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Change Of Heart: Hawks 2 – Lightning 1 (Hawks Lead 1-0)

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Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

Have a narrative, why don’t you? With the Hawks top six not producing much, and after the residents here proclaimed it would be the Hawks’ forward depth that would prove to be the difference, here comes the third line providing both goals that put the Hawks up in this series. And no, of course not, there’s no way that Teuvo Teravainen coming up big makes me feel especially good after all the shit we got for extolling his virtues. Why would you ever think that? He’s not special in any way.

As we previewed this series, and most others did, I feel like it was generally agreed that John Cooper was a pretty good coach. And while he probably wouldn’t come up with some novelty for this, he would do what was necessary. Well, tonight he kind of fucked up.

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Southeast First – Game 1 – Hawks at Lightning Preview, Pregame Thread, Insurance Claim

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oldschool at greased lightning

Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBC, CBC, TVA, WGN-AM 720
Reinventing Axl Rose: Raw Charge

A year later, the Blackhawks finally find themselves in the position they should have been in with 20 minutes to play against the Kings on June 1st. And with them, a return to the only hockey that matters. Hockey whose outcome will determine names engraved in silver, and on the Hawks’ side of the ledger, a chance at solidifying even much more than that. Standing in their way is now the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team more than comfortable at not only playing the exact game the Hawks want to and possibly even faster, but also gleefully seizing the opportunity to play the upstarts and define their own story rather than be a footnote in someone else’s.

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Into The Great Wide Open – Stanley Cup Final Preview: The Tampa Forwards

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This is where it might get to be tough reading for everyone. It is rare that you would find yourself saying, “Boy, I’m not sure the Hawks want to get into a track meet with these guys.” Generally games against Colorado have fallen into that category. Dallas is sort of edging that way. And generally that’s about it.

But Tampa would almost certainly be on top of that list. While the Preds tried to go plaid and wear the Hawks out that way, the Lightning will try and do some of the same things Nashville did. Except they’ll try it with a consistent 40-goal scorer who once pierced 60, two Calder finalists from last year who are Conn Smythe contenders this year, and a some pretty clever centers. Yeah, little worrying.

But much like the defense, there’s an upper echelon here and then a Looney Tunes cliff-like drop. Let’s get into the nitty gritty.

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Take Away This Ball And Chain: Hawks 5 – Ducks 3 (Hawks Win Series 4-3)

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Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

Maybe it’s better that the Hawks won it this way. After all, other teams got to enjoy coming back from 3-2 to win a Game 7 in Anaheim, so why should the Hawks be left out? The Hawks were clearly not going to get caught stretching and yawning in the 1st period as they did in Game 5, and Toews had them up two barely halfway through the 1st. Though no one would say it out loud at the time, I’m sure most felt the game was already over at that point, considering the Ducks’ reputation and history. The Hawks had to weather some storms, Crow had to make a couple big saves to keep the gap where it was, and after Getzlaf earned an assist on Saad’s goal (rounding out his complete passenger performance in this series), the Hawks were content to sit back, absorb, and break when the Ducks got over exuberant. Considering how many odd-man rushes the Hawks had from the 2nd period on, they could have (and perhaps should have) put up seven or eight. Hossa was the only one able to pot one of those breaks, and it’s debatable whether it should have counted.

But no one cares about that and it probably wouldn’t have made too much difference. It’s onwards and upwards for the Hawks, so let’s clean up this series before we look forward to Tesla coils and Petty references.

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In Search Of… – Game 7 – Hawks at Ducks Preview, Pregame Thread, Instrument Recalibration

By 1333 0

oldschool at draft_lens1960363module9273829photo_1209145008daffy-duck-donald-duck

Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBC, CBC, TVA, WGN-AM 720
Story Of My Life: Anaheim Calling, Battle of California

It has been 363 days since the Blackhawks lost a Game 7 in the Western Conference Final on home ice, blowing two separate two goal leads and a lead going into the third period. Tonight they will finally get a chance to take another step in righting the wrong that was last season, and all that stands in their way is the West’s number 1 seed on their home ice in the form of the Anaheim Ducks.

Everything Else

The Mongoose Flies: Ducks 2 – Hawks 5 (Series Tied 3-3)

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Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Natural Stat Trick

In what was probably the most even game of the series, the Hawks were simply just a little better in every area that saw them to a win that will force a Game 7. While we all hoped for a dominant Hawks 1st period, the Ducks came out with their hellacious forecheck and didn’t give the Hawks a lot of time to create much. But the Hawks were able to navigate just enough, Crow make just enough saves, and just enough rushes up the ice to make the Ducks and Andersen work in their zone to keep things even. The dam broke in the 2nd, when the Hawks were able to get to their creative best. That’s something the Ducks simply couldn’t match tonight, and it’s why we’re headed back to Cali, back to Cali.

Let’s do it: