Game 2 of the 3 game rookie tournament in Oshawa this afternoon saw the hawks forwards get untracked offensively, but the defense was unable to stop Ottawa and the hawks dropped their 2nd game within 19 hours, in a wide-open affair.
There were 4 lineup changes for the hawks from last night. Scratched skaters were Philippe Paradis (with a suspected concussion suffered in last night's game), Chris DiDomenico (who scored the hawks' first goal vs. Toronto) and Dylan Olsen, replaced by Paul Zanette, and invitees Peter Leblanc and Neil Manning. Johan Mattson replaced Mac Carruther in goal.
The hawks again gave up the first goal, early in the first on a scramble in front, but they quickly got that one back, with Leblanc moving in from the left side fired a shot that beat Sens rookie goalie Matej Machovsky. Later in the first, the hawks got a powerplay, but some nonchalant play by the hawk defenseman Lavin retrieving the puck behind his own net & some aggressive fore-checking by Ottawa penalty killer Corey Cowick lead to a turnover, with the puck heading toward the crease. Hawk goalie Mattsson was slow in covering the left side of the net and as he slid over, he actually knocked the puck into his own net with his left leg pad, which made it 2-1 Ottawa.
Hawks quickly responded again on the same power-play, with Brandon Saad again connecting for his 2nd goal of the tourney (& 3rd point), standing just off to the right of the net and flipping in a rebound to make it 2-2, with Jimmy Hayes creating traffic in front & earning an assist on the pp goal.
Saad struck yet again late in the first, with his 3rd goal of the tourney, to put the hawks up 3-2 at the end of the first, outshooting the Sens rookies 17-12.
Ottawa came out flying in the 2nd, and with the help of a couple of power play opportunities, seemed to wear down the hawks and converted on one of their chances, with Sens Dman Stephane DaCosta scoring the natural hat trick - the 2nd with a blast from the point that beat Mattson high stick side on the powerplay to make it 4-3, and followed that up shortly afterwards with another slapper this time low stick side, where Mattsson was apparently screened, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration as Ottawa took a 5-3 lead.
Hawks managed to get a late powerplay of their own in the period, and this time it was Jimmy Hayes making a nice move from close in, lifting a backhander past Machovsky to pull the hawks within 1, at 5-4. Saad picked up another assist on the play, giving him 3 points on the game, and 5 in 5 periods. He should have had yet another assist when he made a beautiful cross-ice pass to a hawk all alone in front, who simply missed getting his stick on it to steer it into a yawning cage.
The third period saw the checking get tighter, as both teams tried to clamp down on the scoring chances that were abundant in the first two periods. Both teams nevertheless managed to hit iron, and late in the third, the Sens struck again, hemming the hawks in their own zone and seemingly putting the game out of reach.
But less than a minute later, Jimmy "Purple" Hayes found himself high in the slot with the puck, and after taking a quick look, fired a wrister that beat Machovsky for his second of the game, making it 6-5. The Hawks then pressed again in the Ottawa zone, but lost control of the puck and Phillip Danault attempting to swipe it away from a Sens player, caught his skates with his stick, knocking him down & was assessed a minor for tripping with a minute left.
Ottawa closed out the game by keeping the puck in the hawk zone to kill off the clock.
Danault had left the game in the 2nd period after taking a stick in the mouth, apparently from his own player as no penalty was called on the play. It appeared that Danault lost some teeth on the play, with blood dripping on the ice. After a minute, he got up & skated off, with Joe Lavin appearing to retrieve a lost chicklet from the ice and following them to the bench to give it to the trainer. Danault missed the rest of the second for repairs, but returned to start the third. (His parents were sitting behind me & his father indicated it wasn't the first tooth he has lost lol).
Observations on the game.
This was a more wide open game than last night - more emphasis on skating and not nearly as physical, which probably suited both teams more. The Sens have some excellent rookies as evidenced by winning the AHL Calder Cup championship last year and shutting out the Pens rookies 4-0 yesterday afternoon.
Brandon Saad continues to be the story of the tourney for the hawks - another excellent offensive performance - he was a threat every time he was on the ice, and produced whoever his linemates were. Hawks coaches continued juggling their lines throughout the game, giving different guys opportunities to play with Saad & Hayes.
Jimmy Hayes is going to be a very productive NHL forward - Great size at 6'5, but he can skate (not quite Viktor Stalberg speed, but very quick acceleration) and he has fantastic hands that he showed again today. How Burke could have given up on this guy is baffling, tho I suspect that Hayes doesn't play it rough & tough enough for Burke. I would like to see him use his size more & be more physical throwing his weight around out there to create more space (and if he did, he would be a dominating player), but it doesn't seem to be his game - tho I doubt he is a pushover - he doesn't go looking for trouble, but doesn't appear to be afraid to stand up for himself or teammates either.
Danault had another solid performance - he's played better than MacNeil, who seems to be having some trouble adjusting (or perhaps he was overrated?). MacNeil made at least 3 blind passes that were all picked off and was not an offensive threat, while Danault seemed to have a nose for the puck and the areas to be in offensively. His skating seemed more effortless than MacNeil and he seemed more determined in his play, looking more comfortable offensively. I don't have the plus minus stats & took more note of the the hawks offensive performance than who was responsible for the goals against, so perhaps MacNeil might have been better defensively of the two, but right now, I'd take Danault. That said, both guys are only 18 & I don't expect they'll be playing in Chicago for a couple of years.
Toews didn't seem to get as much ice time today - he didn't get on the scoresheet, but when he was out there, he went all out - just didn't get that much accomplished offensively.
Gilbert & Froese were more noticeable than last night, showing some flashes of ability, though can't say they made a big impact.
The two invitees in the lineup, Leblanc & Manning also put in fairly solid performances - with Leblanc scoring the first goal & Manning showing some good skating & mobility at the back end, tho didn't look that big.
Paul Zanette, also in his first game of the tourney, had some decent shifts, but had limited ice time and impact.
On defense, Joe Lavin looked fairly steady, tho he did have some lapses, particularly on the play that led to the shorthanded goal against. He's a decent skater & puck mover, and is a fairly aggressive defender (as all hawk defensemen appeared to be) in terms of challenging the puck carrier in the hawk zone.
Danis-Pepin may appear as a physically intimidating presence at 6'6, but as mentioned before, he's not overly physical and while a decent skater for his size, his puck handling needs some work - to me, he seems like an average 5'11 defenseman playing in a 6'6 body.
It was hard to pick out any stalwarts from among the hawk dmen - they seemed fairly interchangeable - though giving up six isn't going to help any of their causes.
Johan Mattsson looked shaky on a couple of goals, especially the own goal he knocked into his own net with his left leg pad when sliding across the crease, though he also made some nice saves on difficult chances, and picked up a delay of game penalty when he played the puck in the trapezoid area, tho seemed to dispute the call. He also seemed to show his frustration after the 5th goal, a low point shot by DaCosta which he apparently didn't see - something which I'm not sure his teammates or coaches would have been that impressed.
Overall, another entertaining game, well-played for the most part with some lapses by the defense & goaltending that ended up costing them.
The two guys that have really stood out so far have been Brandon Saad & Jimmy Hayes with an honorable mention to Phillip Danault. These are three guys to keep an eye on in the hawks regular camp.
In a nice gesture, there was a moment of silence prior to the US National Anthem in memory of the September 11th victims back in the 2001 terrorist attacks in the US.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Rookie Hawks can't hold on, drop 4-2 decision to rookie Leafs
Hockey is back & if the first game of the pre-season by the rookie Hawks & Leafs was any indication, the players are chomping at the bit for some meaningful action.
