Cyanide, Living Dead Inside

The Hawks traveled to Columbus to face the Blue Jackets Friday night, who were without their best players in Steve Mason, and Rick Nash. One would think the Hawks could roll through this one, without incident, but that was NOT the case.

The first period was a very odd one. The Hawks had 2 goals on 4 shots early and then seemed to willingly turn momentum over to the Jackets. The period ended with the Hawks up 2-1, but that wasn't an indication of the play. The second period was a complete clusterfuck of Blackhawk penalties with a double minor and a 5-on-3. The Hawks couldn't even blame the refs, because the calls were straight forward and rightly made. The blame could only be out on the undisciplined play of the Hawks. The only goal in the period was the game tying powerplay goal. I'm tired of emphasizing the disappointment that has been the Blackhawks, later in games. On to the third period. In the third it looked as though the Hawks were going to finish the epic collapse with a late tip in goal by the Jackets, but they got a gift to ties up the game and send the game into overtime. The Hawks had plenty of chances in the OT but never dented the net, and had to win on the last shot of the shootout.

For the life of me, I cannot understand what is going on with this team. They have enough talent and experience to know what needs to be done. To my knowledge, none of them had lobotomies in the off season, but they look like the Hawks of 3 years ago. No one is taking pride in their specific jobs, and they seem to think they can simply coast through on the fumes of last spring. I've read elsewhere that some people think that if they just win, no matter how ugly, it's a moot point. I disagree strongly. No one can play this way, and make it past the first round of the playoffs, much less a team that will most likely face the first of second seed in the entire conference. If we want to sit and hope their find their coconuts in time for the first round, we're going to be sadly disappointed. There should be some panic floating around, becasue the team they just barely clipped last night was simply INFERIOR! The Blackhawks played 6 solid minutes of a 65 minute game and managed to get a win. That is embarrassing.

The Good

• The Blackhawks opened up the scoring immediately after a huge Crawford save at their own end. Kaner and El Capitan had Fedor "Rootin" Tyutin filling his diaper, as they came in on a 2-on-1. Kaner looked off the defender, who backed off into Nowheresville and decided to undress Garon with a snapper. That, folks, was a big boy goal.
  
• A few minuted later, on a Hawks powerplay, Kaner hit Brent Seabrook through a sea of bodies in the crease,on the back door, for a 2-0 lead. You would have thought the flood gates would be opening, but THIS is when it all came crumbling down.
  
• Just a couple of minutes after Sammy Pahlsson put the Jackets up 3-2, Garon completely waved and missed a One Trick Bick wrist shot from about 40 feet out. Looked harmless enough, but ended up in the cage.

The Bad

• Faceoffs were about one might predict. Toews was a hair under 50% with his tired legs. Snake only took 3, but won 2 for them. Kopecky was 38%, Kruger...O-fer, Frodo...O-fer, and our hero, Ryan Johnson was his obnoxious norm of 73%. Any way Johnson can take every faceoff for the remainder of the season?
  
• After the two Hawks goals, the Jackets seemed to find some life, peppering Crow with an arsenal of shots. Just when you thought the Hawks were going to blow out someone, they turned retarded, and irresponsible.
  
• The Jackets gained a score back at about the ten minute mark of the first. Maxin Mayorov redirected a long wrist shot up and over Crow. Not really much that can be done about that kind of goal, except maybe a defenseman harassing him. Really it was a lucky one, but he was allowed too much time and concentration.
  
• After a Jacket penalty, with Frodo in the box, Matt Calvert came right out of the box and was able to work his way in on a break-a-way. He beat Crow and put himself in the net, but left the puck sitting in the crease. Seabrook hustled back and cleared the juicy puck, but the Hawks were playing with fire at this point.
  
• After the Hawks had to kill several penalties, including a 4 minute double minor, Derrick Brassard took a pass on a 5-on-3 and tied up the game. Another wasted lead. This shit isn't going to work in the playoffs. I don't care how ANYONE wants to downplay it.
  
• ANOTHER tip in front of the net resulted in ANOTHER Jackets goal for Sammy Pahlsson. I guess Deuce and Seabrook were far too busy to harass him. Might get their jerseys dirty or something. Why don't they care in their own zone?

The Ugly

• The amount of Blackhawks penalties in the second period was just ludicrous. Wild sticks and sloppy play led the Hawks to wear out a path to the penalty box time after time. You're suppose to get better and more disciplined during the season, not worse.
  
