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Game Time: 7:30PM CST
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Semyon Varlamov Is A Fucking Piece of Shit: Mile High Hockey
In what now feels like their third cycle of the last decade, the visiting Colorado Avalanche are rebuilding, this time at least under the tutelage of an actual adult in Jared Bednar. But the more things change, the more things stay the same in Denver, and the Avs find themselves once agian in the league’s basement.
At this point in this era of the Hawks, there are no statement games. Ownership on down has given an organizational mandate on the standard to which this team is to be held, and that’s silver and parades. That being said. with this being the third game in four nights after playing a back and forth affair in West East St. Louis last night, it could have been very easy for the Hawks to kind of pack it in tonight without their 2nd line center, but that didn’t happen.
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Game Time: 6:00PM CST
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Worship & Tribute: Lighthouse Hockey
The Hawks remain in a New York state of mind, taking a trip across the East River and into Prospect Heights to take on the scuffling Islanders in their completely cockeyed arena.
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Game Time: 7:30PM CST
TV/Radio: CSN, NHLN (US), WGN-AM 720
Buggin Out: Blueshirt Banter
While this is supposed to a premiere matchup on the league’s calendar as far as regular season games in December go, and on paper it still is with one conference leader hosting the 2nd best of the other on a weekend night, the actual composition of the rosters on both sides still lacks the punch that it should have, no matter how many times the words “potential matchup in June” are uttered during the broadcast.
@ 
Game Time: Noon CST
TV:/Radio: CSN, SportsNet, WGN-AM 720
Travis Hughes Sucks, He Never Settled The Bet: Broad Street Hockey
For some obtuse reason, the Hawks travel to the armpit of the East Coast for a matinee in South Philly this reason. Normally these nooners take place after the Super Bowl and on NBC, but for some reason this one is only on the local outlets in the States. And because it’s a prime weekend matchup, the Flyera will more than likely be wearing their god-awful gold-trimmed 50th anniversary sweaters. But hey, home whites are home whites.
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Game Time: 7:30PM CST
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Uncle Dale’s New Dysfunctional Family: Litter Box Cats
Dale Tallon just can’t seem to find an organization that doesn’t have dysfunction among the front office braintrust. And after getting kicked upstairs this past summer, his replacement Tom Rowe has now descended to behind the Cats’ bench after unceremoniously launching Gerard Gallant on Sunday after a mediocre 11-10-1 start. And Tom Rowe will make his NHL head coaching debut at the United Center tonight as the Hawks return home from the final Circus Trip ever.
It’s an annual tradition that’s ending this season (good riddance, circus) that’s seen some pretty memorable wins from your guys in white. Who can forget Hossa’s first game here as a Blackhawk? Also, apologies for the late recap but it seemed like as good a night as any for your old pal to throw an obscene amount of whatever the plural of High Life is into his head.
This one felt like it could get ugly after a couple of special teams meltdowns halfway through the first period and then things settled down. While Corey Crawford was his usual self (in other words he was magnificent), the difference in this one was Martin Jones. Let’s break this down in time for you to watch some god awful football.
-Who is cutting Pete DeBoer’s hair and why
-Couple of notes for WGN: 1) stop zooming in so much 2) lingering shots on Brent Burns while he gnaws on a bird skeleton are quite unnecessary
-Tyler Motte breaking up a play with his stick and getting in behind, unable to convert at the end of his shift. Ryan Hartman getting to the front of the net. Nick Schmaltz finding Artemi Panarin streaking across the ice on his strong side. Vinny Hinostroza getting in alone after some fantastic passing from his linemates and just missing the end product. There are multiple examples of each of these kids doing some great things tonight and if not for Martin Jones the Hawks could have put up 4 or 5 goals.
-Panarin consistently seems like the Hawks best offensive player these days and that’s fine but the gap probably shouldn’t be as wide as it seems right now. He’s consistently terrorizing defenses in the attacking zone and making things happen. God, he’s going to be so rich.
-The injury to Jonathan Toews was a bit strange as no one seemed to notice him leaving or the reason why. Usually that plus the dreaded “upper body injury” diagnosis means something with his head. We can only hope he makes a quick recovery as even one top six forward going down exposes the lack of depth up front for this team.
-After the early barfing the penalty kill came up big, killing off a lengthy 2 man advantage and another late power play to keep the deficit at one. Sad to say killing 3 of 4 penalties is better than the norm for this group but that’s where we are.
-A word about the aging Sharks: yes Brent Burns got a new deal done the other day and the hockey world reacted in the most predictable way possible. Too many years. He’s going to be 40. I get it – but that’s the league we have. The structure is that which means you either pay your best players until they’re well past their sell by date or you let them walk or trade them for futures that will more than likely never match their skill level while urinating all over your entire fan base. There’s no winner here except Brent Burns and if you watched him play tonight you can see he deserves every penny. Also Joe Thornton is still pretty damn good.
-You can talk score effects but the Hawks basically whipped San Jose at even strength all night. The goals just aren’t coming at the rate they should be. Obviously, not having Toews available for any of the upcoming games changes things but I wouldn’t mess with some of these line combos.
-The glaring weakness on this team is Panik and Rasmussen or whichever dope draws in for one of them on any given night. If the Hawks can somehow upgrade those two spots before the trade deadline it’s a pretty exciting proposition. The main point here is we’re still seeing Quenneville let the kids play and grow. They’re going to have quiet nights but they’re also going to have nights like this one where they were extremely noticeable in good ways.
-Wouldn’t surprise me to see them light up a couple teams when they get back home.
The Hawks maintain a 3 point advantage in the division thanks to a Blues loss tonight. It’s way too early to be scoreboard watching but it goes without saying it’s time to start picking up points again, road trip or not.
Onwards.
While this installment had minimal technical difficulties, that’s more than can be said for the Hawks last night. And now that that’s behind everyone, Sam, Slak, and I look ahead to the annual (and possibly last) Black Wednesday tilt in San Jose against the Sharks with old friend Derek, formerly of Fear the Fin. Links after the jump.
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Game Time: 8:00PM CST
TV/Radio: CSN, CBC, SportsNet, WGN-AM 720
Harvey The Hound’s Rotting Severed Head: Flames Nation
After failing to pull even a point out of a game for the first time in nearly a month, the Ramblin’ Boys of Pleasure continue the Western Canadian portion of the final Circus Trip tonight in Calgary, taking on an undermanned Flames group.
Coming into tonight, there purveying wisdom regarding the Habs was that they ran their offseason like a bunch of assholes, and that their success to this point, was largely built on the back of Carey Price. And tonight’s result did nothing to shift opinions one way or the other.
