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Power Outage: Rangers 1 – Hawks 0

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Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

That one stung a bit. I really wanted that one, and I’m guessing after Q’s mini-explosion at practice yesterday the Hawks did too. It feels weird to say after a tough loss like that, but there were more positives than negatives coming out of it. The negatives are just more glaring.

Still, after a 1st period that wasn’t as one-sided as the shot board would have you believe–the attempts were even–the Hawks held a very potent Rangers team to just 19 shots the rest of the way. They out-attempted them too. Talbot didn’t have as many big saves to make as Crawford did, but he made them just as well.

Sadly, the Rangers are one of the teams you don’t want to see 4-on-4 (though that list is getting larger) and it didn’t take long before the Hawks were made to pay for the slower pace they play at right now.

If you want to be positive, 4-1-1 without Kane and Oduya (and Oduya’s presence looks pretty vital right now) is a pace you’d take. There are a couple softer games up the next week with Arizona and a free-falling Sharks team. Yes, they’re both on the road but they’re still doable. It’s a point gained on the Wild, who had been roaring up on the outside like Easy Goer. It’s five back of the Preds, who look the more likely to be caught than the Blues.

It stings, but it’s not the end of the world. Let’s do how we do.

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It Still Points, Doesn't It? Oilers 1 – Hawks 1 (Hawks win bake off)

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Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

If I were going to try and excuse this effort, the one where the Hawks gave up 47 shots to the dead ass Oilers, I would say something like the following: It was clear there was an extra jump with the Hawks on Monday, juiced by a couple days off that were filled with two new acquisitions that were supposed to refocus the whole organization. So there was always going to be a come down from that, especially when the 29th placed Oilers came for a visit and the feeling, as it always is with them though it almost never works out that way, that the Hawks can just show up and win.

I’m not saying that was the case, but you could make this argument and it’s not total horse hockey.

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It Still Points, Doesn’t It? Oilers 1 – Hawks 1 (Hawks win bake off)

By 1053 0

Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

If I were going to try and excuse this effort, the one where the Hawks gave up 47 shots to the dead ass Oilers, I would say something like the following: It was clear there was an extra jump with the Hawks on Monday, juiced by a couple days off that were filled with two new acquisitions that were supposed to refocus the whole organization. So there was always going to be a come down from that, especially when the 29th placed Oilers came for a visit and the feeling, as it always is with them though it almost never works out that way, that the Hawks can just show up and win.

I’m not saying that was the case, but you could make this argument and it’s not total horse hockey.

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Thursday Throwaways

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Just some notes to cover.

-We never did get around to analyzing the Smith-for-Desjardins trade, mostly because most of us here think it doesn’t matter in the long run. At least hopefully it doesn’t. If Ben Smith becomes the difference between winning a Cup and not, then there were probably bigger issues at play.

By now, everyone’s realized this is a cap move. Smith was signed for one more year, and there are alternatives for his 4th line/PK role next year. While Nordstrom’s past few strong games are hardly sample size enough to have convinced the front office to do away with Smith, it does at least offer hope that any gap will be made up pretty quickly. Looking ahead to next year, Nordstrom, Hartman, and/or Danault could all find themselves on the 4th line. If Garret Ross gains 30 pounds, he might even get a look too. (I also have this sneaking suspicion that if Tyler Motte were to leave Michigan after this season he’s going to be the kid who surprises everyone at training camp. But I doubt he leaves Michigan this year).

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Fertig! Verfallen! Verlumpt! Verblunget! Vermette!

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Honestly, that might be the best headline I’ve ever written.

Anyway, I could have saved this for tomorrow but I’ll be too depressed after City put five past Liverpool so let’s get this done now. The Blackhawks acquired the biggest center on the rental market tonight, Antoine Vermette, for Klas Dahlbeck and 2015’s 1st round pick.

Ok, the main complaint first, the price. Yeah, it’s steep on the surface. But when you dig deeper, it’s not so much. A 1st rounder is a 1st rounder yes, but the Hawks will get a 1st or high 2nd (essentially the same thing their first round pick will be) back when they have to dump someone like Sharp or Bickell in the summer because of cap problems. Fuck, they got a 1st for Troy Brouwer. If Bickell comes up with another big playoff performance, he can fetch a 2nd.

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C’Mon Kimmo

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It’s a rare weekend off for the Hawks, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t much to talk about. As you know by now, during the game last night the Hawks gave up this year’s 2nd rounder and a conditional pick next year that can be a 4th, 3rd, or 2nd depending on how far they go this spring for Kimmo Timonen.

It’s a strange one, for sure. Rarely, if ever, do you see a player who hasn’t played all year traded for, and actually a team giving up tangible assets to do so. This came only a few days after the Leafs trading for Nathan Horton, who is likely to never play again. Let us not say that NHL GMs haven’t gotten creative.