Everything Else

Mordor vs Minas_Tirith

Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBCSN, CBC (Anglo), RDS (Franco), WGN-AM 720
Juggalo Homies: Winging It In Motown, Abel To Yzerman

We thought it was coming back in April. Then Scum shocked almost no one outside of Orange County by giving the paper tiger Ducks more than they could handle in seven games to draw one final matchup with the Hawks. The consensus had been that the Hawks would make short work of Detroit (this blog included), but an outfit as decorated as this would not cooperate so easily, pushing the top seeded Hawks to the brink of elimination with a commanding 3-1 series lead. But the Hawks have pushed back and forced a decisive Game 7 on West Madison, with tonight marking, at long last the final meaningful intraconference meeting of these two heritage franchises. And it should be fitting that so much is on the line.

Everything Else

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Chicago Blackhawks at Detroit Red Wings
So here’s the experiment. Every once in a while I have the idea that a “rally shot” will really help the fortunes of the Blackhawks. At the start of the period where the Hawks are down, usually the third, I will order a shot and not drink it until the Hawks score a goal. As soon as they do, I take the shot and order another. Repeat as necessary until the Hawks win the game (which means another shot) or if the lose, I pass it along to someone else. Very rarely does that seem to happen.

What this really means is that during the last 20 minutes of hockey, I consumed 4 shots along with a few beers. If this recap begins to make less and less sense and becomes riddled with more typos than usual… well, you can blame Fels. He was originally supposed to write this but might be in worst shape than I am right now.

Everything Else

Minas_Tirith at Mordor

Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBCSN, CBC (Anglo), RDS (Franco), The Loop-FM 97.9
Wango Tango: Winging It In Motown, Abel To Yzerman

On Saturday night, the Hawks took the first step in their quest to erase the deficit they had created for themselves in this series. But the second step, tonight’s tilt at Joe Louis, is the real motherfucker.

Everything Else

Not today. Or yesterday. Whatever.

I wasn’t sure what the invasion of Jesus freaks outside the UC meant for the Hawks before yesterday’s game. Was God coming to help? Was he coming to condemn? One thing is for sure, I and all my readers are going to hell. Dude on the megaphone told me so. So you’ve got that going for you. (Sidenote, I love when these nutjobs get one of their kids to preach on the megaphone. Like that kid’s belief system doesn’t have a great chance of altering forever the first time he sees a pair of boobs.)

Anyway, the Hawks finally found some power play goals (you can score two in a game?), and pretty effortlessly closed out a 3rd period lead to keep breathing in these playoffs. What’s funny is that aside from the power play, and the lineup shuffle, I don’t know that all that much changed in this series.

Everything Else

So much to say when so confused and so shocked.

I don’t think anyone, whatever side you’re on, though we’d find ourselves here. While the temptation is to start pointing fingers and do the postmortem, we’re not there yet. Because after two very close games, the Hawks have come up on the wrong end for small reasons. Let’s try and parse out how they got here, who’s responsible, and why they’ll come back in this series (and they will).

Most arrows in the quiver are being aimed at Q. Most of them are justified, some aren’t. The rest are being aimed at Toews. Mostly fair too. But for the first time tonight in the 3rd with a 2-on-1, Toews deferred when he shouldn’t have. That’s discouraging. But it’s not the end of the tale.

Everything Else

Well isn’t this fun?

Let’s get some things out of the way first, because they probably need to be addressed. It’s not over. It’s not fucked. Quite simply, and maybe it’s just my opinion, but the Hawks are where or very close to where they need to be. There will be a lot of panic these next two days, they will be Chinese water torture, but if you can find a reasonable Wings fan they will tell you that nothing is cinched up here.

Will Thursday be fun? Oh god no. By the time puck drop hits you’ll be in cold sweats and Johnny Walker Blue won’t even get you out of it. Will you sleep between now and then? No, probably not. But we’ve been here before. I thought it was over down 2-1 to the Preds in 2010. They answered. They’ll answer again. Not even that much has to change.