Everything Else

End of Phase 1: Hawks at Canucks Preview/Pajama Party

By 1158

250px-Ozymandias vs. All_canucks_logos

PUCK DROP: 9pm Central

TV/RADIO: WGN, CBC, Sportsnet, WGN Radio 720

GARBAGE THROWERS: Nucks Misconduct

However it might have looked, most teams will take three of four points on the road and call it job done. While it came against two of the worst teams in the West, and the performances were borderline abject, the haul was not. The degree of difficulty gets turned up starting tonight. I mean I guess it does. The standings say it does, except I can’t figure out what it is the Canucks do well.

Everything Else

Hell Came To Breakfast, Stayed For Lunch – Flames vs Hawks Preview, Car Winterization

By 1253

eternal flame vs evil empire

Game Time: 7:30PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, SportsNet 1, WGN-AM 720
Rodeo Clown Convention: Matchsticks & Gasoline, Flames Nation

The Jack Adams Award for the best coach during a given season has in recent vintage gone to numbnuts coaches who have helmed teams who drastically outscore their woeful posession numbers. Last year’s winner, Bob Hartley, proved no different as the Flames made a surprise entrance into the post-season and actually won a round against the hilariously mediocre Vancover Canucks. But as so often proves to be the case, a new season provides a violent market correction, and this year’s iteration of the Flames is not an exception.

Everything Else

He Left It Out Back On The Highway, I-55: Hawks at Blues Preview/Dog Training

By 1296

250px-Ozymandias vs. old_school_blue_l

PUCK DROP: 7pm

TV/RADIO: WGN For both

THOSE WHO CAN’T WRITE FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T READ: St. Louis Gametime

Blues Stats

Blues War On Ice

When you’re a team that is still trying to settle at least half the roster, and you have two returning d-men who have been out at least a month, you’d probably prefer a softer landing than traipsing down across Big Muddy into the gaping maw of the hellscape that is West East St. Louis. But you don’t get to raise objections once the schedule comes out (unless you’re Detroit), so that’s the task ahead of the Hawks tonight.

Everything Else

Apocalypse Hoboken – Devils vs Hawks Preview, Home Theater System Installation

By 1237

jon_lovitz-devil-snl-46_2 vs evil empire

Game Time: 7:30PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Bruce Springsteen Is A Fraud And A Charlatan: All About The Jersey

After one of the more vomit-inducing, aesthetically displeasing performances of the Quenneville era last Friday in Newark, the Devils complete the season series tonight at the United Center fresh off getting shut out by West East St. Louis on Tuesday at home.

Everything Else

Who Is This Magic D-Man? We’ll Try To Understand

By 1451

For the second time this season, the Trib’s Chris Kuc has let it be known that the Hawks are after another blue liner in the trade market. This continues a pattern of Stan Bowman the past few years letting everyone in the world know what he’s looking for, which was a trait he had a couple years ago. And nothing gets into the press the Hawks don’t want, so this is no accident. It’s not really that big of a deal, because any punter with a vague concept of the rules of hockey could look at the collection of players dressing as d-men for the Hawks right now, let out a hearty “EEE GADS!”, and conclude the Hawks need someone else.

However, it is strange to make it so clear what you’re after, because every other GM is pretty much going to hold you upside down and shake. And maybe that’s why, so when the Hawks can’t find anyone they can say everyone was asking for too much. But whatever. Where are the Hawks going shopping?

Everything Else

A Return To Some Kind Of Form: Oilers 2 – Hawks 4

By 1283

Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

After something of a wonky week, the Hawks returned to the model that had racked up wins in the season’s first couple weeks, or more to the point before Hossa got hurt. The second line goes nuts, Crawford is excellent, no one else does much of anything of note either good or bad (or at least not bad enough to fuck up the two points), and the Hawks win. The 2nd line accounted for all four goals, Crow makes 22 saves in the 2nd period alone, and against an EdMo team without McJesus it’s just enough. It’s not the sort of win that is going to calm any slightly jangly nerves about this team’s prospects, but after getting pretty much tonked for the last five periods before this, it’ll do.

Everything Else

MTS Syndrome: Hawks at Jets Preview/Pregame Thread/Bada Bing Meeting

By 1280 0

250px-Ozymandias vs. Kenny Smith

PUCK DROP: 7pm

TV/RADIO: CSN, WGN

EVANDER KANE FAN CLUB: Arctic Ice Hockey

Jets Stats

Jets War On Ice

The Hawks will take their Keithers-less act on the road for the first time tonight, and they’ll face a Jets team that was a major headache for them last year (though not at MTS Centre). Winnipeg won all three games at the United Center last year, and a couple of them pretty handily. This will be a major test for the Hawks’ reshaped blue line, and they very well could need Corey Crawford to bail them out again as he did Monday.

Everything Else

Stray Cat Strut – Panthers vs Hawks Preview, Fire Suppression System Testing

By 1502

pack up the cats vs evil empire

Game Time: 7:30PM Central
TV: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Jimmy Buffett Sucks: Litter Box Cats

In today’s episode of the family favorite series Not Tone Deaf, the following is presented free of comment:

Everything Else

Less Than Optimal

By 1257

Going into the season, the one thing most Hawks fans and analysts said the Hawks couldn’t have was an injury to Duncan Keith. Time to break the glass on that case, then.

It came out today that Duncan Keith had surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee. He will be out 4-6 weeks. And this is clearly the one injury the Hawks couldn’t cope with. Even if Toews had to miss a month, there are enough competent centers that they could stay afloat. An injury to Hossa or Kane, the Hawks have enough depth with their wings that they probably could have made it work. But this…, like with Miranda Priestly, there is no Plan B.