Faxes from Uncle Dale

Tag: Ilya Bryzgalov

  • Let Me Guide You To The Purple Rain: Hawks at Wild Game 4 Preview/Pregame Thread/Sauna Time

    Hawk Wrestler vs. Zakk-Wylde-by-Ivan-Chopik

    FACEOFF: 8:40pm Central

    TV/RADIO: NBCSN, 87.7 FM

    ON THE SKYWAY: Hockey Wilderness

    As they did last year, the Hawks find themselves having passed up one chance to strangle the life out of this series in St. Paul but with another to do so in  Game 4. This time, however, they have a spikier Wild team to deal with (one that’s already escaped this dungeon this spring) and not quite the doomsday arsenal they once did.

    If we go off yesterday’s practice, it would appear that Joel Quenneville is going to hit the blender again and try and spread out his scoring (or watch Sharp’s and Hossa’s usefulness get completely erased by Michal Handzus getting beaten silly by Granlund, Koivu, or Haula. Take your fucking pick). That’s if you believe this wasn’t just subterfuge. Even if he’s serious about putting Ben Smith up top and Kane with Kruger and Saad, you know it won’t last much more than a period if the Hawks aren’t up 3-0 and we’ll go back to what the lines have been this series anyway.

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  • Cats Van Bags – Game 3 – Hawks at Wild Preview, Pregame Thread, Pedicure

    oldschool at wildthings

    Game Time: 8:00PM Central
    TV/Radio: CNBC, TSN (Anglo), RDS2 (Franco), 87.7FM The Game
    What You Want It To Be: Hockey Wilderness

    For the second time in as many playoff years, the Hawks will take the brief trek up to St. Paul and the Xcel Energy center with a two game series lead having successfully held serve on West Madison St. And for the second time in as many years, the Wild and their fans figure to treat tonight as a do-or-die proposition within the context of their season.

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  • Oh No Lets Go: Wild At Blackhawks – Game 2 – Preview/Pre-Game Thread/Netflix Marathon

    wildthings vs oldschool

    Game Time: 2:00PM Central
    TV/Radio: NBC, RDS, TSN/WGN720
    Hootenanny: Hockey Wilderness

    Game 1 was far from perfect. There was yet another two goal lead that vanished and some glaring holes were once again visible. The Hawks are capable of pulling away from a team in a hurry (just watch whenever Kaner decides to freak the fuck out) but they’ve also shown they are more than willing to let other teams right back into games. I would be more concerned with this trait if it didn’t seem to be a league-wide thing this year. It seems every game has had its share of blown two-goal leads. Not sure of the reason for it but at least it makes for some pretty exciting, heart attack inducing hockey.

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  • New Day Rising – Game 1 – Wild vs Hawks Preview, Pregame Thread, Acupuncturist Appointment

    wildthings vs oldschool

    Game Time: 8:30PM Central
    TV/Radio: NBCSN, TSN (Anglo), RDS (Franco), WGN-AM 720
    Reintroducing: Hockey Wilderness

    For the second time this playoff season, the inevitable playoff matchup between the Blackhawks and the Colorado Avalanche has failed to happen, this time not only because of the Blues’ incompetence, but because of the math finally catching up to the Avs in the form of the Minnesota Wild. The result is now a rematch of last season’s first round few could have predicted happening at all, let alone in the second round.

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  • The Ledge – Wild vs Hawks Preview, Pregame Thread, Attitude Adjustment

    wildthings vs oldschool

    Game Time: 7:00PM
    TV/Radio: CSN, NBCSN, TSN2, WGN-AM 720
    Somebody To Shove: Hockey Wilderness

    After an excruciating and seemingly interminable three days off filled with speculation and meatballery, the Blackhawks at long last get back to actually playing games that matter in the standings, rather than those more concerned with second guessing and dick measuring. They’ll do so against the visiting Wild, who have for the most part owned the Hawks this year, and are looking to get closer to clinching their second straight playoff berth.

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  • Give ‘Em Enough Rope – Oilers vs Hawks Preview, Pregame Thread, Red Carpet Interview

    oil plainview vs oldschool

    Game Time: 6:00PM
    TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
    Exxon Valdez: Copper and Blue, Oilers Nation

    So this is what the midseason doldrums look like. Ironically, with the Hawks’ high octane offense sputtering, and not with the previously questionable defense pulling its best matador act. Since the calendar flipped to 2014 (and even counting December 30th), the Hawks have scored more than two goals exactly once. It’s not a shock then that the Hawks have gone 2-1-3 in that stretch. Fortunately for them, the Oilers are once again in town.

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  • Give 'Em Enough Rope – Oilers vs Hawks Preview, Pregame Thread, Red Carpet Interview

    oil plainview vs oldschool

    Game Time: 6:00PM
    TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
    Exxon Valdez: Copper and Blue, Oilers Nation

    So this is what the midseason doldrums look like. Ironically, with the Hawks’ high octane offense sputtering, and not with the previously questionable defense pulling its best matador act. Since the calendar flipped to 2014 (and even counting December 30th), the Hawks have scored more than two goals exactly once. It’s not a shock then that the Hawks have gone 2-1-3 in that stretch. Fortunately for them, the Oilers are once again in town.

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