Rise of the Phoenix

We found out before the game that Ryan Johnson was put on IR, Jake the Snake had the flu, and Stalberg had an upper body injury. To replace Snake and Johnson, Scott was put in the lineup and Jeff Taffe was called up from Rock-Beria. The first period was pretty tame, although the Hawks had a few chances early. Phoenix scored the only goal, putting the Hawks down 1-0. Phoenix came out and scored one in gthe opening minute of the second period, and the Hawks put in a later powerplay goal, to go into the locker room down 2-1. The Hawks scored a second powerplay goal late in the third to tie the game and that's how regulation ended. The Hawks had plenty of chances in the OT, and couldn't end the game. Finally, the Yotes scored two in the shootout and the Hawks were shut out. Game over.

The Good

• Some signs of life later in the second, as Brouwer took a nice feed on the powerplay and buried it for his 16th of the season. Hossa was credited with his 800th career point on the play.
  
• A second powerplay goal in the late minutes of the third by Deuce tied up the game. Keith needs to watch how Campbell FAKED a shot and fed it over for a one timer. I repeat, FAKE SHOT. Just a thought, Duncan.
  

The Bad

• The first significant play of the game was Radim Vrbata getting behind Kid Leddy, after Deuce lets let Vrbata skate right by him. Vrbata then outraced Deuce to the net, and beat Crawford. Crawford wasn't quite as aggressive as you'd like but he shouldn't have been in that situation in the first place
  
• Whatever Marty Turco was on in that shootout last night, Corey Crawford was on the same thing. The second Yotes goal, was heinous. Taylor Pyatt just let a little snapper go from outside the dot, and Crawford barely reacted. I really like dislike Steve Konroyd doing color, because he's always looking for excuses. That was bad no matter how you spin it.
  
• When one of your best chances is a Big Show breakaway, you're having a bad night.
  
• Speaking of Big Show, I've seen enough of him, and I'm sure I'm not alone. He brings nothing to this team. He had a few chances to use his body and practically kissed the opposing player. Can we please put this project to bed? Four minutes and twenty three seconds of glory. What a waste.
  
• The Czech line. That's some kind of oxymoron, right?
  
• Holy sheep shit, Boy Blunder; Pat Kane had the game on his stick with a breakaway from his own side of the center line in, actually a 2-0 break, and couldn't score. Isn't this suppose to be his forte?
  

The Ugly

• I know he scored a goal, but Duncan Keith was completely clueless all night. For a guy that was quick to point fingers during the week, he is eating a mouthful of shoeleather. He was a turnover machine all night. I'm done trying to explain what's wrong with him, but he is a shadow of his former self. High flying Hawk? Christ, Steve, wake up!
  
• Tomas Kopecky was 1-11 on faceoffs. That is just ridiculous. NINE PERCENT!
  

The Shootout

• Shane Doan was snuffed out by Crawford
  
• Jonathan Toews was stopped by Bryzgalov
  
• Radim Vrbata beat Crawford on the backhand
  
• Patrick Kane was beaten by Bryzgalov
  
• Ray Whitney had the 5-hole shut by Crawford.
  
• Marian Hossa missed the net.

Here are the video highlights for your viewing pleasure:

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North Dallas Futility

With all the hoopla of the "Turco back in Big D" situation, the Stars seemed to have forgotten there was a game to play. The Hawks opened up what should have been a 4-0 lead in the first period, and the Stars were left wondering if they could have a "do over". Dallas got a little luck with the 4th goal being disallowed, but they were still in a 0-3 hole. The second period ended being the complete opposite of the first, with Dallas scoring two powerplay goals, cutting the lead to one goal going into the third. The third started like the second ended, with a Stars goal. All that hard work in the first period was wiped away, as the game was tied 3-3. The rest of the game was scoreless and the Stars won it in the shootout. Simply terrible. This team doesn't deserve to make the playoffs.

