The Rockford IceHogs saw an eight-game win streak come to an end in with two losses to the Milwaukee Admirals in the first two games of a three-game weekend. Rockford finished their first three-games in three-nights stretch of the season with a home win in front of a pseudo sell-out audience at the BMO Center Sunday.
With that win, Rockford reclaimed the top spot in the AHL’s Midwest Division. They remain in the second spot in the Western Conference standings with 23 points in 16 games.
*Quick note: I wrote this yesterday prior to the Blackhawks game versus the Stars so the statistics used herein do not include the numbers from that game*
If you aren’t overly familiar with statistics, you may be new to the idea of regression. Regression basically tells us that things tend to return to their normal level over time. When we are talking about shooting percentage, the normal level is a little different for each player. The point though, is that while we should expect a bit of variance from season to season, we shouldn’t get too bogged down in low spots during the season. Players often talk about how as long as they are “getting looks” or “chances” they don’t get too worked up about whether the puck in going in the net. If they do get worked up about it, they say they are “holding the stick too tightly” and other such common terminology that all boils down to getting in their own heads over having a bad string of luck.
*Quick note: I wrote this yesterday prior to the Blackhawks game versus the Stars so the statistics used herein do not include the numbers from that game*
If you aren’t overly familiar with statistics, you may be new to the idea of regression. Regression basically tells us that things tend to return to their normal level over time. When we are talking about shooting percentage, the normal level is a little different for each player. The point though, is that while we should expect a bit of variance from season to season, we shouldn’t get too bogged down in low spots during the season. Players often talk about how as long as they are “getting looks” or “chances” they don’t get too worked up about whether the puck in going in the net. If they do get worked up about it, they say they are “holding the stick too tightly” and other such common terminology that all boils down to getting in their own heads over having a bad string of luck.
Just when we thought Blackhawks fans were going to mutiny, the Blackhawks finally got a little puck luck and trounced the Dallas Stars in front of a happy home crowd. All of those near misses and weird bounces went Chicago’s way much to the delight of not only the fans, but also the team. With a long road trip on the horizon, they could use a little confidence boost. Congrats to Brad Richards and his lovely family on his 1000th game and hey, thanks for those assists.
vs. 
FACEOFF: 6pm
TV/RADIO: WGN for both
EXES THAT LIVE IN TEXAS: Defending Big D
The Hawks have one last chore before embarking on the annual Circus Trip, which feels like it might be a little more definitive than we thought it would be or it should be. Either way, heading into it with a win that washes out the taste of Friday’s vomit-belch is probably a good idea. Luckily, they’ll get a crack at a Stars team that is struggling and played yesterday, so it’s all right there for them.
The Red Wings are one of the best shot suppression teams in the NHL and they definitely showed that in their Friday night meeting with the Blackhawks. Chicago struggled with virtually every part of their game in every part of the ice. The 4-1 loss to Detroit was completely deserved.
at 
Game Time: 6:30PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Mom’s Spaghetti: Winging It In Motown, Abel To Yzerman
And so it begins anew. Not so much the Original Six rivalry that mostly evaporated prior to the Wings finally getting their wish and moving to the Eastern Conference, but more the lamentation of that move and the longing for a rivalry that never really lived up to its own billing in the last 25 years in the first place save for a couple of blips on the radar, and one very emphatic punctuation mark ending it in 2013. Now, a visit to Detroit is just another date on the calendar, and the only time the Hawks will visit the husk of the Joe this year.
Not Afraid: Blackhawks
Chain of Fools: ESPN Chicago
The Hardest Button to Button: PHT
The Way You Do the Things You Do: CSN (auto play)
Superstition: PD
