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Saturday, March 30, 2013

Ryan O'Byrne,,,Hawks Killer.

The biggest nemesis this year is not the Anaheim Ducks, nor the Detroit Redwings. The biggest nemesis isn't the media hounding the Hawks about their recent streak. The biggest nemesis isn't the 7 games in 11 days that finally saw an end to the leagues best start in history. No,...the biggest nemesis is Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ryan O'Byrne. 6'5" 234 lb. behemoth shouldered Patrick Sharp into the boards and a week later he repeated that crunch to Right Winger Marian Hossa.  Both have been sidelined during the past 3+ weeks and the Hawks have seen their sultry record get tarnished a little bit. The Hawks still have the best record in the NHL but now there are questions of whether Pittsburgh (14 game winning streak and the acquisition of Brandon Morrow and Jerome Iginla) or Anaheim (4 points against the Hawks...both with come from behind victories) are actually the better teams.

These are actually good questions. Pittsburgh is playing to win the cup NOW. The return of Malkin, the addition of Morrow and Iginla (both captains of their former teams) and their extremely deep lineup have to put the Penguins at the top of the list of Vegas betters.

Anaheim has taken 4 points from the Hawks both with grinding victories to pull very closely to Chicago for  the Presidents cup. However, their asterisk has to be that they lost to a good but heavily banged up Detroit in back to back games this week and looked weak doing so.

The Hawks which started off the season with a magnificent PK unit has slid back significantly the past 2-3 weeks. Their PP unit has looked,...well,...it's looked plain awful.  So, without Patrick Sharp or Marian Hossa in the lineup, the Hawks have looked vulnerable. Both are expected to make a comeback this next week, but both will miss tonights finale against the Anaheim Ducks.

The 3rd and 4th lines have to step it up. A few nights ago, the Hawks looked so back that the 3rd and 4th lines looked like filler lines. They weren't  strong at all. Defensively, the Swedish pair of Johnny Oduya and Niklas Hjalmarrson looked so bad that they were piling on the negatives in the +/- rating.

Daniel Carcillo was benched for an entire week and Jamal Mayers looks like a ghost.

As the Hawks get ready to finish out the last 16 games of the regular season and are presently 14 points ahead of Detroit (with two games to spare), this allows the Hawks to heal their wounds.

So, let's be thankful that the Hawks have this tremendous lead,...and let's be thankful the Hawks do not have to face Ryan O'Byrne anytime soon.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Blackhawks 2 game losing streak

NOW Blackhawk fans can come alive. The pessimism starts to arise. First a thrashing at Colorado (6-2) fortunately I was unavailable to watch that game. Then a putrid first period where NO ONE on the ice was worthy of wearing an Indian head sweater. They started off that first period down 4-0. After the first 3 were let in, starting goaltender Ray Emery was pulled. (Back to back games the goaltending was less than marginal  and each goaltender had to replace the other). The Hawks gave up 3 PP's this game, and defense was stronger in the parking lot than in that building. The second period they came alive, but, still allowing 2 goals that period (2 of the 3 PP's were scored in the 2nd),.....Hawks still trailed by 2. Patrick Kane scored his 2nd of the night in the mid 3rd period, but they couldn't muster that magic that had been there so many times before. Two of the worst teams in league (Edmonton and Colorado) and the Hawks lost both. Hope this isn't a trend. I don't think it is,...but I do think they need to regroup a bit better.
Side note: Patrick Sharp is out of 3-4 weeks.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

#13 is the 13th different Blackhawk to score GWG

So,....carbomb gets involved. (quick look over at the bench......Quenneville is amazed, Toews is truly happy for Danny, the rest of the bench applauding each other). It's time to start running out of adjectives to describe this team.

This was the 1/2 way mark of the strike shortened season (24/48). Record: 21-0-3 Wow!

Let us go over a few of the things that just happened.

1) Ray Emery became the first goalie in the history of the NHL to start off a season 10-0-0.