There were some big bodies in both lineups, the leafs featuring two forwards listed at 6'5, 200+, and another forward & 2 defensemen at 6'4, 200+. The hawks had their own 6'5, 200+ forward in Jimmy Hayes, and defenseman Simon Danis-Pepin at 6'6, 229.
In a spirited, well-played game, featuring 3 fights and some heavy hitting, the rookie hawks looked like the more poised team for stretches, but couldn't hold on to a 2-1 third period lead, eventually yielding 3 goals in the final 10 minutes.
Brandon Saad was the most dangerous looking hawk, making a beautiful pass to set up Chris DiDomenico in front in the 2nd period to tie the score at 1, then skated in on a 2 on 1, deking the goalie & flipping a deft backhand past Garret Sparks to put the hawks up 2-1 in the 3rd.
The hawks squandered 4 power play opportunities - they managed to control the puck in the offensive zone for the most part, but didn't get enough shots off, spending much of the time cycling & passing, looking to set up a teammate for a better chance that often never came. The penalty kill looked good, particularly early in the game, aggressively killing off the leafs powerplay which never really threatened. The Leafs had two power plays on the night.
The last hawk power play proved costly, as they failed to convert and at the end of it gave up possession at center, where the Leafs Kenny Ryan managed to elude a Hawk defenseman and fired a wrist shot from inside the circle that beat Mac Carruth high on the glove side, to tie the game at 2.
A few minutes later, leaf defenseman Jake Gardiner rushed up the ice and moved in on the right wing and from a similar position as Ryan, fired a wrister that beat Carruth high again, this time on the stick side. Carruth, who is 6'2 and takes up a lot of the net, went down early again, leaving the top of the net exposed & was unable to react quickly enough. He gets the benefit of the doubt on Ryan's goal, but not on the game winner - the 3rd leaf goal was all on him.
The hawks tried to mount a come back, but couldn't find an opening as the leafs did an effective job of collapsing defensively & clogging the front of the net. In the final minute, the hawks got caught in their own zone, with the leafs pressing, and Gardiner moved in from the blueline to finally convert from a scramble in front, beating Carruth for a 4th time.
Overall, both teams played well in an entertaining game. It was clear they were both anxious to get started and make a good impression on the coaches & brass in attendance.
Early in the first, after some scuffling in front of the hawk net, where the hawks picked up a minor penalty, 5'10 Andrew Shaw didn't back down from a challenge by 6'5 Jamie Devane. Shaw ended up taking the worst of it, absorbing several solid shots including a vicious uppercut, but didn't go down against the much bigger Devane, who later scored the game's first goal on a wraparound play from behind the net, midway through the first.
Rob Flick avenged Shaw's loss by pounding on a leaf rookie in a 2nd period fight, in a much fairer tilt in terms of size match-up. The towering 6'6 Simon Danis-Pepin finished the fight card for the night, with a heavyweight tilt versus 6'4 Dave Cowan with both players landing some good punches and then apparently agreeing to call it off before the linesmen stepped in.
Some observations on some of the notable hawk rookies and others who stood out to me.
1st round picks Mark McNeil & Philip Danault didn't look out of place, though they appeared smallish compared to some of the guys they were up against. They are still only 18 (their birthdays are two days apart in February) so they have a lot of time to improve & perhaps get bigger. Danault's skating actually impressed me a bit more than McNeil's.
David Toews, even smaller than McNeil & Danault, but he didn't shy away from the tough areas, and showed some good hockey sense. He broke up a leafs chance on one play by coming back hard on the back-check, reminiscent of his older brother. I think he has a legit shot, perhaps as a 3rd/4th liner.
Jimmy Hayes - good skater for his large frame and has some nice hands - he controlled or came up with the puck in traffic a couple of times - the only thing I would have liked to have seen more from him is using (i.e. throwing) his body around to create some space for himself & his linemates.
Andrew Shaw - have to admire his courage standing in against a much bigger player & taking his lumps, in a fight I think the linesmen should have moved in earlier to stop, given the mismatch in size. I question how long he can last if he keeps that up tho.
Brandon Saad - looked dangerous whenever he had the puck, which was a fair amount. His line with DiDomenico & Danault were involved in both hawk goals & controlled the play for the most part when they were on the ice. One guy to keep an eye on.
Other forwards were ok - No one looked out of place or outmatched - and were noticeable at certain points. The coaches mixed the lines up at points throughout the game to get some offense going, but to not much avail. There were no "superstars" out there, but some solid players. Rensfeldt & Gilbert stood out for their size, but need to use it more. Phillipe Paradis left the game in the 1st after taking a crunching hit in the offensive zone, where his head appeared to be smashed against the end glass. He did not return.
On defense, I tried to keep an eye on Dylan Olsen, 1st round pick from 2009 - good size, decent puck handler, needs to shoot more from the point, especially on the pp (as do all hawk Dmen, rookies or otherwise). The one thing that concerns me is his skating - He seems ok once he gets up to speed, but he got caught flat-footed a couple of times when he was forced to turn around. I don't think that will cut it in the NHL.
Shawn Lalonde appeared to be a better skater than Olsen, but doesn't have the size or physicality - was on the point for the 1st pp unit, but didn't connect.
Stanton & Youds were solid, Stanton having good size, though perhaps not the offensive upside as Olsen perhaps. He did show some good sense moving in from the point to keep the puck in deep on one play, but need to see more of him (as with others) to get a better handle.
Simon Danis-Pepin - at 23, he was probably the oldest "rookie" out there - as tall as he is, he looks slender at 229 and too easy to knock off the puck as his center of gravity probably gives smaller guys leverage on him. He's not a bad skater, puck handling is questionable - he lost it in his skates at one point, tho recovered. Hawks could have drafted Tyler Myers but took Kyle Beach instead.
Goaltending - Carruth went the entire game (Leafs switched goalies halfway through) - he wasn't overly tested, except for the goals that beat him - he went down too early on at least the winner, and looked a bit slow on the wrap-around first leaf goal.
Overall, not a bad performance, especially considering these guys have had exactly one practice together. While they stood up to the physical challenges, it seemed there were only certain guys who were consistently looking to take the body & throw some big checks. I think the "senior" hawks need more of that and the rookies that show that will give themselves a better chance of making an impression with the big club's coaches.
Well see how they do tomorrow against Ottawa, which has some excellent rookie prospects in their system, with Binghamton winning the Calder Cup last year, plus several highpicks in 2011 draft. The rookie Sens beat the rookie Pens 4-0 earlier in the day.
There were some big bodies in both lineups, the leafs featuring two forwards listed at 6'5, 200+, and another forward & 2 defensemen at 6'4, 200+. The hawks had their own 6'5, 200+ forward in Jimmy Hayes, and defenseman Simon Danis-Pepin at 6'6, 229.
In a spirited, well-played game, featuring 3 fights and some heavy hitting, the rookie hawks looked like the more poised team for stretches, but couldn't hold on to a 2-1 third period lead, eventually yielding 3 goals in the final 10 minutes.
Brandon Saad was the most dangerous looking hawk, making a beautiful pass to set up Chris DiDomenico in front in the 2nd period to tie the score at 1, then skated in on a 2 on 1, deking the goalie & flipping a deft backhand past Garret Sparks to put the hawks up 2-1 in the 3rd.
The hawks squandered 4 power play opportunities - they managed to control the puck in the offensive zone for the most part, but didn't get enough shots off, spending much of the time cycling & passing, looking to set up a teammate for a better chance that often never came. The penalty kill looked good, particularly early in the game, aggressively killing off the leafs powerplay which never really threatened. The Leafs had two power plays on the night.
The last hawk power play proved costly, as they failed to convert and at the end of it gave up possession at center, where the Leafs Kenny Ryan managed to elude a Hawk defenseman and fired a wrist shot from inside the circle that beat Mac Carruth high on the glove side, to tie the game at 2.
A few minutes later, leaf defenseman Jake Gardiner rushed up the ice and moved in on the right wing and from a similar position as Ryan, fired a wrister that beat Carruth high again, this time on the stick side. Carruth, who is 6'2 and takes up a lot of the net, went down early again, leaving the top of the net exposed & was unable to react quickly enough. He gets the benefit of the doubt on Ryan's goal, but not on the game winner - the 3rd leaf goal was all on him.
The hawks tried to mount a come back, but couldn't find an opening as the leafs did an effective job of collapsing defensively & clogging the front of the net. In the final minute, the hawks got caught in their own zone, with the leafs pressing, and Gardiner moved in from the blueline to finally convert from a scramble in front, beating Carruth for a 4th time.
Overall, both teams played well in an entertaining game. It was clear they were both anxious to get started and make a good impression on the coaches & brass in attendance.
Early in the first, after some scuffling in front of the hawk net, where the hawks picked up a minor penalty, 5'10 Andrew Shaw didn't back down from a challenge by 6'5 Jamie Devane. Shaw ended up taking the worst of it, absorbing several solid shots including a vicious uppercut, but didn't go down against the much bigger Devane, who later scored the game's first goal on a wraparound play from behind the net, midway through the first.
Rob Flick avenged Shaw's loss by pounding on a leaf rookie in a 2nd period fight, in a much fairer tilt in terms of size match-up. The towering 6'6 Simon Danis-Pepin finished the fight card for the night, with a heavyweight tilt versus 6'4 Dave Cowan with both players landing some good punches and then apparently agreeing to call it off before the linesmen stepped in.
Some observations on some of the notable hawk rookies and others who stood out to me.
1st round picks Mark McNeil & Philip Danault didn't look out of place, though they appeared smallish compared to some of the guys they were up against. They are still only 18 (their birthdays are two days apart in February) so they have a lot of time to improve & perhaps get bigger. Danault's skating actually impressed me a bit more than McNeil's.
David Toews, even smaller than McNeil & Danault, but he didn't shy away from the tough areas, and showed some good hockey sense. He broke up a leafs chance on one play by coming back hard on the back-check, reminiscent of his older brother. I think he has a legit shot, perhaps as a 3rd/4th liner.
Jimmy Hayes - good skater for his large frame and has some nice hands - he controlled or came up with the puck in traffic a couple of times - the only thing I would have liked to have seen more from him is using (i.e. throwing) his body around to create some space for himself & his linemates.
Andrew Shaw - have to admire his courage standing in against a much bigger player & taking his lumps, in a fight I think the linesmen should have moved in earlier to stop, given the mismatch in size. I question how long he can last if he keeps that up tho.
Brandon Saad - looked dangerous whenever he had the puck, which was a fair amount. His line with DiDomenico & Danault were involved in both hawk goals & controlled the play for the most part when they were on the ice. One guy to keep an eye on.
Other forwards were ok - No one looked out of place or outmatched - and were noticeable at certain points. The coaches mixed the lines up at points throughout the game to get some offense going, but to not much avail. There were no "superstars" out there, but some solid players. Rensfeldt & Gilbert stood out for their size, but need to use it more. Phillipe Paradis left the game in the 1st after taking a crunching hit in the offensive zone, where his head appeared to be smashed against the end glass. He did not return.
On defense, I tried to keep an eye on Dylan Olsen, 1st round pick from 2009 - good size, decent puck handler, needs to shoot more from the point, especially on the pp (as do all hawk Dmen, rookies or otherwise). The one thing that concerns me is his skating - He seems ok once he gets up to speed, but he got caught flat-footed a couple of times when he was forced to turn around. I don't think that will cut it in the NHL.
Shawn Lalonde appeared to be a better skater than Olsen, but doesn't have the size or physicality - was on the point for the 1st pp unit, but didn't connect.
Stanton & Youds were solid, Stanton having good size, though perhaps not the offensive upside as Olsen perhaps. He did show some good sense moving in from the point to keep the puck in deep on one play, but need to see more of him (as with others) to get a better handle.
Simon Danis-Pepin - at 23, he was probably the oldest "rookie" out there - as tall as he is, he looks slender at 229 and too easy to knock off the puck as his center of gravity probably gives smaller guys leverage on him. He's not a bad skater, puck handling is questionable - he lost it in his skates at one point, tho recovered. Hawks could have drafted Tyler Myers but took Kyle Beach instead.
Goaltending - Carruth went the entire game (Leafs switched goalies halfway through) - he wasn't overly tested, except for the goals that beat him - he went down too early on at least the winner, and looked a bit slow on the wrap-around first leaf goal.
Overall, not a bad performance, especially considering these guys have had exactly one practice together. While they stood up to the physical challenges, it seemed there were only certain guys who were consistently looking to take the body & throw some big checks. I think the "senior" hawks need more of that and the rookies that show that will give themselves a better chance of making an impression with the big club's coaches.
Well see how they do tomorrow against Ottawa, which has some excellent rookie prospects in their system, with Binghamton winning the Calder Cup last year, plus several highpicks in 2011 draft. The rookie Sens beat the rookie Pens 4-0 earlier in the day.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Hawks 2011 offseason
So the dust has now settled, Stan Bowman appears to have made all the major moves he is going to make this off-season and all that remains is looking ahead to training camp & the season and reviewing the recent moves in that context.
1. Steve Montador - this signing was a bit rich for my tastes. For a guy who is joining his 5th team in 5 years (and 6th team in 7 years) and who was making $1.55M per year, his cap hit with the hawks has almost doubled. He's going to be the right defenseman in the hawks' second pairing, however, he is a considerable downgrade from Bryan Campbell, in terms of skating & puck possession. That will be bad news for his likely partner, Nik Hjalmarsson, who will find opposing forwards have more time & space to aggressively forecheck. The $5M savings at this position aren't going to be worth it, and hawks fans who were so down on Campbell because of his contract, will now wish they had #51 back.
2. Chris Campoli - a direct casualty of Bowman's decision to trade for & sign Montador first before locking up the RFA, giving Campoli increased leverage and a big fat comparable in the process. Campoli, while not replacing Campbell's mobility and puck possession, at least possessed the attributes that would have better complemented the hawks transition game than Montador or his subsequent replacement.
3. Sammi Lepisto - a reactionary move, when the Campoli camp decided to use the leverage & comparable that Bowman gift wrapped to them. Nothing more than a filler, who won't be as good as Campoli.
4. Sean O'Donnell - love this guy's character, but at 40 years old, you can't even expect him to provide what he was most noted for when he was in his prime. The only reason I can think of for his signing is to mentor Scott, since both of them won't ever be in the lineup at the same time, given their skating deficiencies. Shane O'Brien would have been the better pickup.
Overall, the defense got slower and less skilled with the loss of Campbell & Campoli and didn't really upgrade the toughness that they clearly needed to add. O'Donnell will try, as will Scott, but these guys will only contribute on a situational basis, and can't be counted on for depth in case of injury to the top 4.
Looking up front.
1. Andrew Brunette - like this guy & like this signing - he's a solid character veteran who is reliable and steady and productive. Versatile as well. Good addition, with minimal risk.
2. Jamal Mayers - like Brunette with Coloarado, Mayers played for Q before in St. Louis, so they both know what to expect from the other. He's a decent 4th line depth addition, with some toughness and enough skill to contribute here & there.