• Nick Leddy = 7:06, Dog Pisani = 4:16, Jake the Snake = 7:32. I understand riding your horses, but your horses aren't performing. If these guys are good enough to play all year, what has changed? They have been jerking Nick Leddy off all season, and all of a sudden he is a liability, and we are going to play with 5 D-men? The Forth line has been consistent all season, but now they aren't worth 10 minutes of TOI a game? Pisani is playing John Scott minutes, and as much as I think Pisani is average at best; he is MUCH better than John Scott. Rolling 3 lines and 5 D-men, in the playoffs, with this team, is going to result in a quick end to the Stanley Cup defense.
  
• How about that Kruger kid? Doing about what I said he would do, eh? In a little over his head? Think Jeff Taffe could do the same job? Just a thought.
  

The Shootout

• Maxim Mayorov couldn't beat Crawford.
  
• El Capitan couldn't even get a flippin shot off.
  
• Kubalik had the 5-hole shut by Crawford.
  
• Kaner was stopped on the backhand, by Garon.
  
• Voracek was beaten by Crawford.
  
• Pick-to-Click Vik beat Garon on a backhand shot that squeaked through.

Here are the video highlights for your viewing pleasure:

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More Than a Feeling

Last night the Blackhawks had a TALL task ahead. I predicted before the game that they would be lucky to get a point from this game, because you have to look at the facts. They were playing one of the top Eastern conference teams, on the second night of a back to back, on the road, after playing an emotionally draining OT game the night before. The advantages were heavily against them, and it showed. I blame this one on the schedule makers, but Quenneville needs to find a way to keep these guys motivated or they will be out of gas come playoff time.

The first period was pretty much what we might have expected, with both teams having some chances, but neither scoring. Boston clearly had the advantage, and that couldn't last all game without biting the Hawks in the ass. The second period is where the Hawks started to fall apart. Two bad Bruins goals took any momentum they had and relentlessly pissed all over it. The Bruins extended their lead in the third period, and the Hawks just ran out of time and gas.

The Good

• Congrats to Mark Recchi on his career point milestone. That is the only nice thing I can say about this game.

The Bad

• Stromboli was on the ice yet again, along with Soupie, for an opposing breakaway. There are just too many defenders that are getting behind him, bottom line. He needs to get his head out of his tuchus, and make sure he's the deepest man, especially if his partner isn't. It's getting old extremely fast, and I know Crow can't be enjoying these shenanigans. I also noticed him below the opponents hash marks FAR too many times. This isn't gym class hockey, where you can just run all over the place, aimlessly. I've seen puppies and small children with more self restraint.
  
• Excuse me, Dog Pisani? Don't shoot it on your own net. Just a small piece of advice. OK? Thanks, signed, Corey Crawford.
  
• Patrice Bergeron not only out fought Hossa for the puck along the boards, but he went in one-on-two, shorthanded, and ended up dangling our Norris trophy winning defenseman right onto his wallet. That's a lesson in defense, there, Duncs.
  
• It's pretty funny how the announcers repeatedly pointed out T-Brouw's horrendous slump, and yet Quenneville is jamming him down our throat, so he can suck the life out of our two top players. WHY? Stalberg has had some excellent games playing with the wonder twins. I suppose we HAD to break THAT up, because you can't have too much of a good thing, right?
  
• The Bruins took a 1-0 lead off a Chara shot that was redirected off Brian Campbell's leg and into the net. Poor Crow can't get ANY help, or even luck. Unfortunately, any wind the Hawks had in their sails was gone after this one. It might as well been 10-0 at that point.
  
• The Bruins pounded the nail in the coffin with Nathan Horton's third period goal, after he beat El Capitan and T-Brouw to the net, as the third man in. Were you a little tired guys, because it was a little obvious?
  
• The Hawks REPEATEDLY, lightly floated the puck towards Thomas from foolish distances, and he ate every one up. Just because the Bruins scored on one of those doesn't mean the former, and probably future, Vezina winning goaltender on the other end will allow one of those meatball goals.
  
• The Hawks were only outshot 34-32 but they looked completely tired and disoriented most of the game.
  
• Kruger and Snake were eaten alive at the dots, going a combined 2-13, but the rest of the team had respectable numbers. Kopecky was a surprise once again, going 8 for 10. Color me shocked.

The Ugly

• The Bruins Thornton should have been called for the knee on knee with Hammer. That was uncalled for, and he could have really jacked up an important player for the Hawks. Maybe he deserved that skate to the forehead, for that one. Karma is a bitch, nutsack. Maybe that's what the Hawks bench was chirping at him about.
  
