Everything Else

My Kingdom For A Goal: Hawks at Kings Preview/Pregame Thread/Coffee House Open Mic

By Sam Fels 1279 0

Hawk Wrestler vs. King Jerry Lawler

FACEOFF: 9:30 PM Central
TV/RADIO: WGN for both
VOICE OF THE THRONE: The Royal Half, Jewels From The Crown

The last time the Hawks skated on Staples Center ice, Marian Hossa was burying a one-timer off a Michal Handzus pass after the Kings’ 74th moronic change of that series and the Hawks saw out the rest of the frame to take a stranglehold of the Conference Final. That game saw Duncan Keith suspended for Paul Bunyan-ing Jeff Carter’s face, and saw Johnny Oduya play the game of his life. What we wouldn’t give for Oduya to find anything close to resembling that sort of form.

Everything Else

That Much Further West – Hawks at Canucks Preview, Pregame Thread, Scream Therapy

By Matt McClure 1277 0

oldschool at Lumberjack_Song

Game Time: 9:30PM CDT
TV/Radio: WGN, TSN, WGN-AM 720
The Truth Is Out There: Nucks Misconduct, Canucks Army

With last night’s OT loss to the hapless Flames in Cow Town, the Hawks are officially in the midst of their longest losing streak since the 9-game debacle that nearly completely derailed the 2011-2012 season. And while things aren’t nearly that dire yet, the Blues have already tied the Hawks for first in the Central and have games in hand, and the road trip prior to the Olympics takes a much sharper turn toward icky starting tonight with their old friends the Canucks. Though given the state of things in Vancouver of late, just how icky can be debated.

Everything Else

Boredom Or Fatigue?

By Sam Fels 1429 0

Well we have our first official blip of the season. Actually the whole month has been something of a blip. But this three game losing streak is clearly the nadir. While the Hawks lost some games earlier in the month due to luck or sterling goalie performances, these past three have certainly been “meh” performances. While the Hawks dominated possession for the first 40 last night, it’s not like Al Montoya had to perform cartwheels to keep the Hawks at bay.

So the question now is whether the Hawks are just bored, or the toll taken from playing until almost July is now coming due. The disheartening thing is that we really won’t have an answer until April.

Everything Else

Atop The Sugar Pile 1/21

By Sam Fels 1191 0

Can’t think of much else to do today after a day off for most. So let’s see who’s been naughty and who’s been nice.

The Dizzying Highs

Marian Hossa – Well I’m not sure I quite agree with the Tribune’s assertion today that at 35 he’s better than ever (more people probably needed to see him play in Atlanta), he was certainly vintage stuff this week. Three goals and four points in three games, while firing 16 shots. We’ve talked about what Hossa’s shot totals mean, and it’s always heartening to see him getting his share. Maybe he’s taking some of Toews’s opportunities away, but no one cares at this point. I’m still jumpy about what he’ll look like after the Olympics and in the playoffs, and we know that there will be some nights where he never gets out of third gear. You can also look for him to not be in the lineup for a game or two in March, as that back is always a concern. But for right now, he’s the dominant force we know and love.

Ben Smith – This one might be a bit of a stretch, because there aren’t really any numbers to back this up, and he was a -2 over the week. But watching him play he’s been a badass. Simply everywhere and never stops working, and his PK work has improved. I still don’t know what he is (my heart says 3rd-4th line tweener), but his high rate of work definitely makes up for the lack of mobility on the other side of his line.

Everything Else

See You In The Shallows – Ducks vs Hawks Preview, Pregame Thread, Sensitivity Training

By Matt McClure 1335 0

oc ducks vs oldschool

Game Time: 7:00PM CDT
TV/Radio: CSN+, NHLN (US & Canada), RDS, WGN-AM 720
Mommy’s Little Monster: Anaheim Calling, Battle of California

Whether anyone wants to believe it or not, this Ducks team enters tonight’s tilt on West Madison only two points off what was a record pace from last year’s Hawks team during an abbreviated campaign. But then again, last year’s Ducks weren’t off far off that pace either, and they ended up bowing out in 7 games to Scum. A longer season should reveal more truths about both squads, with the two teams squaring off this evening.

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Almost Close Enough For Disco: Avs 3 – Hawks 2 (OT)

By Sam Fels 1218 0

Boxscore

Event Summary

Extra Skater

Hockey is just weird sometimes. You can’t really ask the Hawks to do much more than they did tonight. From the opening bell, the Avs were pretty much rolled up in a rug and dumped in the snowy woods. But like the occasional Russian gangster who claims to wash his balls in ice water, even though he’s been shot in the head he escapes the mobsters (layered reference!). The Hawks don’t even have packs of mustard to keep them sane.