3. Rusty Olesz - a Florida salary dump in the Campbell deal, who surprisingly hasn't been bought out by Bowman. The buyout ratio per CapGeek would be at 1/3 and the total buyout cost at $3,883,333 spread over 6 years, since he is 25. To pay this guy $11.625M over the next 3 years with an annual cap hit of $3.125M to play 3rd or 4th line minutes is very rich indeed.
4. Daniel Carcillo(gen the Cancer) - this is subtraction by addition. A loose cannon who is more about himself and his antics than the team, this was an idiotic signing for a team that had trouble killing penalties last year. He will wear on his teammates (by wearing them down having to cover for his dumb, selfish penalties & plays), and wear on his coaches. Worst of all, he really doesn't add needed toughness, but like Matt Cooke, he'll create a lot of headaches for his coaches, teammates and management.
Signing this guy instead of a true team-first, tough 4th line center who also happens to be decent on face-offs in Zenon Konopka, makes me wonder what in the world is Bowman thinking.
Resigning Stalberg & Frolik were decent moves as the money wasn't outrageous, particularly for players who still have a lot to prove, however, the hawks still have holes that haven't been addressed by Bowman.
The hawks are still thin at center. Bolland has had health issues (back & concussions) that have forced him to miss 62 regular season (& 3 playoff) games the past two seasons. That is almost 40% of the games each regular season. They need him healthy & productive or they'll be in some trouble at center. It is a bit much to expect Kruger to step up into a 3rd line role at this point. Brett Maclean is presumably an option to fill-in, but I'd rather see a guy like McNeill given a shot.
Toughness was lacking up front last year with the loss of Byfuglien, Ladd, Eager, Burish, Fraser and even Versteeg. Bowman not only didn't move to restore some of that lost grit & abrasiveness, he moved Brouwer, who led the hawks forwards in hits, for a draft pick. Mayers helps to provide some of what was lost in Brouwer, but if they think Carcillo will serve to solve their "toughness" problems, they will be sadly mistaken. (And of course, Seabrook & Bolland need to stay away from further concussions).
Injuries to Bryan Bickell & Patrick Kane also need to fully heal by the start of the season for the hawks to get off to a better start if they wish to seriously contend in the west and not have to battle for a remaining playoff spot.
In goal, Crawford seemed set as the #1 when he was signed to a new 3 year deal, however Bowman, has bungled the task of finding the right backup, by apparently going with unproven Salak, who was a starter last year in Sweden, and has yet to play a pro game in North America.
The wise move would have been to add a veteran backup like Ty Conklin for a year (which Detroit eventually did) to support Crawford as the clear #1 in a season where expectations & accompanying pressure will be greater than last year. While Turco was a bust last year, the one positive contribution he made was being the consummate team guy and providing mentorship & veteran support for the emerging Crawford.
Later in the summer, perhaps realizing that it would be preferable to give Salak a year to adjust to North America, Bowman invited Ray Emery to camp. Emery, still young by goalie standards, and who showed he was still capable of being a #1 down the stretch with Anaheim late last season, is going to be plenty motivated to earn a contract & not to be satisfied with that. He is entering his prime (but very limited) earning years. Will Crawford feel established enough at the #1 spot to adjust and handle added competition and perform at the level he did last year when he had minimal expectations and maximum support?
I think these moves (instead of simply adding a veteran like Conklin for a year) unnecessarily & prematurely create added pressure on Crawford as the #1 in goal. Perhaps he'll handle it without a second thought, but by inviting Emery, the hawks might also be inviting Crawford to wonder how much confidence they really have in him. Emery certainly won't be as supportive of Crawford as Turco was last year, and given his history with Ottawa, he might become a disruptive force, especially if he focuses on the personal advancement of his own career more than on doing what helps the team the most.
1. Steve Montador - this signing was a bit rich for my tastes. For a guy who is joining his 5th team in 5 years (and 6th team in 7 years) and who was making $1.55M per year, his cap hit with the hawks has almost doubled. He's going to be the right defenseman in the hawks' second pairing, however, he is a considerable downgrade from Bryan Campbell, in terms of skating & puck possession. That will be bad news for his likely partner, Nik Hjalmarsson, who will find opposing forwards have more time & space to aggressively forecheck. The $5M savings at this position aren't going to be worth it, and hawks fans who were so down on Campbell because of his contract, will now wish they had #51 back.
2. Chris Campoli - a direct casualty of Bowman's decision to trade for & sign Montador first before locking up the RFA, giving Campoli increased leverage and a big fat comparable in the process. Campoli, while not replacing Campbell's mobility and puck possession, at least possessed the attributes that would have better complemented the hawks transition game than Montador or his subsequent replacement.
3. Sammi Lepisto - a reactionary move, when the Campoli camp decided to use the leverage & comparable that Bowman gift wrapped to them. Nothing more than a filler, who won't be as good as Campoli.
4. Sean O'Donnell - love this guy's character, but at 40 years old, you can't even expect him to provide what he was most noted for when he was in his prime. The only reason I can think of for his signing is to mentor Scott, since both of them won't ever be in the lineup at the same time, given their skating deficiencies. Shane O'Brien would have been the better pickup.
Overall, the defense got slower and less skilled with the loss of Campbell & Campoli and didn't really upgrade the toughness that they clearly needed to add. O'Donnell will try, as will Scott, but these guys will only contribute on a situational basis, and can't be counted on for depth in case of injury to the top 4.
Looking up front.
1. Andrew Brunette - like this guy & like this signing - he's a solid character veteran who is reliable and steady and productive. Versatile as well. Good addition, with minimal risk.
2. Jamal Mayers - like Brunette with Coloarado, Mayers played for Q before in St. Louis, so they both know what to expect from the other. He's a decent 4th line depth addition, with some toughness and enough skill to contribute here & there.
3. Rusty Olesz - a Florida salary dump in the Campbell deal, who surprisingly hasn't been bought out by Bowman. The buyout ratio per CapGeek would be at 1/3 and the total buyout cost at $3,883,333 spread over 6 years, since he is 25. To pay this guy $11.625M over the next 3 years with an annual cap hit of $3.125M to play 3rd or 4th line minutes is very rich indeed.
4. Daniel Carcillo(gen the Cancer) - this is subtraction by addition. A loose cannon who is more about himself and his antics than the team, this was an idiotic signing for a team that had trouble killing penalties last year. He will wear on his teammates (by wearing them down having to cover for his dumb, selfish penalties & plays), and wear on his coaches. Worst of all, he really doesn't add needed toughness, but like Matt Cooke, he'll create a lot of headaches for his coaches, teammates and management.
Signing this guy instead of a true team-first, tough 4th line center who also happens to be decent on face-offs in Zenon Konopka, makes me wonder what in the world is Bowman thinking.
Resigning Stalberg & Frolik were decent moves as the money wasn't outrageous, particularly for players who still have a lot to prove, however, the hawks still have holes that haven't been addressed by Bowman.
The hawks are still thin at center. Bolland has had health issues (back & concussions) that have forced him to miss 62 regular season (& 3 playoff) games the past two seasons. That is almost 40% of the games each regular season. They need him healthy & productive or they'll be in some trouble at center. It is a bit much to expect Kruger to step up into a 3rd line role at this point. Brett Maclean is presumably an option to fill-in, but I'd rather see a guy like McNeill given a shot.
Toughness was lacking up front last year with the loss of Byfuglien, Ladd, Eager, Burish, Fraser and even Versteeg. Bowman not only didn't move to restore some of that lost grit & abrasiveness, he moved Brouwer, who led the hawks forwards in hits, for a draft pick. Mayers helps to provide some of what was lost in Brouwer, but if they think Carcillo will serve to solve their "toughness" problems, they will be sadly mistaken. (And of course, Seabrook & Bolland need to stay away from further concussions).