The Good

• The Hawks wasted no time jumping on a turnover with under four minutes gone in the first, Pat Kane jumped a pass from the Star's Grossman, and sniped Kari Lehtonen with a nice top shelf stick side laser. That's what we've been waiting for. Chris Boden made a great call as he said, "Nick Grossman turned into Rex Grossman". I don't care who you are, that's funny, right there.
  
• Thirty one seconds after the Kane goal, Seabrook buried a one time feed from Tazer, after ANOTHER Grossman turnover, and it was 2-0 with less than five minutes gone in the first period.
  
• Even the powerplay was on, in the first, as Captain Serious fed Shooter on the back door as has happened so many times this year. Nice to see the powerplay waking up, especially with Hossa out. This goal gave Kaner 3 points already in the game. This is where the Hawks fell asleep.
  
• The other shenanigans that went on overshadowed the solid game Marty Turco had. Well, except for that embarrassing shootout. The entire team let him down, though, and they shouldn't have even been in a shootout.
  

The Bad

• Unfortunately, the Hawks were without the services of Hossa, as he's listed day-to-day with the flu. Brouwer took his place with Frolik and TomoKop.
  
• Absolutely ALL cylinders were pumping with what should have been the second powerplay goal of the first period, by Seabrook. No disrespect to Kari Lehtonen, because he made a HELL of a save, but that was a goal. Bad call by the war room in Toronto and it changed the game immensely.
  
• I'm not really sure why, but the Stars had Michael Frolik's number all night. He was lit up with big open ice hits in each of the first two periods. Get your head up, kid, or it's going to get knocked off.
  
• Early in the second period Vik Stalberg took an awkward hit deep in the Dallas zone and came up holding his shoulder. He wasn't seen after that.
  
• After Stalberg left, Pisani was the lucky recipient of an elbow that took HIM out of the game. They were just dropping like flies.
  
• Between the second and third period it was announced that the THIRD injured Hawks player of the night, Ryan Johnson, would not return. Old School hockey now, boys. Eddie Shore...Toe Blake.
  
• As luck would have it, the Hawks were killing a Bryan Bickell penalty and gave up a soft, short side powerplay goal. Here it comes. The shift began here.
  
• I was right, as usual, and the Stars followed that up with a second powerplay goal with 4.2 seconds in the second period.
  
• Forty seven seconds into the third period Ocho and Deuce let Brenden Morrow and Jamie Langenbrunner tee off on Turco. Three goal lead gone, just like that. Fucking Hawks, and fucking war room in Toronto!!
  

The Ugly

• The disallowed goal didn't seem like a big deal at the time, but it took the wind out of the Hawks onslaught. It's a shame too, because I would have really liked to see a 6 or 7 goal game. Instead we saw all the life sucked out of the team. Like they really need any help sucking.
  
• Mike Ribiero is a whiny little bitch. He stuck his knee out on Seabrook and cried like a little bitch when he was called for it. Someone should have taken his head off. I really dislike that smarmy little smart ass show off. I wish Matt Cooke on you.
  
• Like a bad fairy tale, the Hawks couldn't score a single goal after the first period, and ended up losing in the shootout. ANOTHER third period collapse.
  
• The worst part of this WHOLE thing is that all the fucking delays in the game made the game run over a half hour late. Just enough for my DVR to cut off the game as the OT hit 0:00. I missed the entire SO. After watching it online, I wished I hadn't. My point here is that the Hawks should have never been in that position in the first place. They took their foot off the gas again, and it blew up in their face.
  

Here are the video highlights for your viewing pleasure:

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Breaking Me Down

Late last night, just as the Hawks were taking the ice for warm ups, one of the few people who have their pulse on the Hawks, Adam Jahns, reported that team had have acquired Michael Frolik and goalie Alexander Salak from Dale Tallon and the Panthers, for Jack Skille, Hugh Jessiman and David Pacan. Actually, the original report was just Skille for Frolik, which wouldn't really give me happy pants, but wouldn't break me down to tears, either. After looking thoroughly at the players involved, it looks like the Hawks stole this trade.

