Everything Else

There’s February: Sharks 2 – Hawks 0

By 1284

Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Perhaps it took the home schedule in this month to kick in the winter doldrums we’ve come accustomed to. One game of course does not signal anything. The Sharks, as cloudy and weird as their identity might be in a lot of places, were suffocating in their own zone. While the Hawks mustered up an acceptable number of shots, San Jose cordoned off any prime scoring areas for all 60 minutes. Their backchecking was ferocious. The Hawks love to beat a man to the outside and then hit the late man, but couldn’t do it at all tonight with the retreating Sharks’ forwards blanketing that option. Anything from the outside the pretty sizable Martin Jones is going to stop. Tonight’s shot chart tells something of a story. Hawks didn’t get much below the circles.

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Everything Else

Point Taken: Hawks 3 – Senators 3 (Senators win Bull Riding Competition)

By 1122

Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

I’m sure some air raid sirens are going off in the hinterlands of Hawk-dom, less than a week after everyone was beaming from a 3-1-2 Circus Trip. It’s now three “losses” in a row, even though the Hawks got points in two of them. But this wasn’t like the Kings or Wild, where the Hawks deserved to either get only a point or lose outright. They played well after the 1st, there were signs of life from Toews and Hossa, and yet more brilliance from Kane and The Sons Of Rasputin. This time however the penalty kill didn’t come through as it has, putting the Hawks up against it. And when you give Karlsson a look in overtime, no matter how much he doesn’t like the format, you’re pretty much asking for it.

Everything Else

Clean Up For Trudeau: Hawks at Senators Preview/Mountie Costume Party

By 1174

250px-Ozymandias vs. senator clay-davis-sheeeiiiit

PUCK DROP: 6:30pm Central

TV/RADIO: CSN, WGN Radio

CANADIAN GUB’MINT: Silver Seven Sens, Bonks Mullet

Senators Stats

Senators War On Ice

It seems a bit cruel of the NHL schedule makers to have the Hawks go out on the road for two straight weeks, get a taste of home for all of three days, and then punt them back up to the Canadian capital (capitale) a mere day later. Quite the tease. But such is the task put before the Hawks, and seeing as how things went pretty well on the road (deserved or not) and didn’t at home on Tuesday, maybe it’s a good way to get their game back on track. Whatever their game might be right now.

Everything Else

Toews, TVR, Trevor, Other Ts

By 1725

For what feels like the first time this season, things have died down a bit with the Hawks news-wise. No injuries, no roster decisions, no turmoil-inducing losses, and just heading off on a roadtrip. Probably also helps calm things down now that the Bears are at least somewhat interesting, shifting attention (even if they’re not actually good). With two weeks on the road, a couple things to look for and watch.

-First, while no one on the main beat ever wants to say it, we haven’t shied from pointing out that some of the Hawks even-strength woes are a result of Jonathan Toews’s “struggles.” The Hawks are still a negative team overall at 5-on-5, which is a weird thing to say about them even at this point in the season. And then you realize the Hawks’ power play has been bailing them out at time and you nearly pass out.

Everything Else

Page 8s And Thank Yous

By 1212

My page 8 game in the Indian lately has been strong, so because there isn’t much going on let’s all have a chuckle. For those who might not know, Page 8 in our gameday program is basically where I get to go all comedy or sadistic, depending on your point of view. It’s a chilling view into what’s left of my mind.

Increase Scoring

Everything Else

Mr. Mephistopheles Please: Devils 3 – Hawks 2

By 1240

Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

Well, at least they don’t play the Devils again. And at this pace they won’t have to worry about a Final rematch.

The Hawks tried something new against New Jersey this time, taking a lead and hoping that would force the Devils to be a little looser in their structure. But it was the Hawks who ended up employing that, with a couple defensive gaffes, some less than stellar goalie play, and a poorly timed penalty all adding up to a loss. Combine that in with the Hawks barely looking threatening after the first 20 as the Devils were once again able to basically put sand on their flame, and especially when they got a lead. Capped off by no line other than Kane and The Sons Of Rasputin able to get on the scoresheet, and the Hawks are dancing with .500 again by the pale moonlight.

Everything Else

From Face To Heel And Back Again, And Other Roster Notes

By 1366 0

You’re going to have to get used to the upped quota of wrestling references, given my recent return to fandom.

I was inspired to write this after reading Mark Lazerus’s story on Michal Rozsival yesterday. It’s a pretty good read, and getting the perspective of what it’s like to break your ankle that gruesomely certainly makes it more vivid, at least to someone like me who hasn’t broken a bone (DATS CUZ YER NOT CHICAGO TOUGH, FELS-STINE!). And it got me to think about the arc of Rozsival’s stay here in Chicago, and how much of that should really play in to whether he should still be on this team or not.

Everything Else

I Hate Myself And Want To Die – C.I.’s ’15-’16 Season Preview: The Overview

By 1480 0

Ok, the title’s over the top and we won’t be sticking with it, but I thought it encapsulated where a lot of Hawks fans are at the moment (although in clearly heavy handed terms).

So over the next month or so, we’ll be going player by player to preview the upcoming season, which is just somehow 35 days away (and we’re sure they’ll go by in a smooth jiffy!).

There will be other posts to wrangle out what’s going on off the ice, but it’s impossible to discuss the Hawks right now on the ice without really considering two forms of them. While it’s hardly anywhere close to the most important part of the whole story, and no one should care all that much right now, the Hawks could look like just about anything depending on how things go.