• Just a few minutes after the Chara goal, the Bruins got a 2-0 lead on a seeing eye floater by Johnny Boychuk, that looked like a Gaylord Perry spitball. THAT, folks, is what we call an awful goal, and Crow needs to make that stop. No excuse for that one.

Here are the video highlights for your viewing pleasure:

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Turkey Wings

Here the Hawks were, in Detoilet, playing a beaten up club, with their 3rd string goalie in net. Was this going to be an easy game? I think not. The way they fought back last week against Pittsburgh was really admirable, especially considering the weapons they have on IR and in the press box.

The first period was fast and furious with the Hawks scoring 2 and the Wings 1. Apparently, Defense wasn't on the agenda with 14 shots a side. The Second had no scoring, but 16 shots aside, which AGAIN led to a one goal third period lead. If you've heard this one before, stop me, but guess who surrendered a third period goal to lose another lead? With a little help from the refs, the Hawks were able to score in OT and win a big game.

The Good

• Three minutes into the game, and El Capitan put the Hawks up 1-0. Troy Brouwer kept the puck in the zone at the blue line, like a boss, and threw the puck at the net. Ronald MacDonald kicked a fat rebound right to Tazer, after he skated right past Ruslan Salei. Way to pay attention to your man, Woosy. After the Tazer roofed the puck, MacDonald looked up as to blame someone else for the rebound. The coverage was absolute dung, man, but that wasn't exactly a blistering shot.
  
• Finally, the Hawks powerplay showed some life, with Seabs sneaking in to Sharpie's usually backdoor position (yeah I know half the female Hawks fans are licking their lips at that one) and putting the puck past MacDonald.
  
• Crow was outstanding all game. Absolutely HUGE, when the Hawks needed him to be. He was the unsung hero of this game, and he deserves more credit than he'll get. Our little boy is growing up right before our eyes.
  
• All the bad defense aside (and you can't claim there was great defense in a game that had 76 shots on net), this was an extremely fun game to watch and was most definitely played with a playoff atmosphere.
  
• Boss 81 was far and above the Hawks best player, and had points on two of the three Hawks goals. Consider his balls out on display for the Detoilet fans to behold. He was obviously out to prove something to the Evil Empire, because he stickhandled through and around opponents multiple times. He could have easily had a hat trick, if he would have done ANYTHING but wind up from 15 feet in front of the net on a breakaway. Really Hoss?
  
• Hey, Mike Babblecock, thanks for keeping Lidstrom on the bench for that OT game winner.
  

The Bad

• Bertuzzi's ass hattery aside, the Hawks need to score on that five minute powerplay. It doesn't help when the refs call a borderline make up penalty like they did, but you need to score nonetheless, rather than give up a 4-on-4 goal.
  
• Speaking of the Lidstrom goal, I'm not sure what Bickell and Kruger were doing, but it was clearly ALL wrong. Eddie tried to defend Krugs, but all the Hawks needed to do was stick with each of their men, and they would have been alright. You can't leave a future Hall Of Famer with that much time. He'll find a way to get that puck to the net, and he did just that.
  
• As much of an adventure the Blackhawks defenders have been in their own zone at times, they can't hold a candle to Stromboli. Maybe it's as a result of bad habits from playing on that shithole team in Ottawa, but it needs to end YESTERDAY. There are times that he has the attention span of a six month old Labrador. Slow it down a little, Slick. You don't have to be EVERYWHERE on the ice, all at once.
  
• Did you really think you were going to get away with kicking that puck in the net, TomoKop? Don't act so surprised, Doofus.
  
• I really can't describe what style of defense the Hawks were playing in the third period, but it was clear that they didn't want to chase the puck anywhere and thought Crow didn't get enough work earlier. There are MANY times, where wide open Wings forwards were able to whack away at free pucks within feet of their own net. Seabrook SPECIFICALLY had a chance to plant someone into 1985, but just stood there and watched him whack at the puck.
  
• Kopecky skating around in circles, the offensive zone, with the puck on his stick, and his head down is accomplishing NOTHING. Work the puck to an open player, and cycle. You're not Hossa, and you never will be. Accept it.
  
• The Hawks got walloped at the faceoff dots. Kruger was 20%, Kopecky was 25%, Toews was 34%, and Ryan Johnson was the lone positive player, with 64%.
  

The Ugly

• Todd Bertuzzi proved that he is not only a criminal, but a complete degenerate. After his little "incident", in Vancouver years ago, you'd think he would be a little more cautious with his elbow. Apparently not. When you go ass first and elbow up, against a defender, you're not trying to do anything but hurt a defender. Fuck you, Todd Bertuzzi.
  
• The Hawks got really lucky that Hammer didn't get called for a penalty shot, when pulling down Holmstrom on a breakaway.
  
• The game tying goal was just pure bad luck. Originally, it looked like Brian Campbell let Dan Cleqary easily direct the puck in, and he DID let Cleary sit there, but it went off Stromboli's skate. Crow had no chance.

Here are the video highlights for your viewing pleasure:

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Duck and Cover - Late Recap

"I love the let you down"


Saturday night the Ducks waddled into town to play the Blackhawks with the hottest top line in the NHL. Bobby Ryan, Ryan Getzlaf, and especially Corey Perry have been torching the league. Lucky for the Hawks, they employ one of the other hot league players, Jonathan Toews. This was not going to be an easy game, and the Hawks knew it.

The opening twenty minutes saw the Blackhawks take a 1-0 lead and held the Quacks to only six shots for the entire frame. Both teams really opened up the ice in the second period, but neither could score. Both teams had twenty shots going into the third period. As has happened MANY times this season, the Hawks couldn't hold a lead and the Ducks scored one goal early, and one late in the period, to take home a 2-1 win. Next to the 3 Detroit games upcoming, this was the Hawks toughest game, and they blew it.

The Good

• The Hawks opened up that scoring on a goal by Boss 81. the puck was bouncing around along the board, and Frodo put a bad pass off Pick-to-Click Vik's skate and right to Hoss, who blazed it past Emery, with a one timer. Just too bad it was the first and last time the Hawks would put the puck in the net.
  
• Crow made a great breakaway save on Bobby Ryan and the follow up rebound by Corey Perry in the second period with Duece and Seabrook defending. This was the second breakaway of the came with only twenty five minutes played. Not a good stat, folks.
  
• The Hawks actually did very well in the faceoff dots. TomoKop was 74%, El Capitan was 60%, Snake was 57%, and Kruger was 50%. Frodo didn't win a faceoff all night, but he only took 4.

The Bad

• Stalberg showed everyone why you can't take too long once you get in the opponents zone with the puck, when a backchecking Ducks player stole the puck off his stick and sent Ryan Getzlaf in on a breakaway.
  
• Hoss had an identical chance in the second, to the one that he scored on in the first, and Emery beat him. The fact that Emery has played this well is really amazing, based on his injury history.
  
• The Ducks first goal was a 3-on-2 executed to perfection against the Blackhawks top defensive duo. It all started in the Ducks end, when Pat Kane couldn't get the puck to the net and Getzlaf sent it the other way. Ryan hung on to the puck long enough to let Getzlaf clear his defender, and Getzlaf fed Perry with a perfect backhand pass. Crawford had no chance.
  
• The game winning goal by Perry was a determined effort by Ryan Getzlaf to out muscle Brent Seabrook, and feed Perry. Perry then turned around in front of Deuce, and fired it over Crow. Game, Set, Match.
  
• The Ducks top line outmatched the Hawks top D pair, 2-0, and that was the game. The Offense needs to score more than one goal, no matter what.

The Ugly

• Corey Perry had 2 goals and could have easily had 4. The guy is just absolutely on a sick streak.

Here are the video highlights for your viewing pleasure:

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Made With Bits of Real Panther, So You Know It's Good

Last night the Hawks were playing the 1st of the final 10 regular season games, against a recently familiar foe, the Florida Sex Panthers. With all the Brian Campbell and Marcus Kruger hoopla going on, in the days leading up to it, this game almost seemed overlooked. Once again, the Hawks would have to face former GM, Player, and Color man Dale Tallon. This was also the first time the Hawks faced their former player, Jack Skille. There is no doubt that the Panthers will use the win earlier in the month and the Tallon/Skille revenge factor as motivation in the game. The drama was abound, and the Hawks HAD to have this win and these two points.

The Blackhawks looked a little sloppy in the first couple of shifts, but tightened up a little later in the period. Even with some decent scoring chances either way, both teams were scoreless in the period. In the second period, the Hawks took a 1-0 lead and were outshooting the Kittens 24-13. In the third period, the clouds parted and the sun shined through, with the Hawks scoring 3 more goals and decidedly shutting out the Sex Panthers 4-0. Exactly what needed to be done.

