Faxes from Uncle Dale

Tag: Corey Crawford

  • Morning Links 2/10/14

    Happy to be going: Chicago Tribune

    Group A Top Spot: NHL

    Always in the spotlight: Sportsnet.Ca

    Wanting a Miracle: PuckDaddy

    Jesus Christ! ESPN

  • And Now We're Done And We Can Go Home: Hawks 0 – Yotes 2

    I’m kind of anxious to get onto the break so I’m just going to hammer this out in the aftermath instead of waiting a bit to reflect as usual. I’m sure you all understand. Let’s get right to it.

    -I don’t think the Hawks weren’t interested tonight. The effort was there, which I feared it might not be. What they weren’t was interested in the right ways. What you can’t do against the Coyotes when they’re on their game is fancy-pants your way through the neutral zone and you certainly can’t put your dump-ins where Mike Smith can get it. It’s hard to do, and it takes a fuckton of patience, but you have to chip pucks into the corners or go cross-corner with your dump-ins. The Hawks didn’t do much of either. If you don’t, Smith is going to smother your forecheck by himself.

    Secondly, the Coyotes while blocking off the middle of the ice were also determined to outnumber the Hawks in every board battle in their zone. Two guys vs. one, or three guys vs. two. And the Hawks were reluctant to even match them in manpower. They Hawks aren’t blessed with guys who can outwork a numerical disadvantage along the wall. They have Hossa and… well, Hossa. They needed to be a more aggressive in matching the numbers on the wall tonight.

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  • And Now We’re Done And We Can Go Home: Hawks 0 – Yotes 2

    I’m kind of anxious to get onto the break so I’m just going to hammer this out in the aftermath instead of waiting a bit to reflect as usual. I’m sure you all understand. Let’s get right to it.

    -I don’t think the Hawks weren’t interested tonight. The effort was there, which I feared it might not be. What they weren’t was interested in the right ways. What you can’t do against the Coyotes when they’re on their game is fancy-pants your way through the neutral zone and you certainly can’t put your dump-ins where Mike Smith can get it. It’s hard to do, and it takes a fuckton of patience, but you have to chip pucks into the corners or go cross-corner with your dump-ins. The Hawks didn’t do much of either. If you don’t, Smith is going to smother your forecheck by himself.

    Secondly, the Coyotes while blocking off the middle of the ice were also determined to outnumber the Hawks in every board battle in their zone. Two guys vs. one, or three guys vs. two. And the Hawks were reluctant to even match them in manpower. They Hawks aren’t blessed with guys who can outwork a numerical disadvantage along the wall. They have Hossa and… well, Hossa. They needed to be a more aggressive in matching the numbers on the wall tonight.

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  • Someone Gonna Step To You, Snoop Dog?: Hawks at Ducks Preview/Pregame Thread/Running Out Of Salt

    Hawk Wrestler vs. howard_the_duck

    FACEOFF: 9pm Central

    TV/RADIO: WGN for both

    CAN ANYONE UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS DUCK IS SAYING?: Anaheim Calling, Battle of Cali

    WHERE WE’LL BE: The Globe Pub, Irving and Damen

    It’s almost here now, the Olympic Break. The Hawks only have two road games left before adjourning to different tropical climes (including Sochi) for a couple of weeks. But these are not games where they can keep the bus running, as tonight sees the top two Western teams go at it and Friday the Hawks will deal with a Coyotes team scrapping for the last playoff spot in the West. Any loss of focus will see the Hawks swiftly cut down.

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  • Morning Links 2.4.14

    Morning Links 2.4.14

    Ok that date is just weird…

    Kane inspired: Chicago Tribune

    Hurrikane in LA: Cheer The Anthem

    6000: HockeeNight

    Torts is sorry: Montreal Gazette

    Moving on from Broadway: TSN

    This will be problematic for anyone not wearing a Maple Leaf in Russia: Sportsnet

    Because girls play hockey in Europe aswell: PuckDaddy

    Considering the last time they were there nobody showed up: Globe

    Missing one very important name: Score

     

  • My Kingdom For A Goal: Hawks at Kings Preview/Pregame Thread/Coffee House Open Mic

    Hawk Wrestler vs. King Jerry Lawler

    FACEOFF: 9:30 PM Central
    TV/RADIO:     WGN for both
    VOICE OF THE THRONE:     The Royal Half, Jewels From The Crown

    The last time the Hawks skated on Staples Center ice, Marian Hossa was burying a one-timer off a Michal Handzus pass after the Kings’ 74th moronic change of that series and the Hawks saw out the rest of the frame to take a stranglehold of the Conference Final. That game saw Duncan Keith suspended for Paul Bunyan-ing Jeff Carter’s face, and saw Johnny Oduya play the game of his life. What we wouldn’t give for Oduya to find anything close to resembling that sort of form.

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  • Groundhog Day: Hawks 1 – Sharks 1 (Sharks Win Odds N Evens)

    There weren’t any pictures, so maybe that game didn’t happen?

    Box Score

    Event Summary

    Extra Skater

    Sharks-Hawks games are usually one the neutral enjoys most. Two teams that play fast and skilled with stars galore. I don’t think last night is going to fit into that category.

    Sure, it was close and at times tense. But both teams were sloppy for most of the game. At times it felt like both teams were afraid to make a mistake. Others they were both playing so frantically and their passing was substandard that it basically looked like a game of hurling in the neutral zone. I suppose that’s what you get when both teams haven’t been playing all that well recently. At least not consistently well recently. What you get is a game that always looked likely to end tied and from there it’s a coin flip.

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  • Morning Links 1/31/14

    Morning Links 1/31/14

    Oh Really? CSN Autoplay

    I’m thinking 88 might get an “A” today: USAHOCKEY

    Five years in Denver: TSN

    This would be insane: ESPN

    Diving into the crazyness that was Ben Scrivens 59 save night: Extra Skater

  • That Much Further West – Hawks at Canucks Preview, Pregame Thread, Scream Therapy

    oldschool at Lumberjack_Song

    Game Time: 9:30PM CDT
    TV/Radio: WGN, TSN, WGN-AM 720
    The Truth Is Out There: Nucks Misconduct, Canucks Army

    With last night’s OT loss to the hapless Flames in Cow Town, the Hawks are officially in the midst of their longest losing streak since the 9-game debacle that nearly completely derailed the 2011-2012 season. And while things aren’t nearly that dire yet, the Blues have already tied the Hawks for first in the Central and have games in hand, and the road trip prior to the Olympics takes a much sharper turn toward icky starting tonight with their old friends the Canucks. Though given the state of things in Vancouver of late, just how icky can be debated.

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  • Morning Links 1/29/14

    Morning Links 1/29/14

    Stretched in the Dungeon: HockeeNight

    Couldn’t keep up in the Stampede: Chicago Tribune

    Pirri knew what it took: Suntimes

    Fears about Sochi: New York Times

    How the Glowpuck revolutinized how you watch Sports: Slate