Everything Else

Leave Me Lying Here: Hawks at Blues Game 5 Preview/Dress Fitting

By 1359

Hawk Wrestler vs. old_school_blue_l

PUCK DROP: Somewhere in the neighborhood of 8:42pm

TV: NBCSN round the nation, CSN here

THE SWORD OF DEMOCLES: St. Louis Gametime

All right, let’s get the positive right here at the top. No team has put the Hawks to the sword at first time of asking since the ’09 Wings. It took the ’11 Canucks four tries, the ’12 Coyotes two, and the ’14 Kings three. Quite simply, when the Hawks haven’t won the whole fucking thing they’ve been just about the toughest out around. And that’s with rosters as or more limited than this one. This is also a Blues team that has one series win to its name in this era. So for proceedings to end tonight, both teams are going to have to do something that has gone against their recent nature.

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When Is It Now, Hawks?

By 1727

Well, here we are again. Me staring at you, wondering if this is finally the time you’ll do the right thing. You think you’re sick of it…

This one’s obvious. This one’s easy. You don’t have to wait around for the NHL to act, and as we all know there is no guarantee that they will. You don’t need to follow their lead. Take the lead, just once in what has been an utterly miserable year for a section (and a growing one) of your fanbase. For once this season, don’t marginalize a section of your fanbase, one that you’re happy to cater to when it’s a photo op and really a celebration of you. But this is the real test.

Suspend Andrew Shaw yourselves for tomorrow’s game. Don’t wait around for Gary Bettman or the DOPS or whoever else. Take. The Lead. Declare that no current or future player will be allowed to wear your jersey (with however offensive it actually might be in itself) and represent your organization this way. Make it clear it will not ever be tolerated.

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I Wanted To Live, So I Pretended To Die: Blues at Hawks Game 4 Preview/Taco Club

By 1465

old_school_blue_l vs. Hawk Wrestler

PUCK DROP: 8:30pm Central (more like 8:42)

TV: CSN here locally, NBCSN everywhere else

JASON HEYWARD FANCLUB: St. Louis Gametime

Blues Stats

Blues War On Ice

This all feels so familiar, mostly because the Hawks were here the last two playoff series they played. They lost a Game 3 at home to both the Ducks and Lightning, the former partially due to some baffling lineup decisions from their coach and the latter because they couldn’t find a way past a goalie who couldn’t move. That was a weird one. Anyway, how will they respond to this Game 3 loss, the first they’ve lost in regulation when leading after 40 minutes in more than two seasons?

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Beard Of The Day – April 17th: Andrea Pirlo

By 1455

Andrea-Pirlo-Wallpapers

Over the past eight years, the Hawks have watched their rivals time and time again try and thrash and bash their way past them. They have remained above the fray, trying to play an elegant game. Well, no one in any sport has played a more elegant game than Andrea Pirlo. Sure, he barely moves these days. But the thing is, he’s never been able to move. He’s never had to. Pirlo simply sits in the midfield, stroking passes everywhere with the ease and touch of some sort of god. And there is no doubt that he carries not just soccer’s, but perhaps sport’s most divine beard. For the Hawks to advance, they’ll have to keep their composure, their nerve, and continue to play the game on a higher level. Just like Pirlo has done for seemingly 108 years now.

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It Doesn’t Matter If You Think You Might Be, You Are: Hawks at Blues Game 2 Preview/Babies On Spikes Shower

By 1512

Hawk Wrestler vs. old_school_blue_l

PUCK DROP: 7pm Central (Holy shit a normal time)

TV: CSN and NBCSN

GOOD GOD DON’T GO THERE: St. Louis Gametime

Blues Stats

Blues War On Ice

It took about one game for this series to get annoying in all the ways we knew it would. The raging debate out of St. Louis is whether the Blues were physical enough, which is always the fucking debate down there and shows that no one has learned anything from the Hawks’ reign of dominance or how the one team to beat them during it actually did it. For the Chicago side, the return of Duncan Keith is the main story, and whether he will shift the balance of this series and/or change how the Blues might play it (I tend to doubt it).

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Beard Of The Day – April 14th: Finn Balor

By 1764

finn-balor-2

While not the biggest guy, much like the Hawks (at least in the past) WWE NXT champ Finn Balor uses his speed, flair, and creativity to better his opponents. While Balor is a great wrestler and watch in his normal gear, for the big occasions he has to “unleash the demon” and comes out possessed and unpredictable.

finn-balor-1439616531-800-1450347550-800

As we’ve seen with the Hawks, when the chips are down and they have to have it, they find their own “demon,” and generally no one can stick with them. At some point this series we’ll see it, and the Blues will know they have a true fight on their hands.

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You Smoke Her Like She’s Incense: Hawks 0 – Blues 1 OT (Blues lead series 1-0)

By 1517

Boxscore

Event Summary

War On Ice

I suppose if I were on the other side of this (meaning I was about 50 pounds heavier and hell of a lot uglier and I’m not pretty now), I would say that the Hawks have scored one goal against the Blues in about 130 minutes of play the past two games against them. I would say that it doesn’t matter that the Blues are doing exactly what they shouldn’t against the Hawks, i.e. backing up and trapping and grinding, because even with Keith returning for Game 2 he’s still the only trap-buster the Hawks have. I suppose I would say that the Blues probably can play better and they still have a 1-0 lead.

But I’m not on that side, so all I can help but say is, “Haven’t we seen this before?”

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Take Me To The River, Take Me To Where All The Poisons Go – Blues Series Preview: The Forwards

By 1459

We keep moving along through the river, well to be more apt this underground garbage fire of a preview that is slowly encroaching on nuclear waste, to the forwards of the St. Louis Blues. And once you get past the first line, it gets pretty automaton, but you probably already knew that. It’s a raft of palookas and hired goons that are meant to make a bunch of sounds flashed on the screen from the Batman TV series (live-action, Pure West, not the cartoon, which I haven’t seen but am told isn’t bad). You know the plan, you know the players, it’s just a question of if the Hawks can execute the plays.

Alex Steen-Jori Lehtera-Vladimir Tarasenko

I’ve spent so long thinking that Alex Steen is just a guy that’s taken about two years for me to pivot and finally admit that he’s a plus forward. Is he really a first liner? No, probably not. But he’s struck up an understanding with Tarasenko that’s become pretty deadly and really Steen doesn’t do anything wrong. He’s always in the right spot making the right play, he just doesn’t do it with any flash so you have to really pay attention to him.

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One More Special Message To Go: Hawks at Jackets…. Preview? Maybe? I Guess?

By 1222

Hawk Wrestler vs. Chief_Blue_Meanie

PUCK DROP: 6pm 

TV/RADIO: WGN for both

WAITING TO DOT THE I: Jackets Cannon

Jackets Stats

Jackets War On Ice

As has been the case for the past three seasons, the Hawks last game of the season doesn’t amount to much more than a glorified scrimmage. There aren’t even individual milestones to grab. Hossa isn’t going to play, so 500 will have to wait until October (and none of us thought that would happen when this season started), Kane already has his 100 points. I guess they could go David Robinson here and try and get Kane six goals to get to 50. About the only thing worth watching is Corey Crawford getting one dress rehearsal before the playoffs. And considering the amount of players that the Predators are putting in suits, you can be pretty sure it’s going to be in St. Louis.