Sure, they could have cashed in on a power play. But it’s not as if the PP was totally helpless. It created enough chances, it just didn’t cash in. Sure, they’ll tell you they could have gotten more traffic in front of Semyon Varlamov, but that would just be covering up. The Hawks were there plenty of times, it just felt like the rebounds kept bouncing away from Hawks’ sticks aside from Shaw’s goal. Yeah, the penalty kill could have come up better than leaving Ryan O’Reilly enough space in front he would have died of exposure. But in OT, Hjalmarsson’s rushed clear could have taken any bounce off the glass. It just went to Matt Duchene.

The Hawks did everything but win tonight, and that happens from time to time during the season. Hockey is a cruel enough mistress to torture you by having luck play a role, and a big one. It just didn’t go the Hawks way tonight. Move on, and know that more efforts like that will result in pairs of points far more often than they’ll result in a solitary, lonely one.

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We Comb Our Hair Like Maurice Richard: Blackhawks 1 – Canadiens 2 (OT)

By Matthew Killion 1260 0

Box Score
Event Summary
Extra Skater

Flat, bored, slow, disinterested… whatever you want to call it, the Hawks simply weren’t in this one pretty much from the national anthems (and I really love hearing “Oh, Canada” sung in French). Taking two back-to-back penalties for tripping Daniel Briere leading to pretty much a full four minutes short handed throws off the entire game, especially since Q had hit the blender to try and spark a team that has hit a slump in the last few games. Instead of settling in with their new teammates, they were running around on the kill and saw the Habs outshoot the Hawks 10-7 in the first.

Things didn’t improve in the later frames as the Hawks gave up 12 shots in each frame without breaking double digits for themselves. This wastes a pretty phenomenal effort from Crawford as he returned to his hometown and stood on his head. It’s not terribly often that you’ll see the losing goalie get a higher star than the winner in a low scoring game.

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I Want Their Game… Off: Rangers 3 – Hawks 2

By Sam Fels 1248 0

Box Score

Event Summary

Extra Skater

It’s been obvious to anyone that’s been paying attention that the Hawks’ game has been off since the turn of the calendar, if not a little before. Sure, Sharp and Hossa and Toews covered it up in New Jersey, and have at other times. But they certainly weren’t near their best on Long Island, or in New Jersey, the Sharks kind of dictated play on Sunday, and here we are tonight.

The Hawks had their spurts. The 2nd period, or most of it, was one-way traffic. But they didn’t start well, Crow gave up a couple goals he’d like back, and the 3rd was just kind of… meh. They thought about winning it, they didn’t really look like they wanted to until it was too late.

I don’t think it’s anything other than a midseason malaise. You knew there’d be a dip somewhere. The Hawks used to make it in March. Maybe it’s now. But some factors that we’ve been talking about were once again on show.

Everything Else

Angry At Numbers 1/6

By Sam Fels 1529 0

That time again to get a little nerd-y. Or a little more nerd-y than we already are.

0

This got some play last week thanks to The Score’s Jay Zawaski. But that’s the amount of goals at even-strength that Patrick Kane has scored with Michal Handzus as his center. And that’s the center he’s played the most with. It kind of defies belief. You’d think Handzus would have been struggling to the bench just once while Kaner was dancing through defenders or something. It just hasn’t happened.

If you’re interested, and you are, Kane has scored his most even-strength goals with Brandon Saad, the winger he’s played with most, with 7. He’s also scored 7 with Andrew Shaw. This may be something even Joel Quenneville has seen, as Saad has joined Kane on a line the past few games.

This doesn’t mean that Shaw is the perfect center for Kane, perhaps just the best out of bad choices. Kane scored four even-strength goals with Brandon Pirri, but the seven with Shaw have come in half the amount of time on the ice. Kane’s Corsi% is also about 12 points higher with Shaw than either Pirri or Handzus.

Why? Harder to pin down. Some could be matchups. We know Shaw doesn’t win any draws so it’s not that. Mostly, it might simply be the mobility that Shaw has and he can at least be somewhere when Kane has the puck. Most of Kane’s production is off the rush and one-on-one. You don’t want him trying to produce on a cycle too often. Shaw can at least keep up.

Is Shaw a #2 center? Almost certainly not. Honestly, I think he’d be better at wing where his forechecking and getting to the net would be more pronounced by not having to constantly be low in his own zone. But right now, he might be the best solution of what currently is on offer.

Everything Else

Left It Out Back On The Highway, On "65": Hawks at Predators Preview/Pregame Thread/3am Sled Run

By 1040 0

Hawk Wrestler vs. Leary

FACEOFF: 7pm Central

TV/RADIO: CSN, WGN Radio 720

BLOGS OF THE BRIDGESTONE: On The Forecheck

Back to the scene of one of the crimes. The last time the Hawks sauntered down I-65 they got smacked around but good thanks to Nikolai Khabibulin’s groin crumbling under the weight of his paycheck/liver and Corey Crawford pulling the full Dante “I’m not even supposed to be here today.” Hopefully, things will go a little better tonight.