Injuries to Bryan Bickell & Patrick Kane also need to fully heal by the start of the season for the hawks to get off to a better start if they wish to seriously contend in the west and not have to battle for a remaining playoff spot.
In goal, Crawford seemed set as the #1 when he was signed to a new 3 year deal, however Bowman, has bungled the task of finding the right backup, by apparently going with unproven Salak, who was a starter last year in Sweden, and has yet to play a pro game in North America.
The wise move would have been to add a veteran backup like Ty Conklin for a year (which Detroit eventually did) to support Crawford as the clear #1 in a season where expectations & accompanying pressure will be greater than last year. While Turco was a bust last year, the one positive contribution he made was being the consummate team guy and providing mentorship & veteran support for the emerging Crawford.
Later in the summer, perhaps realizing that it would be preferable to give Salak a year to adjust to North America, Bowman invited Ray Emery to camp. Emery, still young by goalie standards, and who showed he was still capable of being a #1 down the stretch with Anaheim late last season, is going to be plenty motivated to earn a contract & not to be satisfied with that. He is entering his prime (but very limited) earning years. Will Crawford feel established enough at the #1 spot to adjust and handle added competition and perform at the level he did last year when he had minimal expectations and maximum support?
I think these moves (instead of simply adding a veteran like Conklin for a year) unnecessarily & prematurely create added pressure on Crawford as the #1 in goal. Perhaps he'll handle it without a second thought, but by inviting Emery, the hawks might also be inviting Crawford to wonder how much confidence they really have in him. Emery certainly won't be as supportive of Crawford as Turco was last year, and given his history with Ottawa, he might become a disruptive force, especially if he focuses on the personal advancement of his own career more than on doing what helps the team the most.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
3rd Annual Blackhawks Convention - Chicago, Illinois Jul 31 to Aug 2, 2010
Video of Live Convention Panels
1. 2010 Olympics
2. Lord Stanley's Cup
3. 1961 Cup Champions
4. The Brothers Hull
See Pierre Pilote's response to the questions I directed to the 1961 Stanley Cup Champions panel members who played their junior hockey in St. Catharines, Ontario (Panel also featured Bobby Hull, Red Hay, Glenn Hall, Eric Nesterenko and Ab McDonald. Stan Mikita was unable to be there due to illness, thus the empty chair in the middle) at 3:15:10 of the video. (And you can see me walking back to my seat in my green hawks shirt at around 3:19:40)
1. 2010 Olympics
2. Lord Stanley's Cup
3. 1961 Cup Champions
4. The Brothers Hull
See Pierre Pilote's response to the questions I directed to the 1961 Stanley Cup Champions panel members who played their junior hockey in St. Catharines, Ontario (Panel also featured Bobby Hull, Red Hay, Glenn Hall, Eric Nesterenko and Ab McDonald. Stan Mikita was unable to be there due to illness, thus the empty chair in the middle) at 3:15:10 of the video. (And you can see me walking back to my seat in my green hawks shirt at around 3:19:40)
Monday, February 1, 2010
Christobal Huet
The blackhawks finished their season high 8 game road trip with a disappointing loss to Carolina 4-2, despite outshooting the Canes 41-24.
It has become a common refrain this season, at least when the hawks lose - they outplay & outshoot their opponent, often by a wide margin, yet still manage to lose.
That ironic and all too frequent statistic ultimately draws attention to goaltending, not just the hot goaltenders the hawks sometimes run into, but their own netminding.
Christobal Huet got off to a rough start this season despite being the clear #1 after Khabiboulin's departure. He managed to be on the losing end in the opener in Finland, while the hawks outshot Florida 55-24.
He lost again in his second start in Detroit 3-2, where the hawks again outshot their opponents, 34-23.
And though he managed to finally beat Colorado after a 9 round shootout, his save percentage was still well below .900 for the 3rd straight game.
That was followed by giving up 3 goals to Calgary on 5 shots & getting pulled - a game which the hawks eventually trailed 5-0, but went on to win 6-5 in OT, outshooting Calgary 39-20.
He rebounded in his next start to beat Nashville 3-1, but followed them up with a bad game against Dallas, where he allowed two bad goals in a 4-2 loss, while the hawks outshot their opponents again, 32-25.
He managed to pick up his game after that, winning 7 starts in a row from Nov. 9 to 25, and played perhaps his best goal in two games the hawks lost - first to Anaheim where he stopped 31 of 34 shots in a 3-0 loss, and then stopping 21 of 22 the next day in LA in a 2-1 SO loss. He played another strong game a couple of weeks later in another low-scoring 2-1 loss to Buffalo, stopping 31 of 33 shots.
He followed that up with back to back 3-0 shutouts at home vs. division rivals St. Louis & Detroit, and finally looked like he had put the shaky goaltending behind him.
Then came a 3-2 loss at home to San Jose, where the hawks outshot the sharks 47-14, where the guy at the opposite end, Nabakov, shone while Huet struggled. He rebounded with a strong performance in Nashville, stopping 25 of 26 shots in a 4-1 win, but got yanked for the 2nd time this season, giving up 4 goals on ten shots in Dallas, in a game the hawks finally lost 6-5.
Huet rebounded yet again with 3 straight wins, putting in solid performances against Marty Brodeur & NJ, St. Louis & Minnesota. In his next start, this time in Minneapolis, the hawks staked him to a 5-1 lead well into the 3rd period. The wild nevertheless came back to win 6-5 in a SO, scoring 4 goals on 9 shots in the 3rd.
He rebounded again, shutting out Columbus 3-0 at home, but gave up 5 goals in the 2nd half of the home & home vs. Columbus on only 26 shots, tho the hawks offense bailed him out to win 6-5.
That was followed with a 4-1 loss in Ottawa, making only 14 saves. He came in relief of Niemi for the first time in Vancouver, giving up 2 goals in 14 shots in the last two periods of a 5-1 loss, and then rebounded against Edmonton & San Jose before the disappointing Carolina game.
Huet ranks tied for 9th with Kiprusoff in wins with 24, and tied for 7th with Luongo in GAA at 2.31, but ranks 31st in the league as of this writing in save percentage at .903.
Those stats clearly show that Huet's ranking in wins & GAA is directly attributable to the hawks puck possession game and minimizing the shots against - in fact, the hawks have allowed the fewest shots against in the entire league (100 fewer than the next team, Philadelphia) while ranking 1st in shots for (& 8th in shooting percentage).
His inconsistent performances are sure to cause hawk brass, coaches & teammates more than a few anxious moments as playoff time approaches. Niemi has been the better of the two, but is still a rookie and largely unproven.
Given the hawks cap situation and the likelihood that they will have to move several contracts in the offseason for little or no money in return (if they don't move them by the deadline), it appears this season may represent this team's best shot at a cup & they may be forced to go with relative weakness at the most pivotal position on the team.
It has become a common refrain this season, at least when the hawks lose - they outplay & outshoot their opponent, often by a wide margin, yet still manage to lose.
That ironic and all too frequent statistic ultimately draws attention to goaltending, not just the hot goaltenders the hawks sometimes run into, but their own netminding.
Christobal Huet got off to a rough start this season despite being the clear #1 after Khabiboulin's departure. He managed to be on the losing end in the opener in Finland, while the hawks outshot Florida 55-24.
He lost again in his second start in Detroit 3-2, where the hawks again outshot their opponents, 34-23.
And though he managed to finally beat Colorado after a 9 round shootout, his save percentage was still well below .900 for the 3rd straight game.
That was followed by giving up 3 goals to Calgary on 5 shots & getting pulled - a game which the hawks eventually trailed 5-0, but went on to win 6-5 in OT, outshooting Calgary 39-20.
He rebounded in his next start to beat Nashville 3-1, but followed them up with a bad game against Dallas, where he allowed two bad goals in a 4-2 loss, while the hawks outshot their opponents again, 32-25.
He managed to pick up his game after that, winning 7 starts in a row from Nov. 9 to 25, and played perhaps his best goal in two games the hawks lost - first to Anaheim where he stopped 31 of 34 shots in a 3-0 loss, and then stopping 21 of 22 the next day in LA in a 2-1 SO loss. He played another strong game a couple of weeks later in another low-scoring 2-1 loss to Buffalo, stopping 31 of 33 shots.
He followed that up with back to back 3-0 shutouts at home vs. division rivals St. Louis & Detroit, and finally looked like he had put the shaky goaltending behind him.
Then came a 3-2 loss at home to San Jose, where the hawks outshot the sharks 47-14, where the guy at the opposite end, Nabakov, shone while Huet struggled. He rebounded with a strong performance in Nashville, stopping 25 of 26 shots in a 4-1 win, but got yanked for the 2nd time this season, giving up 4 goals on ten shots in Dallas, in a game the hawks finally lost 6-5.
Huet rebounded yet again with 3 straight wins, putting in solid performances against Marty Brodeur & NJ, St. Louis & Minnesota. In his next start, this time in Minneapolis, the hawks staked him to a 5-1 lead well into the 3rd period. The wild nevertheless came back to win 6-5 in a SO, scoring 4 goals on 9 shots in the 3rd.
He rebounded again, shutting out Columbus 3-0 at home, but gave up 5 goals in the 2nd half of the home & home vs. Columbus on only 26 shots, tho the hawks offense bailed him out to win 6-5.
That was followed with a 4-1 loss in Ottawa, making only 14 saves. He came in relief of Niemi for the first time in Vancouver, giving up 2 goals in 14 shots in the last two periods of a 5-1 loss, and then rebounded against Edmonton & San Jose before the disappointing Carolina game.
Huet ranks tied for 9th with Kiprusoff in wins with 24, and tied for 7th with Luongo in GAA at 2.31, but ranks 31st in the league as of this writing in save percentage at .903.
Those stats clearly show that Huet's ranking in wins & GAA is directly attributable to the hawks puck possession game and minimizing the shots against - in fact, the hawks have allowed the fewest shots against in the entire league (100 fewer than the next team, Philadelphia) while ranking 1st in shots for (& 8th in shooting percentage).
His inconsistent performances are sure to cause hawk brass, coaches & teammates more than a few anxious moments as playoff time approaches. Niemi has been the better of the two, but is still a rookie and largely unproven.
Given the hawks cap situation and the likelihood that they will have to move several contracts in the offseason for little or no money in return (if they don't move them by the deadline), it appears this season may represent this team's best shot at a cup & they may be forced to go with relative weakness at the most pivotal position on the team.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Hawks come from behind to sweep home & home with Nashville, 5-4
For forty minutes Sunday night, it looked like Nashville had figured out how to stop the hawks. They played a strong forecheck game, getting in on the hawks defensemen before they could skate out or find an outlet pass, limiting the hawks transition game and their offensive chances.
Nashville jumped out into the lead early, capitalizing on a poor clearance by Brent Seabrook, who wired it around the boards, too hard for partner Keith to retrieve at the other side - it went to the point where it was held in by Cody Franson who directed a shot on net that was deflected by Marcel Goc standing alone in front of Niemi, and into the net for a 1-0 Nashville lead.
The preds then were penalized, with Martin Erat sent off for interference, and while the hawks failed to convert on the pp, they managed to score shortly after the penalty expired. Kane moving in off the right half boards, tried a cross-ice pass for Campbell that was blocked, however, the puck came back to him down low at a sharp angle at the side of the net & he lifted it high into the far corner over Ellis and the game was tied 1-1.
Each team had a powerplay chance later in the period, however they each managed only 6 shots in total in a tight checking 1st period.
In the second, the preds again struck early, again capitalizing on a strong forecheck, getting the puck in behind the hawk dmen Hendry & Campbell. Kane failed to get Campbell's clear attempt up the boards out of the zone as the Nashville defenseman pinched in and Steve Sullivan pounced on the loose puck, skating into the high slot unchecked, and firing a hard point blank slapper that Niemi coming out of his net to challenge, stopped, but couldn't control the rebound which went right to Erat who fired it into the vacated net to make it 2-1 Nashville.
Bryan Bickell, again in the lineup for Versteeg again showed some bright play, racing past two defenders to get to a long, high, stretch pass, shortly after the preds goal, however, he was in too close to do much with it other than a straightfoward shot that was denied by Ellis.
The teams traded some good chances midway thru the 2nd, first Kane moving in off the right side on a sharp angle but his shot was stopped by Ellis. The preds responded when Dumont outraced Sopel & Barker down the left side & forced Niemi to make a good save. Moments later, he fired a wrister from the right point that beat Niemi but hit the left post, bounced back to Niemi, hitting the back of his left pad & then bounced back towards the net, hitting the post again! The hawk goaltender was able to cover up with the help of Sopel & Barker keeping traffic away, tho the preds & Dumont, were unfortunate not to be up by 2.
The hawks outshot Nashville 9-6 in the 2nd, managing to kill off the only penalty of the period, but had given up the only goal to trail heading into the 3rd. They came out looking more determined in the 3rd, with Hossa creating a good close in chance in the first few minutes, however he was denied by Ellis. A penalty to Hornqvist gave the hawks an early powerplay, which almost backfired with Sullivan moving in on a 2 on 1 together with Legwand, with Byfuglien the lone hawk defender back. Byfuglien slid down to try to prevent the pass, but Sullivan managed to find Legwand who forced Niemi to move across his crease quickly and make a good save to keep the deficit at 1.
Moments after Hornqvist's penalty expired, Barker was again weak on the puck and beaten on a strong forecheck by Hornqvist coming out of the penalty box. Hornqvist gained control of the puck behind the hawk net and fed it in front, however Keith was able to keep the puck away from Dumont & eventually cleared it up to Ladd along the left boards. Ladd then found John Madden at the Nashville blueline, in behind the Nashville D (which was changing after the penalty kill). Madden moved in all alone, lifting up his right leg as if to shoot and then calmly sliding it between Ellis' pads, beating him 5 hole to tie the game.
About 3 minutes later, the preds took another penalty, this time Sullivan was sent off for high sticking. While the preds killed off the penalty, the hawks managed to capitalize again shortly afterwards, again after the preds had threatened, getting Sopel to turn it over in his own zone, however, Arnott returned the favor, passing the puck back where Bickell was well positioned to intercept. Bickell then found Madden streaking up the left side with only Suter back for Nashville.
Madden fired a slapper that appeared to hit Suter's stick and handcuffed Ellis, beating him short side on a shot he'd likely want back, and suddenly the hawks were up 3-2.
Yet another Nashville penalty, their 3rd straight in the period just a minute after Madden had put the hawks up, sent the hawks right back to the powerplay, only this time they finally struck on their 5th pp opportunity of the game. 18 seconds after Hamhuis went off, Campbell, after taking a pass from Kane, rifled a shot from the middle of the blue line into the top left corner with Brouwer again screening in front and the hawks were up 4-2 with just over 6 minutes left, having scored three goals in the 3rd.
