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I'll open this blog in much the same way I did with the one that preceded Game 2: anyone expecting a replay of the last game tonight is probably kidding themselves.
Tonight is the Hawks' turn for a counterpunch, and I think you'll see it. Will they win? Hard to say because it's hard to do in an opponent's arena, especially in the playoffs.
But that said, Joel Quennevile is making some overdue line changes—actually going back closer to the lineup that drove the Hawks' remarkable success in the regular season.
And there's that issue of playing on the road. The Hawks are 7-0-1 in their last eight games at Joe Louis Arena. there's a difference between regular season success and playoff success. But it's really hard (and probably foolish) to say the Hawks can't win in Detroit. They very much can. And their goal is to take at least one of the next two games and, at the very least, re-establish home ice advantage.
As far as lines tonight, the Hawks will go something like this:
Saad-Toews-Hossa
Sharp-Bolland-Kane
Bickell-Shaw-Stalberg
Kruger-Handzus-Frolik
The defense should remain as it's been.
Make no mistake, the Hawks will need better effort all the way around tonight, but particularly from Corey Crawford and Dave Bolland.
Crawford made a couple of very good saves in game 2, but gave up two goals that were saveable, especially Valteri Filippula's third period back breaker. The norm needs to be good saves, not good saves AND saveable goals. One does not cancel the other out.
Which leads to Bolland, who needs to move his feet and be effective without taking cheap shots or using his stick, or losing his composure, as he did on Filippula's goal.
Will Viktor Stalberg be the spark that turns the series back in the Hawks' favor? A betting man would say probably not. But, the Bickell-Shaw-Stalberg line was the Hawks' best on many nights during the regular season and in at least two games in Round 1.
Anyone who has played hockey will tell you, speed creates space. As well as the Wings' skate, they must respect and adjust to Stalberg's speed when he is on the ice, and much more so than they did the guy he will replace, Dan Carcillo.
Stalberg is also a very effective back-checker due to his speed. And he usually has dominant games after emerging from the doghouse.
These factors will make some difference tonight. How much is hard to say.
Bolland's re-insertion on line 2 might help get that line going , as well, where Michal Handzus glacial skating was likely slowing the line down a bit.
One thing the Hawks' can't control is the effort and intensity of the Wings—all Chicago can do is improve its own.
After Game 2, they have a lot of room to do so.
All for now,
JJ
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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