2) Blackhawks bring their OWN record of starting a season without a loss to : 24 games.

3) Blackhawks moved solely into second place of 30 games in a row (3-0-3 last year)  with at least a point.

4) The Hawks now have a club record of 11 straight games with a win. Previous record was 9.


I know,...I hear it and see it all over Twitter, Facebook, articles and blogs..... 35 games should be done in 1 season...

I also hear that the most impressive streak is the 94-95 Penguins when they won 17 straight games.

So, if that is the case.....then the Hawks would need to be at 27-0-3 to tie Pittsburgh and 28-0-3 to beat them. If they do get to 28-0-3.....that is already (31 + 6)....they own the consecutive game streak on their own.....except that the pesky Philadelphia Flyer fans will say.....wait, OURS was done in ONE season.....Okay.....So, the Hawks would need to be at 33-0-3 to own all the records. That being said, that is 11 more games they need to win. However,...let's be happy with what we HAVE. Come what may, the Hawks are having a tremendous season. THE BEST EVER,...so far. Taking home the cup will be the icing on the cake. Let Philly and Pittsburgh argue who the greatest is in the time being and have them sweat as the Hawks pile on the wins.



Monday, March 4, 2013

22 ways the Blackhawks make me smile

I had so much fun doing this a week ago, that I thought I'd do it again. Instead of a cut and paste, I'll just write down tweets and things I've read that grabbed my attention.

1) The Blackhawks bandwagon is bigger than Rick Ross' stomach.

2) Blackhawks,...you're annoying.

3) Corey Crawford currently leading the NHL goaltenders with a 1.41 GAA.

4) The Blackhawks lead the NHL in takeaways, but rank 29th in HITS. Play the puck, not the man?

5) The Blackhawks are 31 - 2 -7 since acquiring Johnny Oduya.

6) The Blackhawks bandwagon is bigger than Bryzgalov's 5 hole.

7) The Blackhawks streak is starting to become a THING,...right?

8) Mike Babcock, "It's amazing. In a competitive league, they're not making it competitive".

9) ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? (photo)








10)  I've always been a Blackhawks fan... I Swear!











11) The Blackhawks bandwagon is now as big as Sidney Crosby's ego.

12)  So, have the Blackhawks clinched a playoff spot yet?

13) The Blackhawks have moved up to the #3 story on ESPN.

14) So, the Blackhawks won today. In other news,...there still is water in Lake Michigan.

15) YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO WIN
       didn't you Detroit?


16) Dad, what's a loss? I don't know son, we're Chicago Blackhawks fans.












17)













18) Blackhawks keep amazing streak alive. But first,...Tim Tebow saw a butterfly in his backyard -Sportscenter

19) The Blackhawks are kinda sorta amazing.

20) Hockey spelling has been officially changed to "Hawkey" since the Hawks own the NHL.

21) I was talking to a supposed Blackhawks fan and asked him " Who is your favorite Blackhawk of all time?...Stosh? The Golden Jet? JR? Eddie the Eagle? Tony-0? He looked at me and said, "Who?"

22)NEWS ALERT: the remaining 29 teams in the league have threatened to boycott the remainder of the season if the Hawks continue to play unfair.




















The Greatest Regular Season Game I've Ever Seen...?(Perhaps)

We all knew that this game between the +Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Redwings was going to be a hard fought game...we just didn't know to what extent. The Redwings fans entered Joe Lewis Arena with every intent of bringing down the Blackhawks and their gaudy record of 18-0-3. Let me first start off by saying,....IF you had to miss a period in this hockey game, the first period would have been the only period you could have afforded to miss. Don't get me wrong, the play was pretty fast paced in the first, and the Hawks only gave up 3 shots on goal.

SHOTS ON GOAL

1st2nd3rdOTT

 CHI9129333
 DET31513233






By the second period there was so much crashing the net, perfect tape to tape passing, finishing checks, diving to keep players from shooting. The intensity was extremely fast and...amazing. I sat in my seat with my heart in my throat the ENTIRE period.

