Everything Else

High On The Hog: Hartman Hot In Texas

By 1606

The Rockford IceHogs opened this past week with a tough stretch of games in Texas ahead of them. With three of those four contests in the books, a four-game Lone Star sweep is within the reach of the IceHogs.

In what may be its most impressive stretch of the season, Rockford posted 15 goals in three victories. After winning a track meet against the Texas Stars Wednesday, the Hogs scored two wins over the San Antonio Rampage over the weekend. Rockford improved its season mark to 15-5-1-2 and sit at the top of the Central Division.

With several of last year’s leading scorers on the shelf, Rockford looked to be in need of some offensive punch against some good offensive teams.

Who provided a good portion of that punch? The above picture should spill the beans.

Everything Else

Welcome To Wherever You Are – Hawks 3, Jets 1

By 1417

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.

Everything Else

Fireside Chat

By 1358

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.

Everything Else

Point Taken: Hawks 3 – Senators 3 (Senators win Bull Riding Competition)

By 1142

Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

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.

Everything Else

Clean Up For Trudeau: Hawks at Senators Preview/Mountie Costume Party

By 1200

250px-Ozymandias vs. senator clay-davis-sheeeiiiit

PUCK DROP: 6:30pm Central

TV/RADIO: CSN, WGN Radio

CANADIAN GUB’MINT: Silver Seven Sens, Bonks Mullet

Senators Stats

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.

Everything Else

Jonny, Anze, and Sidney: A… Story

By 1836

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.