Surely the preds had to be deflated if not defeated, but to their credit, they didn't quit and were rewarded when, on a delayed penalty call, they worked the puck to the point where Hamhuis after taking a feed from Arnott, fired a shot that beat Niemi with two predators, including the extra attacker alone in front screening & looking for a rebound. Suddenly it was 4-3.
Less than a minute later, Nashville tied it, again with strong forechecking getting on top of the hawks in their own zone, with Hornqvist's centering attempt hitting Hendry's skate & bouncing back to the left point where Cody Franson fired a weak shot towards the net that somehow found its way through traffic & in behind Niemi, who didn't appear to see it, and incredibly the preds had comeback to tie the game late in the 3rd.
It looked like overtime was a certainty as both teams had blown a lead in the 3rd period and could not be blamed to be content on at least getting a point and not risking giving away two. However, the in the last minute, the hawks went on the attack with Toews leading the rush from center on a strong individual effort - he eventually managed to get a wraparound chance to the left of Ellis, however, it was snuffed out, with puck then deflecting off Brouwer's skate to the right of Ellis - Toews won another battle for the puck, tipping it back to Keith at the point, who found Kane in his usual spot to the right of the net with a hard slap pass. Kane's first shot was stopped, however, the rebound came right back to him & he found an opening high & fired it home with 44 seconds remaining to give the hawks the outright win in a wild 3rd period, and giving him his 3rd straight game winning goal.
The hawks managed to score 4 times in the 3rd on 14 shots after managing just 1 goal on 15 shots in the first two periods, tho they were definitely helped by 3 straight powerplays in the final period, finally capitalizing on the last one & their 5th of the game. In a way, you had to feel for the preds, as they played hard and didn't quit despite things going against them, yet had nothing to show for it afterwards, at least in terms of points.
With the win, the hawks won the season series against the preds 4-2, and moved 8 points up on their nearest division rival and improved to 7-0-2 in the 2nd half of back to back games (improving to 3-5-1 with last night's win in the opening game of the home & home series).
Next it is on to face the stars in Dallas.
Nashville jumped out into the lead early, capitalizing on a poor clearance by Brent Seabrook, who wired it around the boards, too hard for partner Keith to retrieve at the other side - it went to the point where it was held in by Cody Franson who directed a shot on net that was deflected by Marcel Goc standing alone in front of Niemi, and into the net for a 1-0 Nashville lead.
The preds then were penalized, with Martin Erat sent off for interference, and while the hawks failed to convert on the pp, they managed to score shortly after the penalty expired. Kane moving in off the right half boards, tried a cross-ice pass for Campbell that was blocked, however, the puck came back to him down low at a sharp angle at the side of the net & he lifted it high into the far corner over Ellis and the game was tied 1-1.
Each team had a powerplay chance later in the period, however they each managed only 6 shots in total in a tight checking 1st period.
In the second, the preds again struck early, again capitalizing on a strong forecheck, getting the puck in behind the hawk dmen Hendry & Campbell. Kane failed to get Campbell's clear attempt up the boards out of the zone as the Nashville defenseman pinched in and Steve Sullivan pounced on the loose puck, skating into the high slot unchecked, and firing a hard point blank slapper that Niemi coming out of his net to challenge, stopped, but couldn't control the rebound which went right to Erat who fired it into the vacated net to make it 2-1 Nashville.
Bryan Bickell, again in the lineup for Versteeg again showed some bright play, racing past two defenders to get to a long, high, stretch pass, shortly after the preds goal, however, he was in too close to do much with it other than a straightfoward shot that was denied by Ellis.
The teams traded some good chances midway thru the 2nd, first Kane moving in off the right side on a sharp angle but his shot was stopped by Ellis. The preds responded when Dumont outraced Sopel & Barker down the left side & forced Niemi to make a good save. Moments later, he fired a wrister from the right point that beat Niemi but hit the left post, bounced back to Niemi, hitting the back of his left pad & then bounced back towards the net, hitting the post again! The hawk goaltender was able to cover up with the help of Sopel & Barker keeping traffic away, tho the preds & Dumont, were unfortunate not to be up by 2.
The hawks outshot Nashville 9-6 in the 2nd, managing to kill off the only penalty of the period, but had given up the only goal to trail heading into the 3rd. They came out looking more determined in the 3rd, with Hossa creating a good close in chance in the first few minutes, however he was denied by Ellis. A penalty to Hornqvist gave the hawks an early powerplay, which almost backfired with Sullivan moving in on a 2 on 1 together with Legwand, with Byfuglien the lone hawk defender back. Byfuglien slid down to try to prevent the pass, but Sullivan managed to find Legwand who forced Niemi to move across his crease quickly and make a good save to keep the deficit at 1.
Moments after Hornqvist's penalty expired, Barker was again weak on the puck and beaten on a strong forecheck by Hornqvist coming out of the penalty box. Hornqvist gained control of the puck behind the hawk net and fed it in front, however Keith was able to keep the puck away from Dumont & eventually cleared it up to Ladd along the left boards. Ladd then found John Madden at the Nashville blueline, in behind the Nashville D (which was changing after the penalty kill). Madden moved in all alone, lifting up his right leg as if to shoot and then calmly sliding it between Ellis' pads, beating him 5 hole to tie the game.
About 3 minutes later, the preds took another penalty, this time Sullivan was sent off for high sticking. While the preds killed off the penalty, the hawks managed to capitalize again shortly afterwards, again after the preds had threatened, getting Sopel to turn it over in his own zone, however, Arnott returned the favor, passing the puck back where Bickell was well positioned to intercept. Bickell then found Madden streaking up the left side with only Suter back for Nashville.
Madden fired a slapper that appeared to hit Suter's stick and handcuffed Ellis, beating him short side on a shot he'd likely want back, and suddenly the hawks were up 3-2.
Yet another Nashville penalty, their 3rd straight in the period just a minute after Madden had put the hawks up, sent the hawks right back to the powerplay, only this time they finally struck on their 5th pp opportunity of the game. 18 seconds after Hamhuis went off, Campbell, after taking a pass from Kane, rifled a shot from the middle of the blue line into the top left corner with Brouwer again screening in front and the hawks were up 4-2 with just over 6 minutes left, having scored three goals in the 3rd.
Surely the preds had to be deflated if not defeated, but to their credit, they didn't quit and were rewarded when, on a delayed penalty call, they worked the puck to the point where Hamhuis after taking a feed from Arnott, fired a shot that beat Niemi with two predators, including the extra attacker alone in front screening & looking for a rebound. Suddenly it was 4-3.
Less than a minute later, Nashville tied it, again with strong forechecking getting on top of the hawks in their own zone, with Hornqvist's centering attempt hitting Hendry's skate & bouncing back to the left point where Cody Franson fired a weak shot towards the net that somehow found its way through traffic & in behind Niemi, who didn't appear to see it, and incredibly the preds had comeback to tie the game late in the 3rd.
It looked like overtime was a certainty as both teams had blown a lead in the 3rd period and could not be blamed to be content on at least getting a point and not risking giving away two. However, the in the last minute, the hawks went on the attack with Toews leading the rush from center on a strong individual effort - he eventually managed to get a wraparound chance to the left of Ellis, however, it was snuffed out, with puck then deflecting off Brouwer's skate to the right of Ellis - Toews won another battle for the puck, tipping it back to Keith at the point, who found Kane in his usual spot to the right of the net with a hard slap pass. Kane's first shot was stopped, however, the rebound came right back to him & he found an opening high & fired it home with 44 seconds remaining to give the hawks the outright win in a wild 3rd period, and giving him his 3rd straight game winning goal.
