In this latest installment, we somehow manage to gripe and carp for nearly an hour about how boring this team is without either Jonathan Toews or Corey Crawford. Also, using our four combined medical degrees and various residencies at places like the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, we determine that back injuries are probably not good. And that neither is Trevor van Reimsdyk. Audio after the jump.
@ 
Game Time: Noon CST
TV:/Radio: CSN, SportsNet, WGN-AM 720
Travis Hughes Sucks, He Never Settled The Bet: Broad Street Hockey
For some obtuse reason, the Hawks travel to the armpit of the East Coast for a matinee in South Philly this reason. Normally these nooners take place after the Super Bowl and on NBC, but for some reason this one is only on the local outlets in the States. And because it’s a prime weekend matchup, the Flyera will more than likely be wearing their god-awful gold-trimmed 50th anniversary sweaters. But hey, home whites are home whites.
vs. 
RECORDS: Devils: 10-7-5 Hawks: 15-6-3
PUCK DROP: 7:30pm
TV: CSN
SWAMP SITTERS: In Lou We Trust
Projected Lineups
ADJUSTED CORSI%: Devils – 49.4 (18th) Hawks – 50.8 (12th)
ADJUSTED xGF%: Devils – 46.1 (28th) Hawks – 47.4 (22nd)
POWER PLAY %: Devils – 13.7 (25th) Hawks – 17.3 (16th)
PENALTY KILL %: Devils – 84.3 (9th) Hawks – 70.7 (They’re above 70%!!!)
The Hawks begin the December portion of the schedule tonight in the most coma-inducing way possible, with a visit from the New Jersey Devils. If there’s a chance to look good in regulation against a team, which the Hawks haven’t really done since San Jose, this would be it. But then again, no one looks good against the Devils. That’s just their way.
For most of the previous years, we used to have a good chortle about the first game at home after a long road trip. The beaters would drone on and on about how tough of a game it was, but the Hawks usually always aced it just as they usually did with long road trips. Tonight we saw something of what they meant, as the Hawks were certainly not very good. They ran up against a Panthers team that was certainly inspired though kind of in every direction after the firing of Gerard Gallant. But as we’ve seen, teams that can match the Hawks for speed do give them some issues because there isn’t much of a Plan B with them right now, and there certainly isn’t without Toews whatever form he’s in. The trick only got harder without Anisimov for most of the 3rd period. But as it’s been all season, Crawford held them in and together, and they were able to hold on long enough to win the skills competition for two points. The luck will run out at some point, but that could be at any time.
Let’s get to it.
vs
Game Time: 7:30PM CST
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Uncle Dale’s New Dysfunctional Family: Litter Box Cats
Dale Tallon just can’t seem to find an organization that doesn’t have dysfunction among the front office braintrust. And after getting kicked upstairs this past summer, his replacement Tom Rowe has now descended to behind the Cats’ bench after unceremoniously launching Gerard Gallant on Sunday after a mediocre 11-10-1 start. And Tom Rowe will make his NHL head coaching debut at the United Center tonight as the Hawks return home from the final Circus Trip ever.
vs. 
RECORDS: Hawks 14-6-2 Kings 11-9-1
PUCK DROP: 9:30pm Central
TV: WGN
BLACK DEATH: The Royal Half
Projected Lineups
TEAM CORSI: Hawks – 51.0% (11th) Kings – 53.8% (3rd)
POWER PLAY: Hawks -18.4% (14th) Kings – 12.7% (26th)
PENALTY KILL: Hawks – Almost listable? Kings – 81.7% (17th)
TRENDS: Carter has four goals in his last four games… Doughty has four points in the last three
The last Circus Trip comes to a close tonight on Figueroa Avenue, as it usually has. It only feels like the Hawks have been on the road for a month, and I doubt anyone in the organization is going to miss this trip too much. They sit idled at 3-3 so far, so a successful trip hinges on tonight’s result.
You have to love this time of year, the routine you know. Time with the family, drink earlier than you’re used to, argument with a family member you wanted desperately to avoid, and then the Hawks collecting two points in Anaheim. I guess I’m said it’s going away. It’s become a fixture of the Thanksgiving holiday. It even happens when the Hawks don’t even play that well.
Oh sure, it’s another win where the Hawks were outshot pretty badly. A lot will be made that they somehow lost 73% of all faceoffs, even though we know now that faceoffs really have no baring on whether you win or lose. Still, that kind of margin would make you notice. It took another heroic effort from Corey Crawford. But after losing two in a row and only scoring one goal in that time, you don’t complain about how the wins come.
