vs. 
FACEOFF: 6pm Central
TV/RADIO: WGN for both
FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES: On The Forecheck
The Hawks continue their late season homestand with another encounter with a bottom-feeder of the league, this time in their own division with the Nashville Predators. While the Carolina Hurricanes barely roused the Hawks’ attention, the Predators’ recent success against the Hawks should have them more tuned in whatever their current standing.
vs
Game Time: 7:00PM
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Raise Up: Canes Country
We now interrupt special coverage of Teuvo Day In America to bring you our regularly scheduled preview for tonight’s game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Chicago Blackhawks.
Time to step up: CSN
New Blood: Chicago Tribune
Not a new concept to us around these parts: The Score
As the kids say”Filthy” CBC
So this happened: Puckdaddy
A couple things to cover today, so let’s get to it.
-The Hawks took back second place last night, as the Avs decided to give Semyon Varlamov a week off and threw J.S. Giguere and Reto Berra out there with a straight face. Which completely exposed just how bad their blue line is as both the Habs and Jets lit them up.
As we know, the Hawks won’t get the tie-breaker due to significantly less regulation wins than the Avs. But the schedule ahead for Colorado is not exactly a popsicle (first of all, it’s Fudge-cical).
On this blog recently, we’ve spent a lot of time debating whether the Hawks are either bored or tired (the answer is probably both, but what fun is that to settle for?) We’ve seen the holes in the game, the dead-ass performances, the spikes of dominance, and wondered what it all meant for when it really counts.
Based on tonight’s and other recent “big” games, I suppose I’m starting to lean towards bored. And it’s not in the glow of this performance only, though the Hawks did completely muzzle the team with the most points in the league. On other occasions where the bright lights are on and the opponent has the Hawks complete attention, we’ve seen it. Detroit was one victim. The Ducks in Anaheim another. Boston’s trip to Chicago saw the Hawks play extremely well and take a shootout. There are a couple others I haven’t mentioned.
Maybe it’s both in that the Hawks can do it when they really want to but can’t bring it every game due to fading legs when they don’t particularly. I guess we won’t know until the season’s over, as you can bet Joel Quenneville is going to demand they snap into gear full-time heading into the postseason.
But for one night, the Hawks brought the game we’ve come to love. It could have been any of the league’s premier teamed that was swallowed whole by the Hawks’ complete game and I’d feel as good (well, maybe not all the way). It’s still there when they need it. Let’s be happy with that.
It burns: Cheer the Anthem
Lackluster:HockeeNight
Lucky to Escape from Philly: SCH
That was clearly not how you felt at the time: TSN
Marian Hossa: Cheer the Anthem
Is good at hockey: Second City Hockey
But you knew that: ESPN
Thoughts from RockVegas: Third Man In
Rocky Mountain Oysters: CTA
36 inches:Hockeenight
For now?? SCH
Antti solid: Chicago Tribune
This really needs to end..because its stupid: Deadspin
Locking up the kids: Chicago Tribune
Scary situation in Dallas: TSN
This is the antithesis of Stan Bowman: CBS
He will clown Don Cherry: Sportsnet
Knowledge: Reddit
Box Score
Event Summary
Extra Skater
About 3 minutes into this game, we got to witness history. It wasn’t just that Kane once again gained a point while visiting his old stomping grounds. He’s had 4 games back home now and has 4 points in them. That’s old news. The big news is obviously that we here at The Committed Indian have finally lost one of our trump cards in our calls for a real second line center. That’s right folks – Patrick Kane scored an even strength goal while Michael Handzus was on the ice.
Now that’s not saying Handzus had anything to do with the goal… I don’t think he had even made it into the Sabres zone by the time Kaner fired that nifty little wrister. But he was certainly on the ice.. and I guess that counts for something.