Everything Else

Snake Oil Tanker – Canucks vs Hawks Preview, Pregame Thread, Pie Sale

By Matt McClure 1177 0

Lumberjack_Song vs oldschool

Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, NHLN (US), TSN (Anglo), RDS2 (Franco), WGN-AM 720
Baby, I’m An Anarchist: Nucks Misconduct, Canucks Army

In years past, a matchup like this at the height of the holiday fervor would have been circled and starred on the calendar. But as has been highlighted ad nauseum, whatever juice this rivalry once had has been diluted not only by time but by realignment as well, and the game in Vancouver last month was a decidedly tame affair that reinforced the notion. This will be the Canucks’ only visit to West Madison in the regular season, However that is not to say that this game is meaningless for either side.

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Any Shade Of Lipstick: Hawks 2 – Canucks 1

By Sam Fels 1373 0

Thanks for pardoning the Saturday night wrap. You know how these things go.

While the players said different on both sides, and there was still some yapping and some gatherings after whistles, there’s definitely some heat out of the Hawks-Canucks rivalry. As more and more distance is put between the Playoff Trilogy, and each team has more and more its own things to deal with, that’s going to continue. It was always a rivalry built on this crop of players, and the more they change then it will fade out.

That doesn’t mean last night’s win didn’t feel particularly good, because it did. Maybe it’s partly because it was Vancouver, and maybe it was beating another team almost certainly using the game as a measuring stick. It was weird, until taking the lead I thought the Hawks were carrying most of the play. But as soon as they were up 2-1 it was bunker time, even though they weren’t the team that had played the night before. But whatever works, right?

Everything Else

Saturday Night Wrist – Hawks at Canucks Preview, Pregame Thread, Frost Warning

By Matt McClure 1101 0

AltLogo at Lumberjack_Song

Game Time: 9:00PM Central
TV/Radio: WGN Ch. 9, NHLN (US), CBC (Hosers), WGN-AM 720
Blackfish: Nucks Misconduct

Now the circus trip moves to its most western destination in British Columbia, where where the Hawks and Canucks will renew acquaintances and rekindle what’s now left of one of the more volatile rivalries within the boundaries of Lockout 2.0 and Lockout 3.0.

Everything Else

FART: Hawks 1 – Canucks 3

By Sam Fels 1425 0

This was the wrap I didn’t want to write but kind of suspected I would. There was this feeling that the Hawks just wouldn’t be up for this one and that the Nucks might because it was at home and dick-measuring contests are always their thing. So I’m going to do what I think Fifth Feather would do and point to history.

March 2009, the Hawks and Canucks engage in what at the time was a very important game. At the time, it felt like they were grappling for the 4th seed (the Flames would go on to collapse and surrender the division to Vancouver and drop to 5th). And the Canucks walked all over the Hawks at the UC that night, and was famous for Burrows’s hair-pulling antics. The whole thing that year ended with a Patrick Kane hat trick and Luongo in tears.

I think it was February 2010, and was our first ever official roadwatch at Whirlaway. The Canucks put up 7 on the Hawks that night. That May ended with Byfuglien laughing at the entire Rogers Arena crowd. In fact, it was GM Place then.

Everything Else

Seaward With The C-Words – Hawks at Canucks Preview, Pregame Thread, 401(K) Dispersal

By Matt McClure 1203 0

AltLogo at Lumberjack_Song

Game Time: 9:00 PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, NHLN (US), WIND-AM 560
The House That Heaven Built: Nucks Misconduct

It seems odd that a game this late in the season between these two foes would have so little riding on it, but yet that’s the case tonight as the Hawks visit Riot City to kick off the final week of the regular season. And because there isn’t much at stake, keeping all the requisite bile associated with the Orca and their trash flinging constituency should at least be attempted to be compartmentalized for at least one evening. But that’s easier said than done.

Everything Else

Nice Catch, Hayes: Canucks 3 – Hawks 3 (Hawks win nerf basketball)

By Sam Fels 1320 0

Boy, there’s a lot to get to here, so let’s just jump into the bullets, shall we?

-Let’s get to the most pressing issue. Why the fuck can’t the United Center spell, “Lightning?” It has a fucking T you dummards!

Ok, now that’s out of the way…

-Where to start? We’ve spent some time bemoaning the Hawks habit of sitting on leads, or doing their best to blow them, or straight up blowing them. It didn’t feel like that tonight, and I recognize how stupid that sentence sounds now. But the Hawks weren’t under siege until a Rozsival penalty, where both Toews and Saad went to block a shot and didn’t. Then it’s just a one goal game and all it takes is a puck squirting out of a board battle and one shot.

The Hawks did manage 13 3rd period shots. They pressed, they forechecked. Where they got themselves in trouble was straight up declining two 3rd period power plays that could have ended it. Instead of stepping on the throat, the Hawks played with their food. That was a problem last year and has been this year, where the Hawks just use a 3rd period PP with a lead to run the clock instead of cutting the jugular. They should stop that.

Everything Else

I Was A Teenage Anarchist – Canucks vs Hawks Preview, Pregame Thread, Allocution

By Matt McClure 1252 0

vs

Game Time: 7:30PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
The Stickiest of the Icky: Nucks Misconduct

As the season and the homestand soldier on, tonight’s game will mark both the median point of 7 straight at home for the Hawks as well as an even third of the season as a whole. And tonight’s tilt against the Canucks features all of the usual build-up associated with games between these two teams, but with a little extra spice added in tonight for good measure.

Everything Else

Screaming at a wall: Blackhawks 1 – Canucks 1 (Canucks Win Pepsi Challenge)

By Matthew Killion 1084 0

Ahh yes, the late game wrap the next morning. What a fun time these things are. The Blackhawks kept up their impressive point streak to start off the season but for the second time in a row.. fell in the skills competition.

For all the hype we may put on these games, this one turned out to be a pretty lackluster affair. There were plenty of runs on Keith (too be expected and pretty understandable), strong play from both goalies, lots of awful power plays and then a silly little shootout

Everything Else

The Old Flame: Hawks at Canucks Preview, Pregame Thread, Late Night Document Shredding Session

By Sam Fels 1088 0

vs. 

FACEOFF: 9pm Central

TV/RADIO: CSN, WGN Radio 720, and TSN for the hosers

SEARCHING IN VAIN FOR MEANING: Nucks Misconduct, Pass It To Bulis

Oh right. These guys. How could I forget?

I think it’s just me, but some of the heat of what had been and might still be the league’s best rivalry has gone out a bit. Might have something to do with the last three season meetings coming after somewhat passionate playoff meetings, and this one doesn’t. Maybe it’s partly to do with both teams coming off first-round exits in last year’s playoffs, and no longer is the target to get past each other but everything is just more focused inward and what each team has to do to go farther. Maybe the rise of genuine threats in St. Louis and L.A. has spread the ire for both sets of fans a little thinner.

Though reading Nucks Misconduct today, I’m guessing they don’t feel the same.