What We Give

Jack Skille

I like Jack Skillington very much, and I like the energy he brings, but in all reality he is a 23 year old fourth line winger that the team rarely used. Seven minutes a game just wasn't worth it, and there was nowhere else for him. He has a one year deal that will result in him being a Restricted Free Agent, and would be looking for a raise next season, which the Hawks probably wouldn't give him. Until this year, he's really been a disappointment. I shouldn't need to remind people that he was the Hawks first round pick the year BEFORE Jonathan Toews, and two years before Kane.

Hugh Jessiman

The OTHER first round disappointment in this trade is Hugh Jessiman. I'm not going to get all long and drawn out on him, but he was the 12th pick overall in 2003 and still hasn't seen a shift in the NHL. He was sitting on three goals and two assists, in 25 games with Rockford.

David Pacan

I can't say I know much about David Pacan other than what I can" Google". He was a 6th round pick in 2009, plays in the OHL and was cut from the University Of Vermont for "unspecified offenses". Sounds like Kyle Beach Lite to me.







What We Get

Michael Frolik

He is a former Florida first round pick that has a little more success under his belt. At 22, he's already a two time 21 goal scorer in the NHL, and was the second leading scorer on the Panthers. He was drafted at #10, between Captain Serious at #3 and current Ice Hog Ivan Vishnevskiy at #27. Talk about opposite extremes of the scale. Anyway, he's a bit more expensive than Skille, with a cap hit of $1.275 million, and he is also a restricted free agent at the end of the season. The difference is that Frolik is a solid top six forward, and Skille was a bottom 6 guy. Frolik can play both center and wing, but expect him to relieve Kopecky of his atrocious centering duties. This will also leave Sharpie to head back to his natural position of wing. Frolik looks to be more of a need to this team than Skille, and you can't ignore 50 career NHL goals at 22. One scouting report says the following, regarding Frolik:

Assets - Has loads of offensive flair and scoring potential. Can play all three forward positions and figures to eventually fill out his 6-1 frame.
Flaws - Needs to bring it every night, as he still battles the inconsistency bug. Must prove capable of stepping up in big games.

Here is a little Michael Frolik highlight reel from the 08-09 season. Notice the #44 Boynton celebrating with Frolik at about 38 seconds in.

Alexander Salak

For my money, this is this guy is the key to the deal. He's 24 years old and has had success everywhere he's been. Currently he's playing in the Swedish Elite League and leading all goalies there with 6 shutouts and a .925 save percentage. This could be Corey Crawford's backup next year. He played a full season in the AHL last year where he had a record of 29-14-0, with a GAA of 2.89, a save percentage of .910, and one shutout.

His scouting report says the following about him: "Salak has an unorthodox style. He has a highly aggressive nature in net which often forces him to make the theatrical save with the extraordinary quickness and athleticism to do so". Sounds a little like two other former Blackhawks, Ed Belfour and Dominik Hasak, and maybe a little Tim Thomas. That style CAN work in the NHL, because there is really no solid way to scout it. I like what I've read about him. Here is a little teaser reel for him:

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Oil Change

Shortly before the game last night, the Blackhawks announced that they had traded Jack Skille and some shlubs for Michael Frolik and a goalie named Salak. These weren't the only changes with the team. The Hawks completely changed up their "D" pairings, moved Sharpie, and Brouwer around, and had Ryan Johnson suit up to take Skille's spot, until Frolik reports. In the first half of the first period the Hawks were slightly out of sorts, but they rebounded in the second half of the period to dominate with one goal on ten shots, and only giving up four shots. The second period was a bit more even, but with the Hawks scoring another goal, although both teams had 12 shots on net. The third just became a circus with penalties galore, but the odd thing is that they were all really minor infractions, if you don't factor in the two questionable Oiler misconducts, after the Hawks 3rd goal.

