiar. While some of the components of the roster are odd fits in their given lineup spots at best or not NHL players at worst, the Hawks were at least able to do something that they weren’t able to last year, and that’s beat Michael Hutchinson in regulation, who gave the Jets what they needed last year with a 3-0-1 record against the Hawks.
Feather is on a tropical vacation this week… or he’s hiding until the heat dies down, though I suppose it could be both, so I’ll take this little rant for the day. I’m sure he won’t mind, and if he does I’ll just drop dime on him and I won’t have that problem ever again!
-When we’re supposed to be doing the stuff we’re supposed to be doing but not, McClure and I basically talk about other teams in the NHL. And everyone loves to say every team has this crippling flaw or that one, and it’s been hard to pinpoint a team where you go, “That’s the team coming out of the East/West.” And of course, doing so in the first week of December is always folly, because there are injuries, trades, dips in form (especially goalies) and vice versa coming.
But man, it’s getting really hard to look past the Washington Capitals.
I’m sure some air raid sirens are going off in the hinterlands of Hawk-dom, less than a week after everyone was beaming from a 3-1-2 Circus Trip. It’s now three “losses” in a row, even though the Hawks got points in two of them. But this wasn’t like the Kings or Wild, where the Hawks deserved to either get only a point or lose outright. They played well after the 1st, there were signs of life from Toews and Hossa, and yet more brilliance from Kane and The Sons Of Rasputin. This time however the penalty kill didn’t come through as it has, putting the Hawks up against it. And when you give Karlsson a look in overtime, no matter how much he doesn’t like the format, you’re pretty much asking for it.
vs. 
PUCK DROP: 6:30pm Central
TV/RADIO: CSN, WGN Radio
CANADIAN GUB’MINT: Silver Seven Sens, Bonks Mullet
Senators War On Ice
It seems a bit cruel of the NHL schedule makers to have the Hawks go out on the road for two straight weeks, get a taste of home for all of three days, and then punt them back up to the Canadian capital (capitale) a mere day later. Quite the tease. But such is the task put before the Hawks, and seeing as how things went pretty well on the road (deserved or not) and didn’t at home on Tuesday, maybe it’s a good way to get their game back on track. Whatever their game might be right now.
Tonight: Blackhawks
Young and restless: CST
At least use a lower setting: BU
Fighting Hawk to Blackhawk?: CSN
Please no: PD
I know it probably seems like I’m harping on Toews too much lately. But with the main story with the Hawks being that they only have one line, it seems only fair to focus on the main reason there aren’t any other lines scoring. And that quite simply has to be the captain. Quite frankly, I can only write so much about how Trevor van Riemsdyk pretty much sucks but there aren’t any replacements on the roster or in the system.
When I started to look at Toews’s numbers, it became clear that it would make sense to compare him to the two players he seems to be mentioned with most, either here or in the mainstream. That would be Anze Kopitar, who we’ve often compared him to because we think they’re basically the same guy, and Sidney Crosby who the rest of the world wanted to compare him to (even though Sid is or was obviously better, and if you don’t think so I’ll just point you to him averaging over three points per 60 even strength minutes multiple seasons.
There’s kind of an intriguing curve with these guys and just about all at the same age.
20:NHL
Not Enough:Chicago Tribune
Just in time for Christmas:CSN
50 Bucks that Cheli runs Modano:CC
The logical next step:SCH
Ah, that old first home game after a trip bugaboo. It finally bit the Hawks, even though as McClure pointed out in the preview they’ve actually been pretty good in this situation over the years. Whatever the case, the Hawks’ legs/sense of give a shit/both weren’t quite where they needed to be and an inspired Wild team that was watching its season get awfully icky in a hurry was able to get a deserved win.
The tale for the Hawks is familiar to all by now, and you could write the next few sentences from memory. The Hawks only had a chance at points because of the same factors. Kane scores. The second line is the only consistently dangerous one. A couple moments of individual brilliance. The special teams come up big. Crawford holds them in for the stretch of game where they’re getting badly outplayed. Rinse. Repeat. But none of these are sustainable models for success, and it wasn’t tonight. It’s 25 games now, and the Hawks remain a one-line, one-pairing team. 25 games is bordering on not being a trend anymore.
Shall we go? Yes, let us go.