Usually when a team gives up only one goal you assume the goalie and defense were playing well. YOU,...(those that didn't see this game), have NO idea.  You've heard the expression,...."standing on your head",... well, that is how Jimmy Howard and Corey Crawford were both playing. The acrobatic saves Corey Crawford made in the 2nd and 3rd period on players like Datsyuk,  Zetterberg, Franzen and Emmerton were all highlight-reel saves.

What amazed me most were the types of blocks and back checking and forechecking the teams were performing. B.Smith of Detroit blocked a shot by diving face first........who does that?

Johnny Oduya dove from behind Pavel Datsyuk to knock away a puck before Datsyuk had a chance to shoot it. Really? The intensity felt like a playoff game.

I remember counting at least 4 Redwings within 3 feet of the mouth of their own goal on numerous occasions, just to keep the puck out of the net. Oh yeah,...they came to WIN this game.

But, the counterpunch was just as powerful. The Hawks were doing the same thing. I found myself saying on numerous occasions:
'This is the best I've seen Stalberg'

'This is the best I've ever seen Hjalmarsson play"

'Look how ridiculously good Shaw looks right now'

'I am not sure Keith has played a better game........look at him go!'

and on,... and on,... and on.

In fact, I remember saying to myself, this game is so good that if it doesn't come down to a shootout, it will be a shame. I actually thought the Hawks were not going to get that 22nd straight game. That is how well the Redwings were playing. In the 3rd minute of the 3rd period(2:43), T.Tatar received a feed from P. Eaves and Tatar buried it. Nick Leddy,...interestingly enough beat the forward back to get the puck,...then coughed it up. He had one other moment like that which resulted in another great scoring chance. Leddy still played well, but I do remember those two plays sticking in my head as "uh-oh" plays.

But, the hockey gods were looking down on the streak and they must have wanted the Hawks to have a shot at this,.....or they simply realized that NO ONE should have lost this game,.......and they flew Jonathon Ericsson's pass over the boards for a 2 minute delay of game penalty. At this point I was sure the Hawks were going to pull their goalie for a 6 on 4(thank goodness I'm not coaching, yeah?). But, they didn't. Stalberg picked up a Patrick Sharp rebound and swept it over to a waiting and eager Patrick Kane who went top shelf on Jimmy Howard @ 17:58. .........Psssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss..... The air went out of the balloon,...and you could sense that sigh of relief from the bench...This is when my heart finally went...."Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuu"... I was able to breathe again. I was able to go from sitting at the edge of my seat,....to a few more inches back.

When N. Kronwell received the same penalty(delay of game) at the 18:37 mark. I was almost certain the Hawks would get at least a point. This,...was a certainty and now I was able to touch my back to the back of the sofa.....Countdown began....5,....4,...3,...2,...1........Thank God. There is point streak #22 (28 total including the last 6 of last year).

Overtime was exciting and to be honest,...The Hawks got a break when one shot off the post. This allowed  the Hawks to go into yet another shootout.

The Shootout featured Datsyuk, Brenner and Zetterberg vs. Toews, Kane and (most likely) Hossa.

Crawford shut out Datsyuk and Brenner...........This is when we got to witness another Patrick Kane shootout slo-mo (like he did last year in Minnesota) shot.  He dip see-doed  and foot faked until he went forehand wrister glove side. 'That was absolutely a SICK move'.  One more guy to stop. Holding my breath since Crawford was 0-3 in shootouts this year. I stared at Zetterberg racing down right side until that puck shot off his wrister....................Corey gloved it and whistled out of the crease with a leg lift and an arm raised to the god,s for he just won the most exciting game I have seen (outside of the cup winning game). OMG!...tweets are flying around faster than  a turbo jet. HAWKS WIN! HAWKS WIN!.