The Good

• In the second shift of the game, Pick-to-Click Vik used his speed AGAIN, to drive hard to the net. He was blasted into Tomas Vokoun by Mike Weaver, but he had a couple of steps on the defenders, and drew a penalty. That's exactly what Vik needs to continue doing. He did the same thing, again, in the second and fed Kaner for a nice chance. He also scored a big goal, but I'll expand on that more later.
  
• Kruger started on the third line, and second powerplay unit. As would be expected and as I predicted, he wasn't very noticeable. Maybe our new swede is broken!
  
• After three pretty bad powerplays, Seabs unleashed a howitzer of a one timer on a feed from Deuce, to put the Blackhawks up 1-0. It was really a matter of time, because the Hawks had an advantage in chances. The new configuration, with Deuce at the point and Seabs on the trigger side, could work nicely.
  
• Kaner, El Capitan, and Vik played tic-tac-toe, forty six seconds into the third period, and got the Hawks off and running with a 2-0 lead. It SHOULD look that easy all game. The chemistry between those three is going to be important, if the Hawks expect to do anything but get booted in the first round.
  
• Kaner added to the lead, on a hot pass from Deuce. The shot changed speeds after it hist a defender and squirted through Vokoun's 5-hole. Might have been a softy, but Vokoun was pounded like an porn star all game long. The percentages were with the Hawks.
  
• Open up the flood gates with a little Czech connection. Boss 81 lead the rush and fed Frodo, who sent the puck back across the ice to Tomokop, who hit a GAPING net, and the Hawks were up 4-0.
  
• Crow earned a well deserved shutout, but lets face it, the Hawks SHOULD shut this team out. They are inferior and really should be whipped all over the rink.

The Bad

• Even with the Seabrook powerplay goal, the Hawks should have had MANY more chances against a team like the Panthers. I'm not sure what happened, but it started before Sharpie got hurt. Again, not a time to go cold, gentlemen.
  
• When Tomas Kopecky (3-4, 75%)leads the team in faceoff percentage, and Frodo (7-11, 64%)is right behind him, your team had a rough night at the dots. El Capitan was over 50%, but Kruger, Snake, and Johnson were all under 50%.

The Ugly

• In a 4-0 shutout, there can't really be much UGLY, so I'll give the team a break. I can't be a "Debbie Downer" every night.

Here are the video highlights for your viewing pleasure:

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Marcus Krüger will Disappoint You All

GREAT, now I have your attention.

The intarweb has been abuzz with talk of newest Blackhawk center, Marcus Krüger, and probably for good reason. This season has been full of terrible let downs for Chicago fans, after winning the Stanley Cup last June, and we all need something to look forward to. The resulting Stanley Cup salary cap purge upset many fans even though we all knew, or should have known, it was coming. The signing of Marty Turco was suppose to lighten the burden of losing Antti Niemi to the turdly Sharks, but Turco has not been the important piece we thought he would be. The Hammer signing, though storied and dramatic, was important but he has been quietly and under the radar. El Capitan started very slow this season, and Deuce has his head firmly jammed up his tuchus for a majority of the year. New guys Stalberg, Skille, Dowell, Johnson, and Leddy have all done serviceable jobs, but didn't quite fill the shoes of their predecessors. Jack Skillington brought us Michael Frolik and Alex Salak, but we have yet to get anything special out of those two, yet. The trade from Stromboli brought us a game winning goal the other night, but he too has been up and down. The only real nice surprises have been the jump in production from Shooter, the 36 points of Bryan Bickell, and the unexpected success of Corey Crawford, which brings me to my initial point:

Marcus Krüger will disappoint you all.

Before I get a hundred nasty twatter messages, and a boatload of angrily typed Facebook comments, hear me out. When Kruger steps out on the ice, tonight, wearing his brand new #16 jersey, he will probably show some flash and talent. What he will NOT do, is become the next Chicago Hockey Messiah, aka Jonathan Toews. He is twenty years old, and has played European style hockey his whole life. It is going to take him time to adjust, and he might even have some awful games before he gets acclimated. This is what young, European, 5th round draft picks do. They take some time to adjust to the NHL. It wouldn't be the NHL if everyone could step right in, at 20, and do it. You're not going to see Toews, or Kane numbers out of him, maybe EVER. He has the tools to become a smaller, David Bolland, and that's not too shabby, folks. We should expect that he will get out muscled in his own zone a bit, but make some smart, and maybe even dazzling, plays in the offensive end. Young, smallish players can usually keep up offensively, but take some time to get use to the bigger and rougher NHL, not to mention the smaller ice surface. He's not going to be able to dance around people like Chris Pronger or Niklas Kronwall, so he's likely to be planted onto his doopa a time or two. Lets face it, if he was best thing since the "Slap Chop", StanBo and Quenneville never would have let him board that plane back to Sweden, in training camp. All this is fine and well, and I think the guy has some solid NHL talent, but lets all set our expectations at a reasonable level, before this bandwagon even gets-a-rollin, cowboys and girls.

