Everything Else

51 Phantom

By 1531

From the moment Brian Campbell arrived, there were a lot of people trying to figure out how to get him out of here. Maybe it was the uneasiness we had in seeing the Hawks hand out a contract to a prime free agent on the market. And make no mistake, in the summer of 2008 Campbell was the best blue-liner to have. It was something that never happened. The last big free agent contract the Hawks handed out was Nikolai Khabibulin, and we know how that went (who then strangely would have a really good season before he hit the market again). Over the years, it wasn’t something the Hawks did. It was always washed up stars like Gilmour or Housley that they went for back in the day.

Maybe it was the sheer amount of money. $7 million a year is actually still a lot, but back then it sounded like he was basically being given the United Center.

Maybe it was the method. The Hawks had already showed off all their picks they had developed, as the previous season all of Toews, Kane, Bolland, Brouwer, Hjalmarsson had made their NHL debuts to join Keith and Seabrook. Adding a huge free agent to it just seemed so foreign.

Everything Else

Eh, No Peg: Hawks 5 – Jets 2

By 1085

Box Score

Natural Stat Trick

Wow, wins over the Wild and Jets in the span of three days. You’ll tell your children about it someday. If you talk to your children. Which you probably shouldn’t, because really, what do your children have to say? Nothing, that’s what.

The first period was about as well as the Hawks have played all season, and they were completely all over the Jets and easily could have had four or five goals if it wasn’t for Connor Hellebuyck spasming competence for the first time since… well, the last time he played the Hawks. Fucker.

The second was not so good, but at this point I think we’ve all given up the dream of the Hawks putting 60 minutes together. The swarm/mess that the Jets style is lends itself to swing wildly from one pole to the other in terms of possession and dominance, and once they get going they can be hard to turn around.

But the third saw the Hawks shut it down fairly well. They didn’t generate as much as you’d like but Crawford wasn’t required to perform the same miracles as the 2nd, even though the Jets had twice as many shots. She’s a funny old game.

Let’s clean it up.

Everything Else

What’s This Funk, That You Call Junk?: Hawks 3 – Wild 3 (Hawks win bocce ball)

By 1174

Box Score

Natural Stat Trick

I guess it depends on what you wanted out of this game to define whether it matters or not. If it was a hope that the Hawks could get back in a race for the division, this probably wasn’t it. Gaining one point, leaving with a five-point gap and the Wild have three games in hand still makes your prospects awfully dark. Maybe if the Hawks take the two remaining games with the Wild in regulation we can talk, but a lot can happen between now and the season series being wrapped up.

If you’re looking for signs of improvement in the Hawks in a game they at least said they were taking more seriously than they normally would in the doldrums of February, well you could find things. Toews’s line looked spritely, Crawford had a performance out of earlier in the season, and the kids looked dangerous at times. So if you just look at that, you can feel pretty good.

And if you’re looking for moral victories because the Hawks won on a power play in gimmick overtime… well then you’re a lost soul who simply hasn’t been paying attention. Because there is no such thing.

Everything Else

These Aren’t The Droids You’re Looking For: Wild at Hawks Preview/Bonfire

By 1047

 vs. 

RECORDS: Wild 27-9-5  Hawks 27-13-5

PUCK DROP: 6pm

TV: NBCSN

ANIMALS STRIKING CURIOUS POSES: Hockey Wilderness, Gone Puck Wild

PROJECTED LINEUPS

ADJUSTED TEAM CORSI %: Wild – 49.8 (18th)  Hawks – 49.8 (17th)

ADJUSTED TEAM xGF%: Wild – 54.2 (2nd)  Hawks – 47.2 (26th)

POWER PLAY %: Wild – 19.5 (13th)  Hawks – 18.8 (14th)

PENALTY KILL %: Wild – 84.6 (6th)  Hawks – 76.3 (28th)

Repeat this to yourself, because it’s important: There are no big games in January.

We’re sure the Wild are using this as some sort of exam. The Hawks have been doing this contender thing long enough to know that it doesn’t matter. However, after getting their ass rubbed in the moonshine by the Capitals, the Hawks probably don’t want that to snowball into anything worrisome. So they won’t be completely disinterested tonight, or at least you’d hope not.

Everything Else

Hurricanrana Is Hurricanrana In Any Language: Hawks at Canes Preview/Craft Gin Week

By 1173

 vs. 

