Everything Else

Altitude Adjustment: Hawks at Avalanche Preview/Ball Dropping

By 1406

250px-Ozymandias vs. Avalanche Snowman Christmas

PUCK DROP: 7pm Central

TV/RADIO: CSN, WGN Radio

COMIN DOWN THE MOUNTAIN: Mile High Hockey, Anthrax Jones Twitter Feed (if you’re really into punishing yourself)

Avalanche Stats

Avalanche War On Ice

The Hawks will close out 2015 at altitude, taking on an Avalanche team that’s probably been their biggest headache over the past few years. Strangely, the Hawks have done much better in Denver than they have at home against the Avs. They won two of three there last year, and the one they lost was the last game of the year where half the team didn’t play and the Hawks certainly didn’t think it mattered in any way. Contrast that to losing both home games against the Avs last year, the first one this year, and two of three the year before that.

Everything Else

A Suggested 2016 Resolution For The Hawks

By 1379

As this will be the last non-game related post I write of this year, it’s obviously hard to not look back and think of what a bewildering 12 months it was. From declaring the Hawks dead to watching them lift the Cup in person to questioning whether I could ever be a fan again, I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s exhausted.

But to quote that famous philosopher Gale Snoats, “I’d rather light a candle than curse your darkness.” I really don’t have a need to look back anymore, and I doubt too many of you would want to read it if I did. So I thought I might suggest something that the Hawks organization can do, that would be somewhat original and at least feign interest in making up some ground to the section of fans that are still conflicted about all that’s gone on.

There are obviously huge caveats here. One, the Hawks won’t ever see this. Two, if they did I’d bet a lot of money they couldn’t give a flying fornication about it. Three, there’s no urge for them to do so, as they’ll still sell out every game and flood this city in red jerseys (or red knockoff jerseys, which I guess they don’t cash in on but the point remains). Still, a boy can dream. Anyway, here goes:

Find a former women’s hockey Olympian, and make her an analyst on the broadcast of Hawks games.

Everything Else

Killed By Death: Hawks 7 – Yotes 5

By 1348

Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

Well that got a little silly.

I don’t know that the Hawks played particularly well tonight, but they played well enough to let some awful Yotes goaltending (Anders Lindback is 6-7 and yet can’t see over or around a screen?) and cash in on some abstract officiating from Dan O’Hochuli (credit McClure on that one) before the Yotes could cash in on the same abstract officiating. They certainly turned off in the 3rd letting Arizona back into it, and the penalty kill gave up the cross ice pass far too easily. How checked in they were is up for debate. Feel like we’ll be having that debate a few times before the season is over.

Everything Else

You Win Some You Lose Some It’s All The Same To Me: Hawks at Coyotes Preview/Whiskey Tasting

By 1297

250px-Ozymandias vs. wileEcoyote

PUCK DROP: 8pm Central 

TV/RADIO: CSN, WGN Radio

SUUUUPER GENIUS: Five For Howling

Coyotes Stats

Coyotes War On Ice

The Hawks head out for a short two-game trip that will close out 2015 (the most roller coaster year ever, clearly). It starts with the last team in the West the Hawks haven’t seen yet this season, the Arizona Coyotes. And for once, they actually look like they’re staying put for five minutes. I know, right?

Everything Else

Hurricanrana: Canes at Hawks Preview/Belt-Loosening

By 1242

Hurricane Carter vs, 250px-Ozymandias

PUCK DROP: 6pm Central

TV/RADIO: WGN for both

HERE COMES THE STORY: Canes Country

The Hawks come out of the Christmas break, a day after most teams, with a pretty soft landing in catching the Carolina Hurricanes on the second of a back-to-back. They’ll be fully healthy as well, with Marian Hossa coming back from the auto-body shop to buff the dents out of his cyborg exterior and will suit up tonight.

Everything Else

I’m Contributing To The System, The Break Down Scheme: Hawks at Stars Preview/Stocking Stuffer

By 1258

250px-Ozymandias vs. Bowie Starman

PUCK DROP: 7:30pm Central

TV/RADIO: CSN, WGN Radio

THEY’VE GOT A WALL INSIDE THEIR HEAD: Defending Big D

Stars Stats

Stars War On Ice

Here it comes.

The storylines are going to drip off this one, more so that most regular season games. First, you have the Hawks getting their first look at the West’s best so far, the Dallas Stars. They will certainly have had this one circled in the DFW area. Second, the first regular season reunion between the Hawks, Patrick Sharp, and Johnny Oduya. Third, you have two of the best lines in hockey, the one of Seguin-Benn-Guest Star (Get it?) and the SuperPAK line for the Hawks. It certainly has a lot going for it for a game still in the first half of the season.

(And none of it will keep me from going to see Star Wars tonight, but that’s not why you called).

Everything Else

Won’t You Ride My White Horse?: Sharks 3 – Hawks 3 (Hawks Win Sketchfest)

By 1305

Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

They’re certainly racking up the goalie wins. After a very even first period that ended a deserved 2-2, and a quite simply dull 2nd period that ever so slowly turned to the Sharks, capped off by Pavelski’s goal where their top line got to run around the merry-go-round that is the Hawks’ 3rd pairing, Corey Crawford held his team in the 3rd period where they were outshot 11-5, out-attempted 21-10, and basically simply outplayed. But thanks to Crow, they had time for Shaw to make Paul Martin look like a clown for the second time in the game, forcing both teams into the bull-riding show where one bad change let Kane and Toews in. That basically only ever has one ending.

The performances this weekend, and for most of the season, haven’t matched the results. But in the Suicide Squad Central Division the Hawks won’t care because they’ll need all the points they can get. There will be time enough to improve the roster and hence the performances, and to have it on a higher platform would be beneficial.

On to it.

Everything Else

I See You’ve Constructed A New Light Sabre: Hawks at Sabres Preview/Cantina Fight

By 1164

250px-Ozymandias vs. image-sabre_medium

PUCK DROP: High Noon Central

TV/RADIO: WGN for both, SportsNet up dere in da Nort

BUFFALO? WHY DON’T YOU JUST SLEEP IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR?: Die By The Blade

Sabres Stats

Sabres War On Ice

Isn’t it too early in the year for a noon start? I guess it doesn’t matter, as that’s when they’re going to drop the puck.

Anyway, the Hawks will get their first look at one of the two Wonder Kids of this year’s draft. They won’t see McJesus until next season now due to his busted collarbone, but barring injury they’ll get to see Jack Eichel over the next few weeks.

Everything Else

Marian Go Round In Dreams

By 1542

For the better part of this season, especially lately, we’ve been trying to sound something like alarm bells at the struggles of the Hawks at even-strength. And that’s a big deal, because you can’t be considered a very good team or have prospects of going all that far in the spring if you’re doing so on the back of special teams (unless you’re the ’06 Hurricanes). And the Hawks are a middling, at best, even-strength team right now. They have a -8 goal-difference at 5-on-5. The teams around them? The Flyers are just behind and the Maple Leafs are just ahead. That’s the seat on the bus between with the guy coughing up a lung and the woman yelling out Kentucky Derby winners randomly from the past 35 years (stick tap to friend Brendan McGowan for that line. Follow him at @BMGComedy). Their score adjusted Corsi-rate of 52.0 is solid, as is their Scoring-Chance rate. But their high-danger scoring chance rate is basically an even split of 50%, placing them 14th in the league. Again, middling.

A lot of this I’ve and we’ve laid at the feet of Jonathan Toews and his eight even-strength points this year. Maybe it’s time we look to his right a bit.