Don’t know when I’ll be back again…Actually it’s March 6th: Cheer The Anthem
“Stay away from Itchy, kids”: Hockee Night:
Collapse: Chicago Tribune AutoPlay
3 in 20: Chicago Suntimes
SoCal Saturday Night: The Globe and Mail
I couldn’t resist after I saw the recap title..
Panic Zone? Chicago Tribune
Something like that: Cheer The Anthem
Approach to Danger: SunTimes
Parental Discretion Iz Advised:ESPN
LA is the place: TSN
Well that sucks: HockeeNight
Wings win Beer Pong: Chicago Tribune
Class: TSN
Smashville’s MO doesn’t change: SN Autoplay
Well parts of this are correct: Yahoo
So this happened: Toronto Sun
After tangling with two of the NHL’s best at home over the weekend, it was kind of obvious the Hawks took the foot off the gas tonight. I can’t say that they were looking past the Wings, or what’s left of them, but it sure looked like that. Whatever it was, the Hawks were just kind of second best all over the ice for most of the game. And all the little blemishes of the Hawks’ game lately were on display once again. They were trying far too much cutesy shit at the blue line, resulting in killer turnovers or just loss of possession. Their puck support was just not there, as too many Hawks without the puck were looking for space for a pass that wasn’t coming from a teammate that was buried in red instead of helping him. And when a team can really pressure the Hawks D below the goal line, they can get yippy especially when the forwards aren’t close enough to help. The Hawks needed to be more straight line, especially against a defense that is simply dying to turn the puck over. They have to. They want to. It’s their oxygen. Thankfully Brendan Smith is still around for the Hawks to grab a point.
Whatever the Wings’ faults, you’ll never find a Babcock team not working hard enough. The Hawks didn’t want to or couldn’t match that level, which is why they were getting caught on the puck and couldn’t make plays tonight. It’s why you’ll see the Wings had the upper hand in Corsi or possession tonight, which really shouldn’t happen with a team this beat up.
Let’s get to it.
Hello Old Scum: NHL
So um heal up Jimmy..Starting Wednesday at 10 pm: Chicago Tribune
No love loss: Comcast Chicago
HAHAHAHA: SN AUTOPLAY
I think there may be worse problems: TSN
Can’t think of much else to do today after a day off for most. So let’s see who’s been naughty and who’s been nice.
The Dizzying Highs
Marian Hossa – Well I’m not sure I quite agree with the Tribune’s assertion today that at 35 he’s better than ever (more people probably needed to see him play in Atlanta), he was certainly vintage stuff this week. Three goals and four points in three games, while firing 16 shots. We’ve talked about what Hossa’s shot totals mean, and it’s always heartening to see him getting his share. Maybe he’s taking some of Toews’s opportunities away, but no one cares at this point. I’m still jumpy about what he’ll look like after the Olympics and in the playoffs, and we know that there will be some nights where he never gets out of third gear. You can also look for him to not be in the lineup for a game or two in March, as that back is always a concern. But for right now, he’s the dominant force we know and love.
Ben Smith – This one might be a bit of a stretch, because there aren’t really any numbers to back this up, and he was a -2 over the week. But watching him play he’s been a badass. Simply everywhere and never stops working, and his PK work has improved. I still don’t know what he is (my heart says 3rd-4th line tweener), but his high rate of work definitely makes up for the lack of mobility on the other side of his line.
Crow honored: Chicago Tribune
That’s a good guy to model your game after: SunTimes
True, but cap hits aren’t: Comcast AutoPlay
In my opinion these should be flipped: TSN
Its time to troll..but was quite the streak: ESPN
vs 
Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
The Stickiest of the Icky: Mile High Hockey
As difficult as it may be to compute, the Hawks tonight will play game 49 tonight of the 2013-2014 season, now surpassing last year’s abbreviated campaign, still four days shy of a year from when that season started . They’re currently only 7 points off their record pace of last year (though Friday’s guests the Ducks are only 2 back), though it feels like it’s been a a bit bumpier ride so far. But with a full 82 on the docket on this go-around, longevity will once again be rewarded, which is something the visiting and upstart Avalanche are beginning to deal with themselves.
Today I’d like to move discussion off-ice, as we haven’t done that in a while. If you’ve read this blog for more than a day, you know that we like to have our fun and take our shots at the Hawks’ broadcast. At least the television side of it, as the radio broadcast really couldn’t be more top-notch. Though I haven’t sampled a large array of radio play-by-play men, I can’t imagine there could be anyone better than John Wiedeman. Troy Murray has become a very astute analyst after a rocky start to his broadcasting career, and host Judd Sirott is as passionate as they get (and if you can hear him talk off-air, you’d know exactly what I mean. I’m still scarred from a rant he went on in front of me when I was about 13 on Adam Creighton).
But the TV broadcast has entered the bewildering zone.