RECORDS: Hawks 23-10-5  Canes 15-12-7

PUCK DROP: 6:30 pm 

TV: WGN

HE HIT THE FUCKIN’ BULL, DIDN’T HE?: Canes Country

PROJECTED LINEUPS

ADJUSTED TEAM CORSI %: Hawks – 49.5 (16th)  Canes – 52.8 (5th)

ADJUSTED TEAM xGF%: Hawks – 47.0 (26th)  Canes – 53.6 (6th)

POWER PLAY %: Hawks -19.2 (14th)  Canes – 20.4 (10th)

PENALTY KILL %: Hawks – 74.8 (29th)  Canes – 90.6 (1st)

TRENDS: Teuvo and Aho combined for 11 shots against the Penguins on Wednesday… The Canes rang up a 67% Corsi in Pittsburgh last out

The title is something my friend who wrestles in Chikara told me once. I think it applies to most things.

The last game of 2016 and the last of the two-game swing through NASCAR country comes up for the Hawks tonight. They arrested their small skid last night, averting something a little more definitive, and will attempt to head into West East St. Louis with a little momentum (assuming this Winter Classic actually ever gets played, which it might not).

Everything Else

“Pred” Backwards Is “Derp”: Hawks at Predators Preview/Brake Alignment

By 1050

 vs. 

RECORDS: Hawks 22-10-5   Predators 15-13-6

PUCK DROP: 7pm Central

TV: CSN

GIMME GIMME THE HONKY TONK BLUES: On The Forecheck

PROJECTED LINEUPS

ADJUSTED TEAM CORSI %: Hawks – 49.8 (15th)  Preds – 52.2 (8th)

ADJUSTED TEAM xGF%: Hawks – 47.0 (25th)  Preds – 52.7 (9th)

POWER PLAY%: Hawks – 18.3 (15th)  Preds – 19.5 (13th)

PENALTY KILL%: Hawks – 74.7 (29th)  Preds – 81.5 (14th)

TRENDS: Johansen has two goals this month… Rinne has given up 30 goals in his last 10 appearances for a SV% of .867

The Hawks take their three-game losing streak, with one point gained, down south the next two nights to take on the Predators and then the Canes to close out the 2016 portion of the schedule. They’ll find a not quite floundering, not quite surging, just kind of quite there Predators team at the Bridgestone tonight. Why we haven’t been saying, “At that confounded Bridge!” every time the Hawks go to said arena, I don’t have any idea but it starts now, big boy!

Everything Else

Get Yourself A Cooler, Lay Yourself Low: Hawks 2 – Blues 1 (OT)

By 1189

Box Score

Natural Stat Trick

Hockey Stats

Most of the season, and certainly during this now seven-game winning-streak, the Hawks have relied on their top six and Corey Crawford to bring home a win. On the surface, that’s what happened in West East St. Louis tonight. They got a goal from Hossa and Pantera. Crow was basically impenetrable. Two points. Dig a little deeper and you’ll see that the Hawks’ top six pretty much got buried on the possession charts. But when Crow is in this kind of form, he basically equalizes everything.

Everything Else

This Isn’t My Beautiful House: Flames at Hawks Preview/TSA Training

By 989

vs. 

GAMETIME: 7:30pm

TV: CSN. NHL Network outside the 606

RODEO CLOWNS: Flames Nation

RECORDS: Cal And Gary – 1-4-1   Hawks – 3-3-0

Projected Lineups

flames-lineup-card

blackhawks-lineup-card

SCORE ADJUSTED CF%: Cal And Gary – 50.2% (15th)  Hawks – 50.5% (13th)

POWER PLAY: Cal And Gary – 4.0% (Dead ass last)  Hawks – 20.8% (10th)

PENALTY KILL: Cal And Gary – 74.2% (23rd)  Hawks – 42.9% (Dead Ass Last)

TRENDS: Gaudreau and Monahan were a combined -8 against St. Louis last game, the Flames power play is 1-for-25

Much like the Hawks, the Flames start to the season hasn’t exactly kicked into gear like they’d hoped (and getting skulled twice by the Oilers probably hasn’t helped matters much). Cal and Gary stroll in with only one win and three point of the 12 that were on offer. And some of the same problems have bothered the Flames that have bothered the Hawks.

Everything Else

Faster Pussycat Kill! Kill! Kill!: Jackets 3 – Hawks 2

By 1171

Box Score

Hockey Stats

Natural Stat Trick

Yes, I’m well aware these aren’t the same movies, but just allow it, all right?

Once again, the Hawks had an ugly period (no, don’t make your menstruation joke here, because as Ash vs. Evil Dead taught us vaginas are powerful and life-affirming and should never be mocked). That one segment kind of colors everything else about the game, perhaps unfairly. The penalty kill remains a tire fire inside of a dumpster fire contained in a landfill fire. But as always, there are things to be learned. Oh, and some bad luck didn’t help the cause. Let’s get to it, shall we? We all have drinking to do.