Faxes from Uncle Dale

Tag: Jimmy Howard

  • Search And Destroy – Game 7 – Scum vs Hawks Preview, Pregame Thread, Delousing

    Mordor vs Minas_Tirith

    Game Time: 7:00PM Central
    TV/Radio: NBCSN, CBC (Anglo), RDS (Franco), WGN-AM 720
    Juggalo Homies: Winging It In Motown, Abel To Yzerman

    We thought it was coming back in April. Then Scum shocked almost no one outside of Orange County by giving the paper tiger Ducks more than they could handle in seven games to draw one final matchup with the Hawks. The consensus had been that the Hawks would make short work of Detroit (this blog included), but an outfit as decorated as this would not cooperate so easily, pushing the top seeded Hawks to the brink of elimination with a commanding 3-1 series lead. But the Hawks have pushed back and forced a decisive Game 7 on West Madison, with tonight marking, at long last the final meaningful intraconference meeting of these two heritage franchises. And it should be fitting that so much is on the line.

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  • Come Together: Scum 3 – Blackhawks 4 (Series Tied 3-3)

    NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Chicago Blackhawks at Detroit Red Wings
    So here’s the experiment. Every once in a while I have the idea that a “rally shot” will really help the fortunes of the Blackhawks. At the start of the period where the Hawks are down, usually the third, I will order a shot and not drink it until the Hawks score a goal. As soon as they do, I take the shot and order another. Repeat as necessary until the Hawks win the game (which means another shot) or if the lose, I pass it along to someone else. Very rarely does that seem to happen.

    What this really means is that during the last 20 minutes of hockey, I consumed 4 shots along with a few beers. If this recap begins to make less and less sense and becomes riddled with more typos than usual… well, you can blame Fels. He was originally supposed to write this but might be in worst shape than I am right now. (more…)

  • Gimme Danger – Game 5 – Scum vs Hawks Preview, Pregame Thread, Flugtag

    Mordor vs Minas_Tirith

    Game Time: 7:00 PM Central
    TV/Radio: NBC, CBC (Anglo), RDS (Franco), WGN-AM 720
    The Dark Carnival of Souls: Winging It In Motown, Abel to Yzerman

    So here it is once again. On the brink of elimination for one final time in the West at the hands of Scum. That old familiar sting. We try to kill it all away, but we remember everything.

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  • Panic In Detroit: Hawks 0 – Detroit 2 (Detroit leads 3-1)

    Panic In Detroit: Hawks 0 – Detroit 2 (Detroit leads 3-1)

    So much to say when so confused and so shocked.

    I don’t think anyone, whatever side you’re on, though we’d find ourselves here. While the temptation is to start pointing fingers and do the postmortem, we’re not there yet. Because after two very close games, the Hawks have come up on the wrong end for small reasons. Let’s try and parse out how they got here, who’s responsible, and why they’ll come back in this series (and they will).

    Most arrows in the quiver are being aimed at Q. Most of them are justified, some aren’t. The rest are being aimed at Toews. Mostly fair too. But for the first time tonight in the 3rd with a 2-on-1, Toews deferred when he shouldn’t have. That’s discouraging. But it’s not the end of the tale.

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  • We're Going To Be Friends – Scum vs Hawks Game 1 Preview, Pregame Thread, Tux Fitting

    Mordor vs Minas_Tirith

    Game Time: 7:00PM Central
    TV/Radio: NBCSN, CBC (Anglo), RDS (Franco), The Loop 97.9FM
    Little Too Tall, Coulda Used a Few Pounds: Winging it in Motown, Abel to Yzerman

    It had to be this way, didn’t it? While it was thought that the final regular season tilt between the Hawks and Wings was going to be the swan song for the rivalry before Scum headed east, that belief was strengthened by Minnesota’s ineptitude in the final week with their plummet to the eighth seed. But a funny thing happened on the way to Mordor, as the Wings were able to off the on-paper contender Ducks in seven games, and so it has now come to pass. One last dance before bidding adieu, with actual stakes attached.

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  • We’re Going To Be Friends – Scum vs Hawks Game 1 Preview, Pregame Thread, Tux Fitting

    Mordor vs Minas_Tirith

    Game Time: 7:00PM Central
    TV/Radio: NBCSN, CBC (Anglo), RDS (Franco), The Loop 97.9FM
    Little Too Tall, Coulda Used a Few Pounds: Winging it in Motown, Abel to Yzerman

    It had to be this way, didn’t it? While it was thought that the final regular season tilt between the Hawks and Wings was going to be the swan song for the rivalry before Scum headed east, that belief was strengthened by Minnesota’s ineptitude in the final week with their plummet to the eighth seed. But a funny thing happened on the way to Mordor, as the Wings were able to off the on-paper contender Ducks in seven games, and so it has now come to pass. One last dance before bidding adieu, with actual stakes attached.

    (more…)

  • Danger! High Voltage – A Look At Scum's Special Teams

    Danger! High Voltage – A Look At Scum's Special Teams

    With the final installment of our team-wide preview of a team everyone knows pretty well anyway, we take a look at Scum’s special teams. And much like the rest of the team, there are still dragons here, but they’re not nearly as ornery or fire-breathing as they have been in previous years.

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  • Danger! High Voltage – A Look At Scum’s Special Teams

    Danger! High Voltage – A Look At Scum’s Special Teams

    With the final installment of our team-wide preview of a team everyone knows pretty well anyway, we take a look at Scum’s special teams. And much like the rest of the team, there are still dragons here, but they’re not nearly as ornery or fire-breathing as they have been in previous years.

    (more…)

  • Top Jimmy Cooks, Top Jimmy Swings – Previewing Scum's Man In The Mask

    Top Jimmy Cooks, Top Jimmy Swings – Previewing Scum's Man In The Mask

    Oh no! I made a musical reference to a non-Detroit band! Killion’s going to shit a chicken!

    Anyway, when you talk to Scum fans (at least the most reasonable ones, but boy is that a world’s tallest midget contest), you get the feeling that they have an inordinate amount of faith in Jimmy Howard. On the other side, you get it because a lot of the Wings goaltending has been so bad over the years (whatever the win-loss record might say) that an actual above-average goalie might look even better than he actually is.

    Before I get a bunch of tweets and comments about how I’m totally undervaluing Howard from the Great Unwashed of Southeast Michigan (and that one dude in Kansas), let me be clear: I don’t think Howard sucks at all. He’s very good. And in a positional matchup, this is the only area where the Wings can boast even a push with the Hawks. And any goalie who punches Corey Perry in the back of the head has to be somewhat admired.

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  • Top Jimmy Cooks, Top Jimmy Swings – Previewing Scum’s Man In The Mask

    Top Jimmy Cooks, Top Jimmy Swings – Previewing Scum’s Man In The Mask

    Oh no! I made a musical reference to a non-Detroit band! Killion’s going to shit a chicken!

    Anyway, when you talk to Scum fans (at least the most reasonable ones, but boy is that a world’s tallest midget contest), you get the feeling that they have an inordinate amount of faith in Jimmy Howard. On the other side, you get it because a lot of the Wings goaltending has been so bad over the years (whatever the win-loss record might say) that an actual above-average goalie might look even better than he actually is.

    Before I get a bunch of tweets and comments about how I’m totally undervaluing Howard from the Great Unwashed of Southeast Michigan (and that one dude in Kansas), let me be clear: I don’t think Howard sucks at all. He’s very good. And in a positional matchup, this is the only area where the Wings can boast even a push with the Hawks. And any goalie who punches Corey Perry in the back of the head has to be somewhat admired.

    (more…)