Everything Else

This Ain't No Picnic – Kings vs Hawks Game 2 Preview, Pregame Thread, Junior Prom

By 1305 0

216px-Los_Angeles_Kings_Crown_Logo.svg vs oldschool

Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBCSN, TSN (Anglo), RDS (Franco), WGN-AM 720
Murray’s Revenge: The Royal Half, Jewels From The Crown, Battle of California

While the common perception was that the Hawks were outplayed on Sunday afternoon despite having a far longer layoff than the put-upon Kings coming fresh off their exhausting 6-2 carpet bombing of the Ducks in Game 7 of the previous series, it doesn’t change the fact that the Hawks have a 1-0 series lead. Though given that this iteration of the Kings has already erased 3-2 and 3-0 series deficits this post-season alone, it remains up for debate just how much that will matter in the grand scheme of things.

Everything Else

This Ain’t No Picnic – Kings vs Hawks Game 2 Preview, Pregame Thread, Junior Prom

By 1109 0

216px-Los_Angeles_Kings_Crown_Logo.svg vs oldschool

Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBCSN, TSN (Anglo), RDS (Franco), WGN-AM 720
Murray’s Revenge: The Royal Half, Jewels From The Crown, Battle of California

While the common perception was that the Hawks were outplayed on Sunday afternoon despite having a far longer layoff than the put-upon Kings coming fresh off their exhausting 6-2 carpet bombing of the Ducks in Game 7 of the previous series, it doesn’t change the fact that the Hawks have a 1-0 series lead. Though given that this iteration of the Kings has already erased 3-2 and 3-0 series deficits this post-season alone, it remains up for debate just how much that will matter in the grand scheme of things.

Everything Else

Minnesota Post Mortem

By 1344 0

I’m not too sure there’s been a series in this era of Blackhawks Era that when it was over the overwhelming feeling was relief. But that’s how it goes when you’re outplayed, and at times massively, for at least three and probably four games and yet you still come out of it. Life finds a way.

All of it leaves Hawks Nation in a strange position of being delighted to be back defending the Western conference championship but pretty urpy about what might come next. Probably a pretty good time to take a state of the union as the Hawks sit halfway to another parade.

Everything Else

Within Your Reach: Hawks at Wild Game 6 Preview/Pregame Thread/Underwater Pilates

By 1172 0

Hawk Wrestler vs. EW_Ygritte_promo_shoot_a

GAMETIME: 8:10pm Central

TV/RADIO: CNBC, 87.7 FM

BEYOND THE WALL: Hockey Wilderness

The Hawks find themselves in a position they’ve been most comfortable, holding the axe to end the season for an opponent. It’s a stat we keep coming back to, probably because it is pretty damn comforting: The Hawks are 11-2 in the Quenneville Era when they have a chance to end a series, with both losses coming to Vancouver (one a Game 7 on the road). To quote one of the great orators of our time, Ice Cube, “The Hawks don’t miss when it comes to this.”

Everything Else

First The Lights, Then The Collar Goes Up, And The Wind Begins To Blow: Wild 1 – Hawks 2 (Hawks lead 3-2)

By 1373 0

Box Score

Event Summary

Extra Skater

The Wild were never going to let it be pretty. While they’ve varied their approach in the first four games, from period to period even, a pivotal Game 5 on the road saw them fall back into the trap that gave the Hawks headaches in Game 3. But after a jittery opening 5-10 minutes, the Hawks started to come to grips with what they saw. And despite conceding the opener as a direct result of a pick play that Stockton and Malone would have been proud of that opened up space for Terror From Hell Erik Haula, the Hawks began to get a tighter and tighter grip on this one.

It was far from perfect. While the Hawks support was better, they were more willing to try the middle of the ice to get out of the zone, to chip and chase, the execution was off. Every time Oduya tried to field a pass or puck along the boards, my eyeballs rolled back in my head. Keith was trying far too much dip-trip-rip-fantasia behind his goal line and at Minny’s blue line. Nick Leddy looks terrified to make a mistake (wonder why that may be). Because what the Hawks have to do when a team pinches down on them along the boards in their zone has to be so precise, when it doesn’t work it can get urpy.

