Everything Else

Forty-Six & 2 Ahead Of Me: Kings 4 – Hawks 5 2OT (Kings lead 3-2)

By 1001 0

Box Score

Event Summary

Extra Skater

It’s funny. We’ve been doing this blog for six seasons, and I think if you asked all three of us if there was a game that was simply beyond us, we wouldn’t have an answer. We might have one, which was Game 6 against Vancouver in 2009. But other than that, I really don’t think I’ve seen anything like tonight. Sure, at points both Finals against Philly and Boston reached a ridiculous pace. But there was an element of control in those.

This? This was in-the-red, eyes-tearing, consciousness-erasing shit from just about the 2nd period on. If not the 1st. I can honestly say that at least from the 3rd period on I’ve never seen a hockey game played at that pace. This was going plaid. It felt like I was thrown on an untested roller coaster pumped full of coke and seated next to Ted Nugent. 

Everything Else

Forty-Six & 2 Ahead Of Me: Kings 4 – Hawks 5 2OT (Kings lead 3-2)

By 2035 0

Box Score

Event Summary

Extra Skater

It’s funny. We’ve been doing this blog for six seasons, and I think if you asked all three of us if there was a game that was simply beyond us, we wouldn’t have an answer. We might have one, which was Game 6 against Vancouver in 2009. But other than that, I really don’t think I’ve seen anything like tonight. Sure, at points both Finals against Philly and Boston reached a ridiculous pace. But there was an element of control in those.

This? This was in-the-red, eyes-tearing, consciousness-erasing shit from just about the 2nd period on. If not the 1st. I can honestly say that at least from the 3rd period on I’ve never seen a hockey game played at that pace. This was going plaid. It felt like I was thrown on an untested roller coaster pumped full of coke and seated next to Ted Nugent. 

Everything Else

Wish I Was Special

By 1923 0

It’s never easy to try and look clear-eyed after something like last night. But if you can cut away the emotion of all of this, it doesn’t take an expert to see that the Kings’ power play is the difference in this series. Because at even-strength, it’s been pretty even, if the Hawks haven’t actually shaded it. But the special teams battle makes this series look like a mismatch. That particular facet certainly is.

It’s too simplistic to say that it’s due to inept penalty killing, because this Kings’ PP is humming. I’m not sure any team could stop it right now, though one with a coach able to recognize what is actually happening might stand a chance (however infinitesimal). The Hawks have yet to recognize the problem, or if they have they haven’t really done much about it. I went back through all the power play goals the Kings have scored this series (boy that was fun) to see if we can’t find the problem.

Everything Else

Modern Day Catastrophists – Hawks at Kings Game 4 Preview, Pregame Thread, Target Run

By 1366 0

oldschool at centerpiece-king

Game Time: 8:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBCSN, TSN (Anglo), RDS (Franco), WGN-AM 720
Help Me Rhonda: The Royal Half, Jewels From The Crown, Battle of California

With a pivotal Game 4 taking place on South Figeuroa later this evening, the question of this series has become can the Hawks generate enough secondary scoring to match that of the Kings, and thus finding a way to stem the tide of the Kings’ lethal second line. Or is Jonathan Toews basically going to have to do all of this by himself?

Everything Else

Now I Get Up Around Whenever, I Used To Get Up On Time: Hawks 3 – Kings 4 (Kings lead 2-1)

By 1674 0

Box Score

Event Summary

Extra Skater

You know what’s weird? This is the first game this series where the Hawks have had the upper hand in possession, in terms of Corsi. You could make an argument that for most of this, they were pretty much where they needed to be. But that was the story when the PK was a sure thing. It most certainly isn’t now. That was the story when the Hawks didn’t make boneheaded mistakes or get bad bounces. They did tonight for sure. It’s why they find themselves trailing this series. It’s also probably why they don’t have any reason to panic. Hockey can be weird. It get weirder when you can’t kill the penalties you take, for whatever reason.

Let’s do it:

Everything Else

Digging Through My Old Muscles, Looking For A Clue: Hawks at Kings Game 3 Preview/Pregame Thread/Keepy Uppy

By 1174 0

Hawk Wrestler vs. King Jerry Lawler

FACEOFF: 7pm Central

TV/RADIO: NBC for Yanks, CBC for hosers, 87.7 FM

WALKING IN L.A.: The Royal Half, Jewels From the Crown

So for the first time this postseason, the Hawks find themselves even after just two games, having lost for the first time at Fort Kickass on Madison. To regain the lead, the Hawks will have to do something they haven’t done since in San Jose in 2010. That’s win their first game on the road in a series. That’s right, it’s been that long.

Everything Else

Take Me To Your Backwoods: Game 2-3

By 1479 0

Going back over something I may have left out in the aftermath of Game 2 and heading into Game 3.

-The score kind of blights it, but the Kings and Hawks at even-strength had the same amount of Corsi events, Fenwick, and shots on goal. That might lead some to conclude that we had a return of “CRAW-STINK IS TERRIBLE” but really only Carter’s goal would I have a problem with (Muzzin’s was pretty perfectly placed). Just one of those things where their power play scored one more goal than the Hawks (and the Hawks really can’t lose the special teams battle because this makes it clear just how even they are at equal strength) with the Kings punching back on the counter.

Really I think it just illustrates how even these two teams are, and how all of us might have gotten carried away a little by Game 1 and the first 38 minutes of Game 2.