Now, you can all now hit delete, on those hate laced messages. Remember, sarcasm; It's alive and well right here. I'll leave you on a slightly better note. Here is Krüger's first Blackhawks interview, this morning. Go Hawks!




Lastly, Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th movies have absolutely nothing to do with each other. In the crossover version, Jason Vorhees was Kruger's enemy, so all this "he should wear #13" jazz is just plain dumb. Come up with something that is actually CLEVER.

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Tales from the Emergency Room

After the morning skate and press picnic, here are the latest updates on the Blackhawks developments:

• According to multiple sources, Quenneville says the Hawks HOPE to have Sharp back before the end of the regular season. Note the word HOPE, folks. Don't start planning the ticker tape parade down Washington Street, just yet. Nothing is set in stone, and that is purely an estimate. Though they indicated that it's "not serious", it's still a knee injury, and he's not going to be 100% when he comes back. Remember how Kaner came back early from his injury and took a good two weeks to be able to do anything productive. Best case scenario, the Hawks are without him for the 10 remaining games, with three against DIVISION rival, Detroit. Stellar timing on this one, and thank you, Rosty Klesla, for tripping over your own feet.
  
  
• According to Chris Kuc at the Tribune, The deal to bring Swedish Center Marcus Kruger to Chicago was in motion prior to the loss of Sharpie. The wheels were set in motion when Dave Bolland was injured, by a pointless elbow to the back of the head, resulting in "concussion-like symptoms". He is expected to be in Chicago for tomorrows morning skate. With Bolland and Sharpie out, I wouldn't be surprised to see him make his Blackhawks debut tomorrow night.
  
  
• Brian Campbell skated this morning with the team. He is a game time decision on Wednesday's game against the Panthers. He told reporters that he felt winded, but fine otherwise. That's good news for the powerplay, in time for Saturday's game against the Ducks, at worst.
  

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Anyone for Doomsday?

A developing story is growing legs and running, here, regarding Swedish center Marcus Kruger. In a nutshell, his Swedish Elite League team is reporting that he is en route to Chicago. Here are a couple of links with some information:

Djurgarden's Official team site

The Third Man In, Chris Block article

Matt McClure at Second City Hockey

Puck Daddy on Marcus Kruger

What does this mean for the Chicago Blackhawks? As speculation rises like the filthy, rancid foam of a porta-potty, people are getting anxious. For my money, this means one of two things, and I will give you the bad news first:

• Patrick Sharp is out for, what could be, the rest of the season.
  
• The Hawks have no faith in any of the players in Rockberia, and need some depth for the playoffs.

As much as people will play it off, and wish real hard, I'm expecting the first scenario. Even though Tracy Meyers, at CSN, has reported to seeing Sharp walking with a noticeable limp but no brace, the way Sharpie went off the ice the other night looked more serious than when Jordan Hendry was helped off the ice a few weeks ago. We are all well aware of THAT outcome. All that side, The Hawks don't want to burn a year Jeremy Morin's contract, and he has been hurt. They also don't seem to have a great deal of confidence in ANYONE on the Sloar Hogs, so with Kruger's team being eliminated from their playoffs, I guess this was the best option. The Hawks have a log jam at center, but no one is really jumping to that next level. Bolland has been hurt, Frodo is a winger in a center's costume, Dowell isn't lighting the world on fire lately, and Ryan Johnson isn't really anything other than a third line shutdown guy, at best. Lets be frank, here, Bolland is dealing with a concussion, which can be a very tender thing to deal with. If the Hawks have to get hot for this stretch run without Bolland OR Sharp, things are going to get sticky, and I haven't even mentioned Campbell leaving the Defensive core thin. As things get announced, I will try and pass them on, in the meantime, here are some video highlights featuring Kruger (#32):

Complete with bad Hair Metal music

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Road Warriors

"These are not the droids you're looking for"


Last night's game was yet ANOTHER crucial game. It was against a conference rival that is in the playoff race. The Hawks needed to gain 2 points, but yield none to the Yotes, which was no easy task. Sunday, it was announced that Ben Smith had been recalled from Rockberia. This would make sense, because of the roster debacle the other night in Dallas, but then Smith was a healthy scratch for the game, and sent back to Rockberia immediately following the game. That did a whole world of good. ANYWAY, there was a game played last night, and lets get on to it!

