Everything Else

We Like To Watch – May 3rd And Farewell To Hockeenight

By 1312

Well, that kicked up a notch, didn’t it?

After Brooks Orpik’s pretty gross hit on Olli Maatta in Game 2 you figured that there would be some kind of retribution. You would have gotten pretty short odds on it being known-hothead and lunatic Kris Letang taking a late run at Marcus Johansson, because that made sense. Once again the refs made things worse when they thought they were making things better by keeping Letang in the game. When you don’t eject someone for a hit that late and that malicious, you’re basically asking the other team to take runs at him all night which is just going to escalate the silliness into something no one wants. And that’s what they got. Maybe one day the NHL will hire refs with balls, but I’m fairly sure I’ll be nothing but dust in the wind by the time they do.

Everything Else

Playoff Weekend Wrap And May 2nd Preview: It’s Shaping Up

By 1232

As we will do through the rest of the playoffs, just wrapping up the other action and previewing what comes tonight.

Islanders 1 – 1 Lightning

The East’s stepchild series, as no one seems to be paying any attention. And yet it has the potential to be as good as the other one. Game 2 was seemingly the only one that John Tavares didn’t simply grab in his hand and wield it however he saw fit. That’s been the most exciting thing about the Isles’ run so far, obvious as it is. There’s something about watching a player simply transcend all those around him, and Tavares has done that through his team’s first eight games.

There’s also something pretty satisfying about watching a coach have to eat it over previous treatment of a player, like Jon Cooper and Jonathan Drouin. The latter has been crushing it when finally given a scorer’s role, which you might think would come pretty naturally to a #3 overall pick. But in a league that looks to stifle creativity it took this long. But don’t worry, Cooper is still a genius who will get all the plaudits for making Drouin “earn it.” Though considering Tyler Johnson was broken last year and Stamkos misfiring, might Drouin made a bigger difference last spring?

Everything Else

All The Heavy Lifting: Blues At Blackhawks Game 6 – Preview/Pre-Game Thread/Spring Fling

By 1128 0

bluestrumpet_jersey @AltLogo

Game Time: 2:00PM Central
TV/Radio: CBC, NBC, RDS/87.7FM
Wondering If They’re Still Doomed To Repeat It: SLGT

By now, I’m sure you’ve read countless articles about the similarities between this current series and the Kings/Blues one from last season. Unless of course you only read this site for all your Hawks news, in which case, thank you, I guess. The similarities are pretty striking but don’t for one second think anything is a given in this game. While the Hawks record in elimination Game 6’s is stellar they must still focus on all the little things to fend off a team like the Blues who are going to be sure to throw everything they’ve got at the Hawks to bring the game back to St. Louis for one more go around.

Everything Else

Piece By Piece: Blackhawks 3 – Kings 2 (Hawks Lead Series 3-1)

By Matthew Killion 1555 0

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Chicago Blackhawks at Los Angeles KingsThe Kings were undefeated at home so far in the playoffs. The Kings were 22-0 when scoring first all season long. The Blackhawks were without their best defenseman (and possibly just their best overall player). The Blackhawks found themselves down a goal twice in the game. And none of it really mattered. After a simply dominant third period, the Blackhawks found themselves up 3-1 in the series and the games shift back to Chicago on Saturday night. It’s not over yet but the finals are clearly back in our sights as the Kings need to win 3 in a row to close this out… and yes, that includes two games on the road for LA, where they’ve been awful.

Bullets after the jump

Everything Else

A Hustle Here A Hustle There: Hawks at Wild Game 3 Preview/Pregame Thread/Tarot Card Reading

By Sam Fels 1087 0

AltLogovs. wildthings

FACEOFF: 2pm Central

TV/RADIO: NBC/WIND-560am

THOUGHT THEY WERE JAMES DEAN FOR A DAY: Hockey Wilderness

WHERE WE’LL BE, AND YOU SHOULD BE: Sheffield’s in Lakeview

A lot of people have asked or wondered aloud whether Game 1 was Minnesota’s best punch and if they’re now out of answers. I’ve always thought that we’ll see Minnehaha’s best punch today. This is the first playoff game at Excel Energy Center since well before this blog existed, and you know that crowd is going to baying for blood from the word go (assuming they can get out from the snow).

With that in mind, the more conservative approach we’ve seen from the Wild in this series, at least to start games, is probably not going to be in evidence in the opening frame this time. Expect the Wild to come out flying, getting the puck behind the Hawks defense and then trying to sacrifice those same d-men to Mayan gods against the end boards. It’s almost certainly going to be frantic and pressured. Cal Clutterbuck might spontaneously combust.

Everything Else

Willpower: Blackhawks 2 – Wild 1

By Matthew Killion 1138 0

In somewhat of a role-reversal, I couldn’t fucking sit still or stop swearing tonight (OK, I always swear a lot) and Fels was cool as a… well, not a cucumber. Maybe a zucchini? Are those cool? Some sort of squash or gourd, I guess. Are squashes and gourds even mutually exclusive? I don’t get horticulture.

While the Blackhawks didn’t make it easy for themselves, they never really seemed like they were getting outplayed. The early goal from the Wild (from Clutterbuck on a softie… because of course that would happen) didn’t inspire much confidence but it wasn’t a dagger in the hearts of the UC either. The Wild scored, we groaned but anyone who thought the Hawks would be shutout for the game was kidding themselves. The Hawks didn’t panic. They came back to their game and they found a way to score one on the advantage and then take it in a longish OT. 15.