It was the best of games, it was the worst of games.
The only two good parts about game #4 were 1) Corey Crawford and 2) the Blackhawks won. Other than that, it looked like Vegas had a 60-minute power play… Wowza.
Before I get too far into the weeds of game #4, let's discuss game #3's 2-1 loss on Saturday.
The Hawks played better in this game but still had to rely on Corey Crawford a little too much.
Marc-Andre Fleury was the surprise starter (or at least a surprise to me) and he came up huge, especially in the 3rd period when the Hawks threw everything at him and the Knights.
This was a quick turnaround for both teams and while the Hawks looked a little gassed from puck drop in game #4, Vegas did not. Their 4th line was dominant (more on that in a minute) and they throw 96 shot attempts at the Hawks net – woof.
Game #5 will be Tuesday at… yes… you guessed it... 930pm CT / 1030pm EST. We knew it was only a matter of time before the Hawks play another game in the middle of the night.
The Hawks better rest up because Vegas is showing zero signs of slowing down. Speaking of rest, we all know Corey Crawford will sleep well tonight after that performance. He may just sleep right until Tuesday.
Here are a few thoughts in my head after the weekend of games, as well as heading into game #5:
* 4th Line – I can't really complain about the Hawks' 4th line of Carpenter-Kampf-Highmore, they have combined for 4 goals in the playoffs and have been leaned on as the shutdown line on most nights.
While there's been nothing at all wrong with that trio, damn it would be nice to have Vegas' 4th line at times. The Hawks need to get bigger up-and-down the lineup and this is something that Stan Bowman will need to address if the Hawks want to have success in the year's to come in the playoffs.
No, I'm not clamouring for a big bully to smash guys through the glass, but the addition of a guy (or two) who is big, heavy, and can control shifts like the Knights' line would be a nice change of scenery.
Hey, didn't the Hawks have a guy like that in John Hayden? Like him or not, he would have been more useful than John Quenneville in these playoffs and likely would have drawn in during this series vs. Vegas.
* Corey Crawford – What a performance from Corey. Duncan Keith said it was maybe as good as he's ever been. And Keith has seen some doozies from Crow.
I read on Twitter during the game in the 3rd period that someone said, "if this is Crawford's last game as a Blackhawk, he's going out in style", or something to that effect.
It didn't even dawn on me that it could have been the last game we see #50 in as a Hawk. I don't think I put too much thought into it because I feel pretty confident in saying that he will be back in Chicago next year.
I don't want to look too far ahead, however, if Crawford wants to keep playing – and there's been no indication otherwise – then him staying in Chicago is a good bet. And I'm not just saying that because I'm on a high from his play tonight.
There's not much else out there and Chicago has a lot of leverage to work out a good deal (for them) with Corey; flat cap, Blackhawks intimate knowledge of his past injuries (where other teams may be scared off), and they know his appetite to keep his family in Chicago.
We'll see what happens.
* Line Blender – We're all familiar with the in-game line blenders as we know them so well from the decade Coach Q was behind the bench. Colliton was getting a little too trigger happy for my liking on Saturday (he calmed down a bit on Sunday).
There's one thing to try to get some guys going, but there appeared to be a lot of confusion on the ice at times. I know he's working with what he has, but I think some consistency next game might be nice unless he plans on playing Patrick Kane to death.
I think leaving the D where they are is wise as well with Keith-Murphy, de Haan-Boqvist, and Bobby "Maatta" Orr-Koekkoek which were rolled out last game.
* Alex Nylander – I'm sorry, I didn't want to do this, but he has to in this blog. First off, Coach Colliton… DO NOT PUT #92 with #17 and #12. It doesn't work.
Secondly, this guy has the skill, no doubt, but wow, he frustrates the hell out of me with his decision-making.
I made a comment on the message board tonight saying that it was incredible how the Golden Knights play so well together as a team. They are supporting each other in every zone, know where each other are going to be, and above all else, every single playing, regardless of line, almost always makes the right play. They have no dead weight on their team.
Obviously, the Knights are a superior team and the Hawks are young, but damn, Nylander needs to go to school this summer/fall. He needs to watch non-stop tape about what to do and when to do it.
* Next Game – This leads me to my next point that I would scratch Nylander next game. I know this is about getting experience for these young guys but it's also a time of learning. Nylander can learn from the press box next game, just like Boqvist did in game #2.
I would put Brandon Hagel in to add another non-stop motor and edge to the Hawks lineup. Look at how effective guys like Highmore and Caggiula are in a series like this. Hagel is in the same mold… get him in there. Remember, Hagel is a young guy too and it would be a great learning experience for him as well.
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So in conclusion, Corey Crawford is amazing and every single Hawks player needs to be better in front of him on Tuesday to help him out a little more.
It's not a sweep ladies and gentlemen. Let the ride continue.
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Lastly, I just wanted to update you on something I hinted at a while back.
I've spent a lot of time in my off-hours (when I'm not working or writing), building a business. This business is not hockey-related but something I'm very passionate about; it is called
DadSourcing
DadSourcing is a personal assistant service that gives Dads the gift of time aimed to help them live a happier and healthier life.
I created this company because being a Dad is the hardest thing I've ever done. I felt like I never had any time and was overwhelmed with the chores around the house, work, etc. while trying to work in family time. I needed help and I knew a lot of my friends did as well.
Another reason I wanted to launch this service is to help support Dads and men in their mental health. When we have more time, we can spend more time on – not just our physical health, but also our mental health. That's why for every paid subscription, I'm donating $1 / month back to a charitable organization.
We are technically still in beta mode, but only have a few minor kinks to work out.
Check out the site and if you think we can help you out, try it out for free today or sign up for a package.
Thanks for the support!
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Stay safe and see ya out there!
TC
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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