The first period was pretty slow paced, to say the least, but the Hawks still managed a 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, they had to start the second period minus one of their most important players, Patrick Sharp. That injury could be a deal breaker, so lets hope it's nothing. The second period was just about as boring and slow as the first period, but this time it was the Yotes that scored in the closing minutes of the period to tie the game up at 1. All the Hawks needed was one late third period power play goal to get the Blackhawks a 2-1 win. It was a solid team win, and something they needed to accomplish.

The Good

• Due to the rearranged lines, the Hawks looked like they were a little off with their passes, early on in the game, even with the nice chances they had.
  
• The Defensive lines were back to something that resembled reasonable. Duece and Seabrook were back together, Hammer played with Kid Leddy, and Scott played with Stromboli, when Scott snuck off the bench and actually touched ice.
  
• Deuce took an open pass from Leddy, simply turned, and buried a shoot 5-hole on Bryzgalov, on the powerplay that followed the Sharp injury. After a slow first with few chances, that was a great way to go into the first break.
  
• For the second game in a row, Vik Stalberg showed off his blazing speed, by just chipping the puck ahead and putting on the afterburners. Bryzgalov beat him to the puck, but people notice that that kind of play. In the third period he was the recipient of some meaningful playing time with the top line, and was all OVER the rink.
  
• The powerplay came up huge once again, on a gorgeous feed from El Capitán to Stromoli. Stromboli one timed the pass into a gaping net. Once again, when the game is on the line El Capitán flexes his enormous coconuts.
  
• Frodo just seems to have better and better games, since being acquired in early February. He has been extremely solid on both ends of the ice, making big plays on the back check, forechecking and setting up big plays in the offensive ends. He is certainly not perfect, but for his size, he digs and skates hard.
  
• Crawford was nothing, if not spectacular. The only goal he gave up was a shot that was going well wide of the net and hit his own player. NO goalie can be expected to save that. His two huge saves on Ray Whitney were as clutch as you can get. First star of the game, for sure.
  
• The faceoff stats weren't all that shabby, as Ryan Johnson won a ridiculous 73% of the ones he took. The Snake won 62%, and El Capitán won 47%. Frolik and Kopecky went a deplorable 1-10, so I guess that evens out Johnson's stats.
  
• I hate to say it, but as much as I like Snake, Ryan Johnson is playing too well to only get 9:25 on the ice. In that time he took 11 faceoffs (winning 8), and spent 1:06 killing penalties (which was the most on the team). We're finally seeing this Faceoff Artist and Penalty Killer extraordinaire. Better late, than never, I suppose.
  

The Bad

• Like the Hawks need the angel of death visiting them anymore, but sure enough, Shooter went down at the end of the first on a delayed penalty, as "Rusty" Klesla rolled up on his leg.
  
• Kaner made bad passes in his zone twice in the matter of a few seconds, which resulted in Crow having to come up with a big stops. Definitely a case of someone trying to do too much, and he needs to knock that shit out.
  
• Big Show's TOI = 4:21. WHY are we still doing this? He is bring nothing to the Hawks team dynamic. His job is "sneak out there, don't fuck up, sneak off". Call him a cheap alternative, I don't care, because he has been USELESS.
  
• Still no Biz Nasty. One big "BOO", for that.

The Ugly

• The Yotes tied up the game with 1:17 left in the second on a dump in, that was clearly going wide of the net, which ended up going off Kid Leddy and into the net. Crow just has NO luck.
  

Here are the video highlights for your viewing pleasure:

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Dear Blackhawks Media

I can admit when a man is much smarter, well spoken, and sarcastic than yours truly, which is why I needed to pass this piece on. It is by Sam Fels of the Committed Indian/Second City Hockey/Madhouse Enforcer, with some footnotes from The Fifth Feather. It's a great read, and all involved deserve to be commended. This is a link to the actual article: Dear Blackhawks Media, so please support them, as well. They work their asses off, between porno and drinking binges.