The Good

• The Hawks spent the first eight minutes of the first period getting use to their new lines, and it was showing. That was until the new line of Captain Serious, Kaner, Sharpie, with Deuce, and Leddy decided they wanted to play a little hockey and completely dominated the Oilers for about a minute straight. Promising.
  
• The following shift for that line resulted in a Sharpie goal, with a feed from Tazer. Maybe they really DO want to wake this team up.
  
• As an opposing team, if One Trick Bick is left with a break-a-way from his own blue line in, you're not playing a good game, and this was the case on the second Hawks goal. How they didn't catch his big slow ass is beyond my comprehension, but I'm taking it.
  
• The revamped lines for last night's game were Kane-Toews-Sharp, Brouwer-Kopecky-Hossa, Bickell-Bolland-Pisani, Stalberg-Dowell-Johnson at forward, and Keith-Leddy, Hjalmarsson-Seabrook, Hendry-Campbell on Defense.
  
• Finally, on the 6th powerplay of the night, the Hawks got a powerplay goal. Toews, fed Kopecky who put a pass between his legs to Kaner, who put it into the net. Even the worst team in the league is going to get lucky, with six straight powerplays.
  

The Bad

• The Hawks had a plethora of powerplay chances, but the powerplay as a whole is clearly still broken. The best chances were as a result of long passes and one-on-one situations. Just remember that the Oilers are the worst penalty kill team in the league.
  
• The Hawks had 3 partial breakaways in the first 22 minutes of the game and couldn't cash in on any of them. The forth was Bickell's breakaway goal, in the second. That is not what I would call efficient.
  
• Ryan Johnson plays his first game in a long while and he felt that he needed to get on the score sheet with a penalty. Looking better every game, Ryan.
  
• Hoss disappeared sometime during the second period intermission, never to be seen again. Reports are that he has a minor upper body injury. Lets hope it is a precautionary issue, and not another serious injury. He was the only Blackhawk to not see ten minutes of ice time.
  
• Toews was only 40% on faceoffs, but he was 64% in the offensive zone. That 0-5 in the neutral zone draws was the downfall. Everyone else was good at the faceoff dot but Kopecky, who was a brutal 33%. Thank god Frolik is coming to save us from any more Kopecky any center debates. OOFFAA!
  

The Ugly

• The Hawks game up Corey Crawford's shutout bid with about three minutes to go in the game, as Crawford kicked a huge rebound out to Jordan Eberle, who one timed it into the net. The Hawks have become the league's epic third period failure team, and if Crawford wasn't solid, they could have easily given up their lead. Getting outshot 8-4 in the third period is not a promising sign. Thanks for taking your foot off the gas ONCE AGAIN, boys. It's become a full fledged habit, at this point.
  

Here are the video highlights for your viewing pleasure:

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Hawks trade Skille for Frolik

As announced by Adam Jahns the Hawks have acquired Michael Frolik and goalie Alexander Salak from Dale Tallon and the Panthers for Jack Skille, Hugh Jessiman and David Pacan. Certainly a win from the looks of things. More on this trade tomorrow.

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Gripes N Grudges, Episode 1 - The Phallac Menace

The Blackhawk nation had a good week to discuss what needed to be done in the last 32 games to make things right, and achieve a decent playoff position. They couldn't NOT make the playoffs, right? Well, we are three games closer to the end of the regular season, and nothing has changed from the previous 50 painful debacles. If no one has found a solution to the peaks and valleys of this team, then it's doubtful that they will, in the last 32 games. Realistically, that's the situation. When all properly coddled and nurtured, the Hawks look like world beaters, and when they are in a funk, they look like dick beaters. The problem is that they look like both world and dick beaters in the same games, and sometimes in the same periods. Nothing has been consistent, or in other words, consistently inconsistent. Did this team rely on Torchetti, Madden, Burish, Ladd, Byfuglien, Sopel, Fraser, Versteeg, and Niemi that much? I honestly still believe they didn't, but this team is doing its best to debunk that theory. So much for all that positive energy I was slinging around pre-camp. I've come to a few conclusions over these 53 games, and most of them are quite negative (shocking, I know).

