Everything Else

Blackjack: Jackets 3 – Hawks 4 (OT)

By Sam Fels 1256 0

Tonight, it became clear that the Hawks know when to pick their spots. Are they intentionally doing this? I’m going to guess no. Because I doubt Q is in the dressing room telling them to do just enough to get by the Jackets. But what were the Hawks worst games this year? Against the Flames for sure, there have been three games against Columbus where they’ve been nowhere hear their best, and they were ok against middling Sharks and Stars squads (the Sharks at home).

When have they been at their best? Against the Canucks — Luongo singlehandedly kept them out once and only a 3rd period el foldo kept the other one out — the two games against the Kings, and the Blues last night. Sure, there are some exceptions, but for the most part the Hawks have specialized in doing whatever is needed to get the two points. So it was tonight, for 21.

Everything Else

You Forgot To Push Him Over: Scum 1 – Hawks 2 (OT)

By Sam Fels 1880 0

I know we get Simpsons heavy on this blog, but sometimes the analogies are just so apt. Tonight’s game felt like Homer Simpson’s boxing tactics. The Hawks allowed the Wings to repeatedly, and futilely, punch them about the face until they tired themselves out. Except the Hawks never really got to the point where they simply pushed them over. At least until after they’d surrendered a point to a division rival that they didn’t have to.

Once again, this was post-lockout hockey at its most glorious. If by glorious I mean tired, sloppy, and just kind of all over the place. And it is strange indeed for the Hawks to spend a large swath of a contest trying to serve it on a plate to Detroit, and watching Detroit merely stare at the silverware trying to figure out which one was the salad fork.

To let the Wings in these days when they’re such a mess, you have to continually give them power plays and be sloppy in your own end. Check. And yet they couldn’t take advantage, mostly because the entry on their power play looked like a bank robbery planned by ADHD-riddled children. But hey, you take your advantages where you can find them I guess.

So it’s six in a row to start the year, before embarking on a pretty nasty looking six game road trip (looking even nastier with each San Jose win).

Everything Else

I Wish I Was Special: Hawks 3 – Stars 2 (OT)

By Sam Fels 1467 0

The Hawks special teams save the day. I’ll now take a break while you try and shake the cobwebs from the embolism you’ll have had reading that.

No….not yet…..

Ready?….

Ok, now we go. The Hawks weren’t great for the first half of the game, and what moments they did conjure were stopped, dropped, and rolled by an inspired Kari Lehtonen (no doubt motivated by McClure’s reminder in the preview that he usually steals one from the Hawks once per season. I’m contagious, apparently). And while they improved in the last 30 to claw back a two-goal deficit, it was their power play that got them there. Along with two important and pretty dominant kills. Isn’t that a welcome change?

Our world famous bullets:

Everything Else

Well, We’re Waiting – The Committed Indian.com’s Season Preview: The 2nd Line

By Sam Fels 1192 0

Let’s keep this ship rolling right along. We get to the first “hole” the Hawks have, and that’s the second line center. They have wingers who fit here, Marian Hossa and Viktor Stalberg (and before you start, 21 goals without a PP one makes you a second line winger on most if not all teams). You could have Brandon Saad here as well, because I think this is where he’s ending up. We know Kane will end up here at times, and that Patrick Sharp probably should but won’t. But for now, let’s go with how it pretty much looked like last year, and that’s Stalberg-Kruger-Hossa.

Right, to it.

Everything Else

Well, We're Waiting – The Committed Indian.com's Season Preview: The 2nd Line

By 971 0

Let’s keep this ship rolling right along. We get to the first “hole” the Hawks have, and that’s the second line center. They have wingers who fit here, Marian Hossa and Viktor Stalberg (and before you start, 21 goals without a PP one makes you a second line winger on most if not all teams). You could have Brandon Saad here as well, because I think this is where he’s ending up. We know Kane will end up here at times, and that Patrick Sharp probably should but won’t. But for now, let’s go with how it pretty much looked like last year, and that’s Stalberg-Kruger-Hossa.

Right, to it.

Everything Else

Try Try Try To Understand

By Sam Fels 1276 0

Ugh, a Heart reference. You can tell that I’m at the end of my rope.

With the NHL and NHLPA heading into a second consecutive day of negotiating, which breaks the record of this lockout by at least 100%, and on pretty much a media blackout (though you’ll get leaks here and there), it’s a little hard to know what to think and what is actually going on. I’ll do my best to pass along how I’m seeing things, and you can tell me I’m totally wrong in the comments.

First things first, one aspect I’ve been getting slightly wrong is how the “make-whole” provision would work, why it’s necessary, why they’re arguing about it, and how it’s different from normal escrow. Yep, I’m going to admit I’m wrong. You’d think this would happen more considering how often I am wrong. But yeah, totally admitting a degree of wrong-ness. My girlfriend will be so thrilled.