Faxes from Uncle Dale

Tag: Joel Quenneville

  • Reasons For Optimism… No, I’m Serious. Don’t Look At Me That Way

    Reasons For Optimism… No, I’m Serious. Don’t Look At Me That Way

    You might say things look a little dark in Hawkdom these days. You might say they look darker than a black steer’s tookus on a moonless prairie night. Their most important skater is facing a suspension that has a chance of seeping into the playoffs. They don’t know when their goalie who is most responsible for their record this year is going to be able to return. Their other MVP isn’t scoring at near the rate he has before as teams have focused on that line and the top one hasn’t been able to bail him out. We’ve been over the defense.

    But all is not lost, my friends. There are reasons that the Hawks could yet have a long spring. I’m totally serious. Let’s go through them. Caveat: None of these mean shit if either or both of Keith and Crawford miss significant playoff time. Then they’re totally boned. Sorry.

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  • As Of Now I Beg You’ve Got It Wrong: Flyers 3 – Hawks 2

    As Of Now I Beg You’ve Got It Wrong: Flyers 3 – Hawks 2

    Box Score

    Event Summary

    War On Ice

    It’s clear that Joel Quenneville recognizes what his team’s problems are. Defensive depth, trouble scoring at even-strength, some mismatched lines. He attempted to address them tonight, rightly or wrongly. It didn’t quite work and the Hawks dropped their 4th straight game. If it wasn’t for Panarin’s buzzer-beater in St. Louis, they wouldn’t even have a point in that stretch.

    This one started a lot like the Kings’ game, but for a longer stretch where the Hawks had the upper hand. They actually took the lead this time when Ghost Bear broke his stick and fell over, giving Hossa a runway that he didn’t turn down. Once again, they hit a post or two or Neuvirth made a couple big saves that kept them from extending the lead. The bugaboo of a PK reared it’s ugly head again at the end of the 1st.

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  • Outside The Velvet Ropes: Kings 5 – Hawks 0

    Outside The Velvet Ropes: Kings 5 – Hawks 0

    Box Score

    Event Summary

    War On Ice

    When you play two first place teams in a row, and you lose by a combined score of 10-2, that’s not exactly encouraging. If you chalk it up to the normal nonchalance of the Hawks at this time of year, that’s pretty extreme nonchalance even from them. While this one looks bad, I’m not sure it’s quite as bad as the scoreline would indicate. Although, when they don’t get a power play goal, this has kind of been what it has looked like.

    But to the point, in the first two periods when the game was still either tied, within one, or within two, the Hawks got some prime looks from down low. They hit the post twice, they missed the net twice, and had one or two others saved or deflected that on another night would have turned the game in a vastly different direction. Falling behind the Kings is never a good idea because they can just sit around their net and dare you to get shots through from the point, which is what they did basically after Lecavalier scored. But early in the game, the Hawks could have put themselves right there.

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  • Dream Warrior Gets His

    Dream Warrior Gets His

    There was always the feeling that when Marcus Kruger signed his one-year deal late in the summer that there was at least progress to a long-term deal. Considering the way both Quenneville and Bowman bat their eyes at Kruger, it was pretty clear he was never going anywhere. That was only confirmed when his first possible, viable, younger, cheaper replacement in Phillip Danault was punted to Montreal in return for two players that aren’t going to be here past June (at least not likely to be). If Kruger’s spot was assured, there was no room for Danault. And today we have confirmation that his spot was assured.

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  • Gotta Get In To Get Out: Wings 1 – Hawks 4

    Gotta Get In To Get Out: Wings 1 – Hawks 4

    Box Score

    Event Summary

    War On Ice

    You’ve probably written this wrap in your head before you even get to this. The Hawks aren’t great, Crawford holds a deluge of shots and chances at bay, Hawks get enough from the power play and a couple mistakes from the opponent to make it look like an easy win. I don’t know how many of the Hawks now 41 wins would fall into this category, but it’s gotta be approaching 40% or 50%. It matters not, he is your king.

    I thought the Wings would try and come out a little more conservative than they did on Wednesday. Shows what I know, Detroit was even more aggressive this time, though it led to a bad pinch for the first Hawks goal and a penalty for the second that each came on Hawks rushes.