The hawks managed to score 4 times in the 3rd on 14 shots after managing just 1 goal on 15 shots in the first two periods, tho they were definitely helped by 3 straight powerplays in the final period, finally capitalizing on the last one & their 5th of the game. In a way, you had to feel for the preds, as they played hard and didn't quit despite things going against them, yet had nothing to show for it afterwards, at least in terms of points.
With the win, the hawks won the season series against the preds 4-2, and moved 8 points up on their nearest division rival and improved to 7-0-2 in the 2nd half of back to back games (improving to 3-5-1 with last night's win in the opening game of the home & home series).
Next it is on to face the stars in Dallas.
Hawks take first of home & home vs. Preds, 4-1
The blackhawks started their post Christmas schedule like they finished their pre-Christmas one, with a convincing road win versus a key divisional opponent, this time beating Nashville 4-1 in the music city.
The hawks started off well, showing lots of jump and creating offensive chances. Bryan Bickell, in the lineup for Kris Versteeg, who was out with an undisclosed injury, had a good chance just over 5 minutes in, when he was set up by Byfuglien on a 2 on 1. Bickell got a point blank shot on Rinne, who stacked his pads to make the save, however, the hawks drew a penalty on the play. They threatened on the powerplay, but failed to convert, though drew another penalty just as the first one expired.
This time, the hawks pp struck, with Jonathan Toews intercepting Marcel Goc's clearing attempt in the high slot & dropping it back to the point to Byfuglien, who wristed a shot that found its way through traffic and into the Nashville net, with Brouwer parked in front of Rinne. 1-0 Chicago. It was Byfuglien's 3rd goal vs. Nashville in 5 games this year.
The hawks outshot the preds, 15-8 in the first and started the second again coming out hard & putting pressure on the Nashville net, though Ladd took an early high sticking minor that the hawks killed off with no damage done. Later Toews was set up alone in front of Rinne by Kane, however, he was in close & had little room to maneuver, other than to get off a harmless shoot, with Rinne standing his ground to make the save.
A few moments later, Brent Seabrook at the left point, misplayed a pass at the Nashville line & lost it to Martin Erat, who broke in alone on Huet with Keith in pursuit. Keith managed to get a stick on the Nashville forward, drawing a delayed penalty call, but Erat continued bearing down on a retreating Huet, trying to beat him five hole. Huet made the initial save, but kept sliding back right into the hawk net, with the puck following him in, while the referee, positioned to Huet's left, lost sight of the puck & blew the whistle, waiving off the goal, once he realized the puck had entered the net. However, replays subsequently clearly showed that the puck had entered the net before the whistle blew and replay officials overturned the call on the ice, apparently ignoring any "intent to blow the whistle" on the part of the referee and the game was tied, against the clear run of play.
The hawks regained their composure and about 5 minutes later, Kane & Brouwer broke in on a 2 on 1, with Kane using Brouwer as a decoy he fired a wrister high glove side with Rinne having no chance and it was 2-1 Chicago.
Just over a minute later, also off the rush, the hawks made it 3-1. Tomas Kopecky took a drop pass from Bryan Campbell & moved in to the left circle & fired a shot which Rinne stopped, however he gave a rebound which Kopecky recovered & sent toward the net a second time - the puck slid over to Andrew Ladd alone to the left side of Rinne & he lifted a sharp angle shot over the sprawled pred goaltender.
The hawks took a penalty later, but effectively killed it off by a drawing a penalty of their own with some good work by Toews & Fraser in the offensive zone. Shortly after their abbreviated powerplay, the hawks struck again when Sharp fired home a rebound off a Duncan Keith point shot that apparently deflected of Kopecky, denying Kane an assist for his pass to Keith at the point. 4-1 Chicago at the end of 2, with the hawks again outshooting the preds in the 2nd period, 16-10.
In the 3rd, the hawks put it on cruise control, killing off a minor high sticking call on Hendry (who was in the lineup for Hjalmarsson), outshooting Nashville 9-8 and 40 to 26 on the game. Brent Seabrook threw a big body check midway through the 3rd on Nick Spaling, but also ended up flying hard into the boards in front of the hawk bench. He was slow to get up, and looked a bit woozy as he headed off to the bench, but did return later in the game.
With the win, the hawks moved 6 points up on their closest division rival and meet the preds in a rematch at the UC, their final meeting of the regular season on Sunday.
The hawks started off well, showing lots of jump and creating offensive chances. Bryan Bickell, in the lineup for Kris Versteeg, who was out with an undisclosed injury, had a good chance just over 5 minutes in, when he was set up by Byfuglien on a 2 on 1. Bickell got a point blank shot on Rinne, who stacked his pads to make the save, however, the hawks drew a penalty on the play. They threatened on the powerplay, but failed to convert, though drew another penalty just as the first one expired.
This time, the hawks pp struck, with Jonathan Toews intercepting Marcel Goc's clearing attempt in the high slot & dropping it back to the point to Byfuglien, who wristed a shot that found its way through traffic and into the Nashville net, with Brouwer parked in front of Rinne. 1-0 Chicago. It was Byfuglien's 3rd goal vs. Nashville in 5 games this year.
The hawks outshot the preds, 15-8 in the first and started the second again coming out hard & putting pressure on the Nashville net, though Ladd took an early high sticking minor that the hawks killed off with no damage done. Later Toews was set up alone in front of Rinne by Kane, however, he was in close & had little room to maneuver, other than to get off a harmless shoot, with Rinne standing his ground to make the save.
A few moments later, Brent Seabrook at the left point, misplayed a pass at the Nashville line & lost it to Martin Erat, who broke in alone on Huet with Keith in pursuit. Keith managed to get a stick on the Nashville forward, drawing a delayed penalty call, but Erat continued bearing down on a retreating Huet, trying to beat him five hole. Huet made the initial save, but kept sliding back right into the hawk net, with the puck following him in, while the referee, positioned to Huet's left, lost sight of the puck & blew the whistle, waiving off the goal, once he realized the puck had entered the net. However, replays subsequently clearly showed that the puck had entered the net before the whistle blew and replay officials overturned the call on the ice, apparently ignoring any "intent to blow the whistle" on the part of the referee and the game was tied, against the clear run of play.
The hawks regained their composure and about 5 minutes later, Kane & Brouwer broke in on a 2 on 1, with Kane using Brouwer as a decoy he fired a wrister high glove side with Rinne having no chance and it was 2-1 Chicago.
Just over a minute later, also off the rush, the hawks made it 3-1. Tomas Kopecky took a drop pass from Bryan Campbell & moved in to the left circle & fired a shot which Rinne stopped, however he gave a rebound which Kopecky recovered & sent toward the net a second time - the puck slid over to Andrew Ladd alone to the left side of Rinne & he lifted a sharp angle shot over the sprawled pred goaltender.
The hawks took a penalty later, but effectively killed it off by a drawing a penalty of their own with some good work by Toews & Fraser in the offensive zone. Shortly after their abbreviated powerplay, the hawks struck again when Sharp fired home a rebound off a Duncan Keith point shot that apparently deflected of Kopecky, denying Kane an assist for his pass to Keith at the point. 4-1 Chicago at the end of 2, with the hawks again outshooting the preds in the 2nd period, 16-10.
In the 3rd, the hawks put it on cruise control, killing off a minor high sticking call on Hendry (who was in the lineup for Hjalmarsson), outshooting Nashville 9-8 and 40 to 26 on the game. Brent Seabrook threw a big body check midway through the 3rd on Nick Spaling, but also ended up flying hard into the boards in front of the hawk bench. He was slow to get up, and looked a bit woozy as he headed off to the bench, but did return later in the game.
With the win, the hawks moved 6 points up on their closest division rival and meet the preds in a rematch at the UC, their final meeting of the regular season on Sunday.
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