Let’s clean it up, shall we?
It’s an annual tradition that’s ending this season (good riddance, circus) that’s seen some pretty memorable wins from your guys in white. Who can forget Hossa’s first game here as a Blackhawk? Also, apologies for the late recap but it seemed like as good a night as any for your old pal to throw an obscene amount of whatever the plural of High Life is into his head.
This one felt like it could get ugly after a couple of special teams meltdowns halfway through the first period and then things settled down. While Corey Crawford was his usual self (in other words he was magnificent), the difference in this one was Martin Jones. Let’s break this down in time for you to watch some god awful football.
-Who is cutting Pete DeBoer’s hair and why
-Couple of notes for WGN: 1) stop zooming in so much 2) lingering shots on Brent Burns while he gnaws on a bird skeleton are quite unnecessary
-Tyler Motte breaking up a play with his stick and getting in behind, unable to convert at the end of his shift. Ryan Hartman getting to the front of the net. Nick Schmaltz finding Artemi Panarin streaking across the ice on his strong side. Vinny Hinostroza getting in alone after some fantastic passing from his linemates and just missing the end product. There are multiple examples of each of these kids doing some great things tonight and if not for Martin Jones the Hawks could have put up 4 or 5 goals.
-Panarin consistently seems like the Hawks best offensive player these days and that’s fine but the gap probably shouldn’t be as wide as it seems right now. He’s consistently terrorizing defenses in the attacking zone and making things happen. God, he’s going to be so rich.
-The injury to Jonathan Toews was a bit strange as no one seemed to notice him leaving or the reason why. Usually that plus the dreaded “upper body injury” diagnosis means something with his head. We can only hope he makes a quick recovery as even one top six forward going down exposes the lack of depth up front for this team.
-After the early barfing the penalty kill came up big, killing off a lengthy 2 man advantage and another late power play to keep the deficit at one. Sad to say killing 3 of 4 penalties is better than the norm for this group but that’s where we are.
-A word about the aging Sharks: yes Brent Burns got a new deal done the other day and the hockey world reacted in the most predictable way possible. Too many years. He’s going to be 40. I get it – but that’s the league we have. The structure is that which means you either pay your best players until they’re well past their sell by date or you let them walk or trade them for futures that will more than likely never match their skill level while urinating all over your entire fan base. There’s no winner here except Brent Burns and if you watched him play tonight you can see he deserves every penny. Also Joe Thornton is still pretty damn good.
-You can talk score effects but the Hawks basically whipped San Jose at even strength all night. The goals just aren’t coming at the rate they should be. Obviously, not having Toews available for any of the upcoming games changes things but I wouldn’t mess with some of these line combos.
-The glaring weakness on this team is Panik and Rasmussen or whichever dope draws in for one of them on any given night. If the Hawks can somehow upgrade those two spots before the trade deadline it’s a pretty exciting proposition. The main point here is we’re still seeing Quenneville let the kids play and grow. They’re going to have quiet nights but they’re also going to have nights like this one where they were extremely noticeable in good ways.
-Wouldn’t surprise me to see them light up a couple teams when they get back home.
The Hawks maintain a 3 point advantage in the division thanks to a Blues loss tonight. It’s way too early to be scoreboard watching but it goes without saying it’s time to start picking up points again, road trip or not.
Onwards.
Natural Stat Trick
Well it wasn’t the Sam Gagner game. But it was probably the worst game the Hawks have suffered through in EdMo since then. That said, the Hawks put up 18 shots in the 2nd period and 28 in through 40, so to say they were completely dominated is just wide of the mark. However, the other team applied the formula the Hawks had been through most of the season. Convert on the power play, have your big stars punch through when they get an opportunity, have your goalie stand tall during a deluge. The Oilers did all that, thanks to McDavid, Klefbom, Draisaitl, and Cam and Magic Talbot. The Hawks didn’t do any of it. This is what you get.
It certainly wasn’t vintage stuff, other than the Flames’ amazing throwback jerseys that they need to wear every game. Not just home games. EVERY. GAME. Once again the Hawks gave up 30 shots. Once again they didn’t muster that many. Once again they were pretty much reduced to one line and what they could come up with on the power play. But this being the Flames, this being the Flames playing their third game in four nights, and this being the Flames without their best player, it was enough. Because Corey Crawford makes sure it’s enough. That’s been the MO, and it’s worked thus far. As long as it keeps working, it’ll provide enough time for the Hawks to figure the rest out.
