Faxes from Uncle Dale

Tag: Jonathan Toews

  • Not A Good Day To Be A Bad Guy: Preds 1 – Hawks 4

    Not A Good Day To Be A Bad Guy: Preds 1 – Hawks 4

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    Event Summary

    War On Ice

    Natural Stat Trick

    One or two more and this could a habit! Anyway, sorry for the delayed wrap. A flat tire cost me the urge to do it last night. I need that Bond auto-inflate tire from Tomorrow Never Dies. Or all of them. All those cars probably had that feature. Anyway…

    The Hawks once again got a win with their do-it-all second line merely adding an empty-netter, though they were the best on line on the ice for either team most of the night. Unlike Sunday’s win though, this one is thoroughly pinned on Corey Crawford, who might have had his best game of the year. And not only that, he made it look easy at times. Without him, this probably looks a lot different.

    The Hawks got goals from other lines as well, if you can believe that, to keep the spiraling Preds… well, in a spiral. Downwards. Though it is possible to spiral upwards. But we rarely use that term for that motion. Whatever. Let’s get to it:

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  • Welcome To Wherever You Are – Hawks 3, Jets 1

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    War on Ice

    Well that looks a bit more familiar. While some of the components of the roster are odd fits in their given lineup spots at best or not NHL players at worst, the Hawks were at least able to do something that they weren’t able to last year, and that’s beat Michael Hutchinson in regulation, who gave the Jets what they needed last year with a 3-0-1 record against the Hawks.

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

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

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    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.

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

    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.

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  • Jonny, Anze, and Sidney: A… Story

    Jonny, Anze, and Sidney: A… Story

    I know it probably seems like I’m harping on Toews too much lately. But with the main story with the Hawks being that they only have one line, it seems only fair to focus on the main reason there aren’t any other lines scoring. And that quite simply has to be the captain. Quite frankly, I can only write so much about how Trevor van Riemsdyk pretty much sucks but there aren’t any replacements on the roster or in the system.

    When I started to look at  Toews’s numbers, it became clear that it would make sense to compare him to the two players he seems to be mentioned with most, either here or in the mainstream. That would be Anze Kopitar, who we’ve often compared him to because we think they’re basically the same guy, and Sidney Crosby who the rest of the world wanted to compare him to (even though Sid is or was obviously better, and if you don’t think so I’ll just point you to him averaging over three points per 60 even strength minutes multiple seasons.

    There’s kind of an intriguing curve with these guys and just about all at the same age.

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  • Moon Is Full Never Seems To Change: Wild 2 – Hawks 1

    Moon Is Full Never Seems To Change: Wild 2 – Hawks 1

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    War On Ice

    Natural Stat Trick

    Ah, that old first home game after a trip bugaboo. It finally bit the Hawks, even though as McClure pointed out in the preview they’ve actually been pretty good in this situation over the years. Whatever the case, the Hawks’ legs/sense of give a shit/both weren’t quite where they needed to be and an inspired Wild team that was watching its season get awfully icky in a hurry was able to get a deserved win.

    The tale for the Hawks is familiar to all by now, and you could write the next few sentences from memory. The Hawks only had a chance at points because of the same factors. Kane scores. The second line is the only consistently dangerous one. A couple moments of individual brilliance. The special teams come up big. Crawford holds them in for the stretch of game where they’re getting badly outplayed. Rinse. Repeat. But none of these are sustainable models for success, and it wasn’t tonight. It’s 25 games now, and the Hawks remain a one-line, one-pairing team. 25 games is bordering on not being a trend anymore.

    Shall we go? Yes, let us go.

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  • Recipe For Hate – Hawks at Kings Preview, Leftover Feast

    evil empire at king

    Game Time: 9:30PM Central
    TV/Radio: WGN Ch. 9, WGN-AM 720
    Fountain and Fairfax: The Royal Half, Jewels From The Crown

    Tonight the Hawks will conclude their annual November two-week displacement from the United Center at the hands of Sirs Barnum and Bailey on Figueroa against the Kings, who are taking a novel approach to their regular season by at least cultivating the image that they give a shit about it. But much like their visiting counterparts, they still do not give a shit about women or human decency. 

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  • Turn It Up: Hawks at Sharks Preview/Avoiding Your Family

    250px-Ozymandias vs. shark

    PUCK DROP: 9pm Central

    TV/RADIO: NBCSN, WGN Radio

    CAGE IN THE WATER: You know what… just follow @stace_ofbase on Twitter. I have no idea who’s writing Fear The Fin these days. 

    The 2nd leg of the annual Circus Trip begins tonight, and the degree of difficulty goes up a bit for the Men of Four Feathers as they will face the hottest team in the league in San Jose, before doubling up in SoCal on the weekend with what might be the only legitimate teams in the Pacific (whatever the Ducks record might be). Considering the Hawks have only started this trip 1-1-1, it might look a little daunting.

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  • I’m Looking Through You: Hawks 1 – Flames 1 (Flames Win Game Of Chicken)

    I’m Looking Through You: Hawks 1 – Flames 1 (Flames Win Game Of Chicken)

    Box Score

    Event Summary

    War On Ice

    Natural Stat Trick

    Two nights after getting pretty outplayed by one of the worst teams the West has to offer but having Crawford and the second line keep them afloat enough to pick it off in overtime, the Hawks tried the trick again but this time it was Darling who got to keep their putrid effort afloat long enough for a point. But this time they couldn’t grab the extra point in the carnival ride, as Johnny Gaudreau toyed with them for a minute before hornswoggling Seabrook for the winner.

    The Hawks can make sure Crow and Darling get the most comfortable chairs on the plane to Vancouver tonight, and get the nicest suites when they stop in Vegas after the game. Because they’re the only two reasons they have three points they almost certainly don’t deserve all of. There’s no way to sugarcoat that in two games against the 25th and 28th ranked possession teams in the NHL, the Hawks have a 43% share. They’ve basically been clocked by the two Alberta teams who probably won’t sniff the playoffs (though don’t rule anything out in that mess of a division). And they can’t claim injuries as a problem.

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  • Formula 81 – Hawks 3 – Oilers 3 (Hawks win go-kart race)

    Formula 81 – Hawks 3 – Oilers 3 (Hawks win go-kart race)

    Box Score

    Event Summary

    War On Ice

    Natural Stat Trick

    Well you know this story by heart if you’ve followed the Hawks this season. The second line does most of the work to either get the Hawks one or two points, Corey Crawford holds them in when they were seriously under pressure, the penalty kill gets all the kills required, and then the Hawks goof a goal in overtime to get both points (and 3-on-3 every goal is basically a goof, that’s not a knock). The variable this time was getting one miraculous save from Crawford in OT, and the Hawks got an even-strength goal from the third line, which isn’t the first of the year but man does it feel like it.

    Still, while gaining the two points when you don’t play well is a positive sign for a team we’re all sure is going to figure out its problems at some point, being severely clocked at times by the Oilers without McJesus is not going to have people printing up t-shirts.

    Let’s do it.

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