    But after that… well you could safely say the Hawks were rolled. From the time Keith scored in the first until Anisimov scored in the 3rd period the Wings had 43 attempts. The Hawks had 20. The Wings constantly buzzed the Hawks defense down low, causing a gaggle of turnovers and mistakes. Their defense held the line and the Hawks couldn’t get past them. They couldn’t play at the Wings’ speed, but it didn’t matter because Crawford was in net. You don’t take advantage of dominance like that, you’re asking for it when playing a team like the Hawks. Sure enough, Hawks get a PP in the 3rd, ballgame. It’s just that simple.

    To the bluffs!

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  • Haunting, Familiar Yet: Hawks at Wings Preview/Slam Dance

    Hawk Wrestler vs. 1202413387

    PUCK DROP: 7pm Central

    TV/RADIO: NBCSN, WGN Radio

    EVERYBODY’S GONNA LEAVE THEIR SEAT: Winging It In Motown

    Red Wings Stats

    Red Wings War On Ice

    It’s the second to last visit to the Joe for the Hawks (no Wings fans I don’t think you’re going to make the Final, why do you ask?). I feel like that should mean more to Hawks fans, because most of our nightmares have taken place in that concrete blister on the river of the damned. The only good one I remember is Game 6 in 2013 when Frolik’s penalty shot caused a primal scream I was certain was going to force the neighbors to call the cops. Other than that… well, I don’t think there’s a Hawks fan anywhere who’ll be sorry to see it go. But that’s probably a discussion for next season.

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  • New Toy Day: Capitals at Hawks Preview/Charity Scramble

    Capital vs. Hawk Wrestler

    PUCK DROP: 11:30am Central

    TV/RADIO: NBC, WGN Radio

    CALLING TED KENNEDY GAY: Japers Rink

    Capitals Stats

    Capitals War On Ice

    As if there wasn’t going to be enough buzz in the building, at least as much as there can be on a Sunday Morning Coming Down, with the NHL-leading Capitals invading the United Center, the Hawks will be showing off some of their new toys as well. Not all of them, as Dale Weise is awaiting visa clearance and Christian Ehrhoff is going to need to prove to Q that he should be in the lineup (and it’s anyone’s guess how long that could take). Still, Andrew Ladd’s appearance alone would have the place jumping, and he’ll be joined by Tomas Fleischmann.

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  • The Sunshine Bores The Daylights Outta Me: Hawks 1 – Wild 6

    The Sunshine Bores The Daylights Outta Me: Hawks 1 – Wild 6

    So I could go on about the Hawks problems on the blue line, with all of the bottom four taking turns technicolor yawning to let a goal in. Or the Hawks lack of a bottom six. But we’ve all been over that. So we’ll just go anti-DLR here. This is pretty much the sound of Seabrook trying to move in musical form anyway.

  • Friday Argle Bargle

    Friday Argle Bargle

    It’s different than the Foofaraw, as it’s actually about hockey. Just a couple things to clean up today before Outdoor weekend or whatever they’re calling it.

    -I’d been meaning to get to this a few days ago, but my life’s inertia at the moment prevented me. Anyway, the idea of trading Teuvo Teravainen came up earlier in the week, and our friend Jay Zawaski addressed it on Twitter:

    JZ is pretty plugged in. Generally when he gets something from the inside it sticks. But the tweet after that was to enforce that the Hawks are not going to trade Teuvo unless someone blows their socks, shoes, and arch supports off with an offer. Obviously, everyone knows we agree with this.

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  • Cause We All Was Ridin’ Right On The Subway Train: Hawks at Rangers Preview/Pop Up Dinner

    Hawk Wrestler vs.Night ranger

    FACEOFF: 7pm Central

    TV/RADIO: NBCSN, WGN Radio

    CBGB Refugees: Scotty Hockey, The Hockey Rodent, Blue Shirt Banter

    Rangers Stats

    Rangers War On Ice

    Only seems like six years ago that the Rangers were in town for the reverse fixture on this on Banner Raising night, where it became obvious to everyone that Trevor Daley was not going to work out here as the Rangers walked out 3-2 winners (you probably were watching Jake Arrieta get in up to the elbow against the Pirates. I know I was). The Hawks finally wrap up the season series with their Original 6 brethren on Broadway tonight. They’ll find a weird squad when they get there.

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