But they slowly got better, got their goal to tie it, worked to get their second and then squeezed the rest out. They had to get through some chances but it didn’t feel like Crawford had to drink the blood of virgins to get through the final 10 minutes.

All that adds up to a series lead.

Let’s do it.

Everything Else

Let Me Guide You To The Purple Rain: Hawks at Wild Game 4 Preview/Pregame Thread/Sauna Time

By 1370 0

Hawk Wrestler vs. Zakk-Wylde-by-Ivan-Chopik

FACEOFF: 8:40pm Central

TV/RADIO: NBCSN, 87.7 FM

ON THE SKYWAY: Hockey Wilderness

As they did last year, the Hawks find themselves having passed up one chance to strangle the life out of this series in St. Paul but with another to do so in  Game 4. This time, however, they have a spikier Wild team to deal with (one that’s already escaped this dungeon this spring) and not quite the doomsday arsenal they once did.

If we go off yesterday’s practice, it would appear that Joel Quenneville is going to hit the blender again and try and spread out his scoring (or watch Sharp’s and Hossa’s usefulness get completely erased by Michal Handzus getting beaten silly by Granlund, Koivu, or Haula. Take your fucking pick). That’s if you believe this wasn’t just subterfuge. Even if he’s serious about putting Ben Smith up top and Kane with Kruger and Saad, you know it won’t last much more than a period if the Hawks aren’t up 3-0 and we’ll go back to what the lines have been this series anyway.

Everything Else

Inside Dr. Weird’s Island

By 1228 0

Now that we’re a little separated from last night, I want to try and be as even-handed about Q’s decisions (in this series and in the past) as I can be. It won’t be easy, but if we all work together I think we can get through it.

While Q scratched Nick Leddy for Sheldon Brookbank last night, it didn’t end up working out as a straight swap. As you’ll see from last night’s Extra Skater, Brookbank hardly played with Leddy’s usual partner in Rozsival at all. Brookbank took most of his shifts with Duncan Keith, and like they were in the St. Louis series they were highly effective, at least in terms of possession. Brookbank and Keith were both over 70% in Corsi-percentage, a full 18% above the team-rate for the game. Brookbank didn’t see the highest level of competition either when on the ice, as he mostly saw Brodziak and Niederreiter but there wasn’t a specific matchup either coach was chasing.

Rozsival spent most of his night skating with Johnny Oduya, and they weren’t so lucky. While Rozsvial was above water in overall Corsi, he was below the team-rate. Meanwhile Oduya was completely buried. As far as forwards these two saw it was basically spread out all over the map, as Q couldn’t chase matchups and Yeo didn’t seem too interested when they were on the ice.

Everything Else

Inside Dr. Weird's Island

By 1594 0

Now that we’re a little separated from last night, I want to try and be as even-handed about Q’s decisions (in this series and in the past) as I can be. It won’t be easy, but if we all work together I think we can get through it.

While Q scratched Nick Leddy for Sheldon Brookbank last night, it didn’t end up working out as a straight swap. As you’ll see from last night’s Extra Skater, Brookbank hardly played with Leddy’s usual partner in Rozsival at all. Brookbank took most of his shifts with Duncan Keith, and like they were in the St. Louis series they were highly effective, at least in terms of possession. Brookbank and Keith were both over 70% in Corsi-percentage, a full 18% above the team-rate for the game. Brookbank didn’t see the highest level of competition either when on the ice, as he mostly saw Brodziak and Niederreiter but there wasn’t a specific matchup either coach was chasing.

Rozsival spent most of his night skating with Johnny Oduya, and they weren’t so lucky. While Rozsvial was above water in overall Corsi, he was below the team-rate. Meanwhile Oduya was completely buried. As far as forwards these two saw it was basically spread out all over the map, as Q couldn’t chase matchups and Yeo didn’t seem too interested when they were on the ice.