How's it going, guys? Enjoying the sun of Texas and Arizona? I hope you are, I know some of you could probably use the rays. Anyway, we need to talk. There are just some things we have to discuss.

Before I go any further, you should all go read The Fifth Feather's latest post. As usual, they've stated what we're thinking better than we can. It's hard enough that they're so much better looking than we are, but the gap in intelligence is getting really galling. I know all of you read this, for the most part. I've seen enough evidence to prove that. But you should read them too.

Anyway, the point of all this is that we'd like some answers. While you all swallow the propaganda that the Hawks are hurt and up against the cap, it really isn't that way. We really can't ignore the mismanagement of this team any longer. There really isn't any excuse to skate one man short last night, though that had no baring on the result. The Hawks could have had 25 guys dressed, that kind of effort will always result in a paddling. But you see, this isn't the first time Stan Bowman has ignored the options available to him, such as LTIR or just the regular old IR.

Remember Marian Hossa last year? Missed close to the first two months? Wasn't on LTIR? Could have saved quite the dollar had he been. Instead, you all were so quick to bullhorn the geniusness of Stan as he shuttled Jack Skille and others back and forth between Rockford to save a nickel, a dime, possibly a bus pass. Lapped it up, you did. But it didn't make any sense then. Still doesn't now.

Here we are again. Jordan Hendry will almost certainly never play for the Hawks again. He's out until next season when he's UFA, and probably going elsewhere. And yet there he is, taking up a spot. Why? We don't know, and we can't find out. But you can. Maybe you should?

Had Hendry been moved to LTIR, his salary matches up pretty ok with Ben Smith, who could have been called up for a game or two without exceeding the cap. I know, I did the math. Again, the presence of Ben Smith isn't going to win or lose the Hawks any games. But they wouldn't have to go with 17 skaters. We know Dave Bolland won't be back for a bit, he could just be on IR. You could even do it retroactive to his first game missed, which was against the Caps. So he would only have to miss Sunday, which he's going to anyway, and Wednesday at home against Florida which you really shouldn't need him for -- the Sunrise loss notwithstanding. You could carry more. But the Hawks don't. Why? We'd like to know. And maybe at this point putting Hendry on LTIR doesn't save cap space, but it opens up a roster spot, as would just normal IR. We know they have the space.

Or is it because they're so afraid of anything being tacked to next year's cap? If Stan is such a cap expert, which the Hawks are in such a hurry to express to you and have you spread across your pages and airwaves, he can't find his way around being deprived of a few grand instead of the four mildo he was last summer? That can't be the case.

But we're not done. Why is John Scott here? You've never bothered to find out. Sure, there was a brief mention of "physical presence". But why didn't anyone mention the Hawks won a Cup without that last year? Why was it more important this year?

Why do the Hawks have 50 contracts? Why is Marcus Kruger signed when he's in Sweden when we all knew he would be? Why is Brandon Pirri wasting everyone's time in Rockford and possibly stunting his development irrevocably? If they knew Dylan Olsen was going to flunk out of school, why wasn't he sent to junior? Did the Hawks really think he was ready for the AHL? Why are there still seven d-men down there, some who really need top four time not getting it? Why was Jassen Cullimore sent down instead of Nick Boynton, who you then lost anyway? Is Nick Leddy here simply because you couldn't guarantee the minutes in The Rock? What happened with Mark Stuart? Was Atlanta's offer that much better? Probably, but it would have been nice to know. When they dressed Scott and Hendry on the fourth line, why? We never got an answer.

Look, as I said, we know you read this. And we're fine with that. We like to help. But I don't think you're using this in the right way. It feels as though we're just being mined for ideas. That's fine, it must be hard writing a story every day. There are four of us and we don't even do that. But this could be a real tool to help you understand what the real Hawks fans are concerned about and want answers to. We know you don't face the pressure from editors that you would in Toronto or Montreal. We get that. They don't care. But we care. And aren't you here for us, not your editors or bosses? Are you so afraid of the brass? Don't you know we'd be right behind you if your credentials were stripped because you asked the questions we wanted to hear answers to? Look at our numbers, we could cause something of an uproar.

I feel like we can be working together better. We shouldn't be enemies. We know you look down at us at times, and that's fine. Sometimes our behavior warrants that. But our goals are more similar than you might think. I think we can help. Maybe I'm wrong. But try it, and see.

Sincerely,

Sam

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