• Coach Joel Quenneville. He is NOT the master line combination artist that everyone will try and make you think. He has a quick trigger finger, and meddles far too much, far to quickly. Sometimes lines and players need to fight through their issues, but Quenneville won't let a line though a full period without completely uprooting them. Couple that with decisions like Jordan Hendry and John Scott playing as your forth line wingers, and the mad scientist isn't looking so slick now. These are two guys that can't even get time at their natural positions. I know he can only work with what he's given, but he has had choices. Also, Where is this master motivator? There are times when this team doesn't look like it is motivated enough to beat a mite team...but, hey, we'll always have 2010, right?
  
  
• GM Stan Bowman. Not all of this blame can be thrown at Quenneville, as he can only work with the canvas he is given. The "genius" salary cap man has to eat some of this fecal sammich, too. Some of his decisions have been downright looney tunes. John Scott? Ryan Johnson? Nick Boynton? Fernando Pisani? Ryan Potulny? Jeff Taffe? There were other affordable people out there and he went for the sludge at the bottom of the barrel. Turco was a safe bet at the time, and isn't hurting anyone by opening up the door for players coming off the ice. We know the trades had to happen, so his hand was forced. I'll still take Sharpie over Versteeg, Sopel or Byfuglien 100 out of 100 times. At some point, you can't sit around and watch this team implode, and plunge to the depths of the Western conference. He seems to be content to watch this team sink or swim, the way it is.
  
  
• Defenseman Duncan Keith. Mister Norris Trophy. After Monday night's game, Mr. Keith went on an uncharacteristic tirade, when a member of the media asked him about the problems of the power play, as of late. He replied with the following comment, "Fuck the power play; Nobody goes to the net to score goals". It's hard to shock me, but this did. The problem with this, is that when he proceeded to call out his team out, he should have been pointing the finger at himself, too. Granted, he isn't wrong, but Duncan Deuce has to find a way to get the puck TO the net for traffic in FRONT of the net to matter. You would think he has recently taken stock in CCM the way he has tried to destroy opposing players shin pads. The powerplay is what has kept them in quite a few games, so when that goes dry, you have reason to be concerned, Duece.
  
  
• Assistant Mike Kitchen. Last year the powerplay was average at best, and the penalty kill was pretty damn good, and that won them the Stanley Cup. I don't know exactly which special team Haviland took care of and which one Toch took care of, but neither were futile. This season, Haviland has had the PP running on 12 cylinders, on basically talent alone. The penalty kill was new assistant coach, Mike Kitchen's project. We all know how well THAT went. Pretty damn close to last, if not last, in the league. Some changed were made, and Haviland took over the PK, which has magically functional, again. One would be lead to assume that Kitch was moved to oversee the powerplay, which has magically gone limp. Coincidence? Maybe they miss John Tochetti more than we know. Food for thought.
  
  
• Over the past few weeks, I've heard slight whispers from people who think there is some way the Hawks could bring back Ladd, Sopel, or Versteeg. Anyone who thinks that is even a remote possibility needs to be lobotomized. All of them make $3 million or more, and the Hawks have a whopping $358K of cap room. For all of those that are G.E.D. deficient, that's a difference of $2.6 million. Good luck finding that much to trade away for a role player, and none of those players are going to magically turn back the clock to 2010.

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Our Ship is Taking on Water

I guess there aren't going to be many easy ones from here on out, not that we thought there would be. The Hawks came into this one hitting but they weren't exactly causing scoring chances. The Flames were the only ones on the scoreboard after the first period, with a goal off a very sloppy change. The Hawks only managed THREE shots on net in that period, which is utterly pathetic. The second was a little better as the Hawks tied up the game, but they never really had a great deal of scoring chances, despite the powerplays. In the third, the Hawks outshot the Flames 9-7 but gave up the game winner and an empty netter. Not a good showing at all. This just isn't a quality playoff team, because they can't play consistently for any more than a period at a time.

The Good

• The Hawks were the most physical I've seen them all year, in the first period. Seabrook and Brouwer made some big hits. They tried to talk up the Boynton hit on Bourque, but he really just barely clipped Bourque. You can shine up a turd all you want, but it's still a turd.
  
• Captain Serious ALMOST took too much time on the play where the goal was scored. They caught the Flames in a bad line change and were lucky they didn't squander the chance. Luckily Jonny hung onto the puck long enough, as he was going around the net, for Pat Kane to find a soft spot. Tazer found Kane wide open in the slot, and he buried it.
  
• How Nik Hjalmarsson continues to block shots like he does, and continues to roll right back out on the ice, is beyond me. This guy take a BEATING, and has balls of steel.
  

The Bad

• I'm not going to shut up and take this with a smile, so WHY are we being fed so much Nick Boynton? It's just extremely annoying at this point, and I think Quenneville is doing it to piss everyone off, because mission accomplished. I cry UNCLE!!!
  
• I'm not really sure what the hell is going on with the first goal, but SOMEONE, and all signs point to Hjalmarsson, decided to make a change on the D, and left Seabrook and Keith hung out to dry. Keith simply had ZERO chance to make up the ground lost and the Calgary player, Backlund, snuck in between for the breakaway. HORRIBLE change. I was looking to blame Keith, but I watched the play a few times, and I'm fairly sure it was Hammer that went for the late change. Keith wasn't really at fault.
  
• The starting lineup said that Hendry was playing with Boynton, which was incorrect. Leddy was playing with Boynton. Attention to detail guys. It starts from the top on down.
  
• The powerplay is now CLEARLY broken, and scoring on pure talent is NOT working anymore. I am beginning to think assistant coach Mike Kitchen is responsible for this. When he was in charge of the PK, they were AWFUL, and once Haviland took it over, things were better. Now, I'm assuming Kitch is handling the powerplay, while Havi is fixing the PK. How something that was working so well, could just suddenly be broken is beyond me, but here we are.
  
• I'm not entirely sure why, but Nick Leddy sat for a good portion of the second period. Some kind of punishment, apparently, but Nick Boynton can suck it up all night long. Makes sense. That really works well with a 19 year old's ego.
  
• The second Calgary goal was a pretty nice shot by Glencross. Crawford went down early, and got picked apart, but Brouwer got caught chasing the puck, originally, and left Glencross behind him.
  

The Ugly

• THREE shots in the first period? EMBARRASSING!
  
• How many shorthanded chances are we going to give up guys? The Flames are not THAT good on the PK.
  
• Anytime someone wants to let the second line know that they were supposed to play last night, that would be swell. Six total shots by that entire line. Calgary...last night...you missed it, fellas.
  
• Captain Serious was coming off one of his better games, and proceed to stink the joint up at the faceoff dot. Thirty eight percent from the Hawks best faceoff guy. That's all sorts of suck.
  
• Perfect way to end a horseshit game, a bad penalty for mouthing off, and an empty net goal.
  

Here are the video highlights for your viewing pleasure:

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Zebra Hunting

Quenneville decided that he needed to see a little more Marty Turco in net, and it was going to be interesting to see how that would factor in. The first period ended up with the Nucks going up 1-0 late in the period. In the second the Hawks scored 2, but the Nucks scored again late in the period to tie up the game. As you would expect, the third period was a complete dogfight. Unfortunately, the Hawks continued to get no help from the officiating crew and went home 4-3 losers.

The Good

• Finally something good happened for the Hawks, 5 minutes into the second. Captain Serious decided he wanted the puck more than the Nucks Malhotra, and easily out muscled him, took the puck, walked in and picked Borat apart. Watching Borat Bobby-Lu pout after giving that goal up had to make every Hawks fan laugh.
  
• Five minutes later NICK BOYNTON, of all people, had a goal go off his big slow body and into the net. More for Bobby-Lu to cry about. The fan in the background while Boynton was celebrating that was clearly saying "Fuck you, Fuck you, Fuck you" made me chuckle a bit.
  
• Pick-To-Click Vik has been playing with more of an edge, as of late. Someone had to have given him a talk, because he has a new more gritty attitude. This can only be good for him, because he was being manhandled for most if the season.
  
• I never get tired of seeing stupid goals go in on Borat. I could watch those over and over. Bolland and Bick were coming in on a 2-on-2 and Bolland motioned for Bickell to throw it at the net, and Bobby-Lu directed the rebound right to Bolland who blindly threw it back at the net. That is when the Nucks Tanner tried to glove the paukc, directing it right into the net. HILARIOUS!
  

The Bad

• Just over three minutes in and the combo of One Trick Bick and Bolly found themselves in on a 2-on-1. Of course, that is far too much for Bickell to process and he couldn't get the Bolly return pass into his wheelhouse. Chance averted.
  the same thing happened later as a Kaner couldn't take a feed from Bick.
  
• Once again, the Hawks were screwed by a waved off goal. Power Brouwer was screening Bobby-Lu and Bolly put a nice shot in the net. Of course, Bobby-Lu whined like a little girl and got his way. Brouwer never even touched him, but it's clear that if you go to the net, he'll get rattled. The play also started with Campbell and Kaner setting up the play nicely.
  
• He might be a talented guy, but his style and his whiny attitude makes me absolutely HATE Luongo. Toughen up, you little girl.
  
• The second Nucks goal really wasn't Turco's fault. The Hawks were shorthanded and the shot was deflected. The PK warm and fuzzies couldn't last forever. Unfortunately it was yet another goal in the final minutes of a period. That's UNACCEPTABLE.
  
• Shortly after the Hawks went up, Brent Seabrook was called for a questionable penalty and the Nucks went to work. It didn't take them long as Tomax and Xamot, the ginger boys, connected to tie up the game.
  
• Tomax and Xamot were at it again with 4 minutes remaining, as they zigged and zagged, and then put a shot off Brent Seabrook's leg, that just fluttered in. That's your game winner folks, What the hell?
  

The Ugly

• As has happened too often this year, the first Nucks goal was a bad one. Inside two minutes, and Turco lets a LONG shot in from Erhoff. You can say he was screened by Skille, but he had plenty of room to pick it up. As it turned out the play was actually offsides, so just swell on that one.
  
• The Hawks continue to have issues with 5-on-3 powerplays. I don't know how that can be, but ts the case.
  
• I'm not sure was up the officials asses but it wasn't good. SEVERAL times there were calls made that hurt the Hawks. I'm not one to blame games on the officials, but this game was BRUTALLY AWFUL.
  

Here are the video highlights for your viewing pleasure:

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Biggest Dumb Ass in the NHL for $1000, Alex.

There are a lot of real assclowns in the NHL, and I mean A LOT! But the top of the list has to be Islander Goaltender Rick DiPietro. This guy can't keep himself healthy whatsoever, and I mean WHAT-SO-EVER. If someone looks at him cross, he pulls a groin. His knees are made of pure glass. Knowing this full well, the Islanders baby him like a child and cringe at each and every questionable fall or play. So, tonight, he is losing 3-0 in the late seconds of the game and he purposely steps in the way of league ball bag Matt Cooke, but this isn't the most stupid thing he did. After a scrum ensues from the collision, DiPietro sees Penguins Goalie Brent Johnson drifting towards the Islander. The smart thing to do would be just ignore it and take your 3-0 loss like a man. Not DiPietro. He urges Johnson to come down and fight. They drop their gloves and this happens:




You, my friend, just got THUNDERSTRUCK (to steal that retarded John Scott/Pat Foley announcement). Lets watch that left from Johnson once again, in slow motion.





With all his injury problems, he joins in on this ass hattery. Especially the way he steals that salary from the Isles nightly. YOU SIR, are a complete DUMB ASS, Rick DiPietro!

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Late Blue Jackets Wrap, 51 down

My apologies for the late wrap-up, but I was without internet for 24 hours.

Game number 51 started the same way the first 50 did, nothing different. The Jackets went up VERY early in the game, but the Hawks came back with two in the first period to go into second up 2-1. The second period was a shootout with the Hawks scoring 3 and the Jackets scoring 2. The third continued the scoring with the Hawks netting 2 more and the Jackets scoring a bad one. It wasn't really all that solid, but they netted 7 goals. One down and 31 to go.

The Good

• What a way to start the the second half of their season, with a powerplay 6 seconds into the game. Too bad they couldn't cash in.
  
• Nick Leddy picked up a loose puck in the slot and wristed it into the upper corner of the net and went of the post and in. Nothing pretty about it, but it's a goal nonetheless.
  
• I chuckle every time I hear the name Grant Clitsome.
  
• If they didn't score on the 2 man powerplay, I would have been livid, but Keith had an open shot and didn't shoot it into an opponents shin pads, shockingly.
  
• The Hawks third goal was led by Pick-to-Click Vik and Captain Serious on a 3 on 2 that was a 2 on 2 because no one wanted Pisani touching the puck. Jonny and Vik played catch back and forth, and Toews fed Vik on the back door to poke it in the net. Stalberg needed that one, because he was drifting into obscurity. Credit Fernandog with causing a ruckus in front of Mason.
  
• The timeout call by Quenneville obviously woke the Hawks up, and they scored their forth goal off a Jackets turnover that was fed out to Kaner, who buried it.
  
• Jonny B Goode got his third point of the second period with forty seconds remaining and the Hawks shorthanded. He poked a puck past the defense and came in on a 2 on 0 with Duncan Keith and buried it in the net.
  
• Bolly decided to make an appearance in the third period as the Jackets defense gave Bolly and Bick a WEALTH of room, and Bolland snapped it into the net. Weak goal for Garon to give up after relieving Mason in the third.
  

The Bad

• Dick Boynton is NOT who I want to see out there, in the first of a series of important games. Poor Nick Leddy gets paired up with that abortion. Sure enough, he takes a puck off that hideous face in the second period and it ends up in the net.
  
• Goal number one for the Jackets was just weak. Keith completely missed his check on Dorsett, it deflected off Sharpies stick, and Turco looked like he didn't even want to put in a decent play. This is the effort we're going to get Dunc? Dorsett didn't exactly put on a particularly slippery move.
  
• I'm not sure why Bolland is playing with the first PP unit rather than Brouwer, but it's throwing something off.
  
• Brent Seabrook got absolutely wrecked by RJ Umberger while the Hawks were killing a third period penalty by Toews. WRECKED!
  

The Ugly

• On the second Jackets goal, Rick Nash made Toews, Keith and Seabrook like complete DUNG as he walked through the middle of them and fed Broussard for a tap in goal. To make matters worse, the Jackets scored one off the ugly mug of Nick Boynton less than a minute later.
  
• Matt Calvert absolutely shit all over Nicks Boynton and Leddy, and then gave Marty Turco a porno style facial for the finishing move. Way to tie the guy up, Boynton.
  
• I wish I could tell you how the end of the game ended, but the cable went out with 1:30 left and Sharpie going into the box for a trip. SnowJob 2011, thank you very much. Mother Nature is a WHORE!
  

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