Everything Else

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

By Sam Fels 1256 0

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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.

Everything Else

What Is Eddie O's Agenda?

By 1269 0

Today I’d like to move discussion off-ice, as we haven’t done that in a while. If you’ve read this blog for more than a day, you know that we like to have our fun and take our shots at the Hawks’ broadcast. At least the television side of it, as the radio broadcast really couldn’t be more top-notch. Though I haven’t sampled a large array of radio play-by-play men, I can’t imagine there could be anyone better than John Wiedeman. Troy Murray has become a very astute analyst after a rocky start to his broadcasting career, and host Judd Sirott is as passionate as they get (and if you can hear him talk off-air, you’d know exactly what I mean. I’m still scarred from a rant he went on in front of me when I was about 13 on Adam Creighton).

But the TV broadcast has entered the bewildering zone.

Everything Else

What Is Eddie O’s Agenda?

By Sam Fels 1981 0

Today I’d like to move discussion off-ice, as we haven’t done that in a while. If you’ve read this blog for more than a day, you know that we like to have our fun and take our shots at the Hawks’ broadcast. At least the television side of it, as the radio broadcast really couldn’t be more top-notch. Though I haven’t sampled a large array of radio play-by-play men, I can’t imagine there could be anyone better than John Wiedeman. Troy Murray has become a very astute analyst after a rocky start to his broadcasting career, and host Judd Sirott is as passionate as they get (and if you can hear him talk off-air, you’d know exactly what I mean. I’m still scarred from a rant he went on in front of me when I was about 13 on Adam Creighton).

But the TV broadcast has entered the bewildering zone.

Everything Else

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

By Matthew Killion 1314 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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Nous sommes La Guilde Lollipop: Hawks at Habs Preview/Pregame Thread/Poutine Appreciation

By Sam Fels 1330 0

Hawk Wrestler vs. poutine-quebec_38038_600x450

FACEOFF: 6pm Central

TV/RADIO: WGN for the locals, NHLN-US for the non-locals below the 49th, CBC Hockey Night In Canada for non-locals above the 49th (PATRICK SHARP GOOD ONTARIO BOY!!!), WGN Radio

RIBBIT, RIBBIT: Habs Eyes On The Prize

It’s been something of a wonky January for the Hawks so far. They’ve been collared by the Blues in the division, and there hasn’t been a performance that you’d want to frame. Off their game in New York and New Jersey, not allowed to get into their game by San Jose, and off again versus the Rangers. Hey, the weren’t going to be excellent all year and this is the part of the year where things just begin to tighten up. But after tonight the Hawks will have four home games to try and straighten out what slight quirks have developed. But first tonight in the home of hockey (at least that’s what the residents would tell you).

Everything Else

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

By Sam Fels 1287 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

The Residents Of Mt. Olympus

By Sam Fels 1517 0

Well now we know the official numbers of Hawks and who’s going and who’s not. The Hawks will have 10 Olympians in Sochi, barring injury to either them or someone else causing yet another Hawk to fill in (Seabrook and Saad could both be first call-ups in that situation, as could Crawford I suppose but doubt). They are:

Slovakia – Hossa, Handzus

Czech Republic – Rozsival

Sweden – Hjalmarsson, Oduya, Kruger

USA – Kane

Canada – Keith, Sharp, Toews

WE DON’T HAVE ANY COMMIES CUZ WE DON’T NEEDS ‘EM TAKE DAT POO-TIN!

Anyway, some random thoughts: