Another disappointing ending last night...16 OTLs this season or something like that. Frankin' pathetic. But the game was lost in the first not the OT. Hawks had a 2-0 lead and gave it right back to the Flyers. The PP continues to sag - 0-3. A chance to pick up a point on the Avs and the Hawks weren't having it.

Hopefully a little more focused with the Blues in town tonight.
- DK002

The powerplay isn't the issue! All season the Hawks inability to play without the puck was, is and will continue to be the problem. A puck possession team has to have the puck to be successful. If the Hawks don't dedicate themselves to stopping the other team, to win board and puck battles, to hound the opposition every time they have the puck they will not be successful, plain and simple.

Too many Hawk players are not playing over the puck when they don't have it. Instead they take a static defensive posture reaching in with their sticks instead of using their speed and bodies to pressure the other team. Last night the worst was Regin who stands 4 feet from the opposition along the boards and daintily reaches in with his stick.

A better powerplay is a nice to have, but last year the Hawks powerplay was average at best but they won the cup because they were the best defensive and puck retrieval team and that was the catalyst for them to be the best puck possession team.

Good to see some life out of Bickell last night. He handled Simmons very well, and Simmons knows what he's doing.

Good to see some life out of Bickell last night. He handled Simmons very well, and Simmons knows what he's doing.
- mohel

It was nice.

Would be nice to see him hit an opposing teams D man on a forecheck once in a while.

Regarding tonight's game many are saying its a must win or a statement game or whatever. I won't be surprised to see the Hawks come out and win against the Blues BUT I would caution everyone not to be deceived into thinking that this game win or lose is a sign of what the Hawks chances are in the playoffs. The true indicator will be how they finish the remaining games. Are they playing a full 60 minute game,good defense,winning board battles etc. A win tonight probably will excite the "Hawks can flip the switch at any time" crowd but if it's followed by more inconsistent play a win tonight won't be an indicator of anything.

Good to see some life out of Bickell last night. He handled Simmons very well, and Simmons knows what he's doing.
- mohel

Glad he did it, Mo - provided some entertainment during another loss and 2-goal offensive performance against another (not very good) back-up goalie.

Better he should go to the net and put some pressure on the goalie.

>Shaw got his money, has his honey, and is playing like a dummy
>First 2 goals are on him -- goal #1: he is a few feet from the blue line and needs to chip it out to get a much needed line change -- instead he goes cross ice and turns the puck over extending the shift; goal #2: allows Giroux inside position behind the net and offers no resistance as Giroux takes the puck away
>Shaw has been lazy and a disaster in his own zone for quite some time and also is needlessly extending his shifts far too often
>Too many Hawks getting outworked in their own zone -- especially the forwards
>Versteeg slows the play down way too much, passes up too many shots, shoots off of his back foot always with no momentum ever going forward, makes the puck travel way too far on many of his passes -- his "rocking chair hockey" needs to end now -- he's another forward who is getting way outworked in his own zone by the other team
>This team needs to play every shift as if it is their last of the year -- or -- it will definitely be a first round exit
- SnapitUpstairs

SnapIt, fantastic post!


No way Q could have been happy with those plays (and others that didn't but could have easily) ending up in the back of our net.

Going to say again, how many more times do we have to see SHARP get his shot blocked from the point on the PP turning into a fire drill to keep a SHG from happening? It's bad enough we have 1 guy that gets his shots blocked or fires directly into the pads/skates/whatever of the defending team (Duncan Keith), but now we have TWO on the points!

Move Sharp down the half-boards and if Q doesn't want to move the 2nd pair (Seabrook and Leddy) to the 1st unit, then at least put someone else at the point. Give Hjalmarsson a shot at it, he seems pretty capable and does a nice job at the line the rest of the time.

Regarding tonight's game many are saying its a must win or a statement game or whatever. I won't be surprised to see the Hawks come out and win against the Blues BUT I would caution everyone not to be deceived into thinking that this game win or lose is a sign of what the Hawks chances are in the playoffs. The true indicator will be how they finish the remaining games. Are they playing a full 60 minute game,good defense,winning board battles etc. A win tonight probably will excite the "Hawks can flip the switch at any time" crowd but if it's followed by more inconsistent play a win tonight won't be an indicator of anything.
- jhawk159

To win a play-off series, you have to have consistently good play over a period of several consecutive games.

Something thus team has had trouble doing (more than one in a row is an effort).

One win against the Blues now convinces me of nothing.

So....what'd I miss?
- Ogilthorpe2

40 minute efforts by this team is now acceptable to win games.

To win a play-off series, you have to have consistently good play over a period of several consecutive games.

Something thus team has had trouble doing (more than one in a row is an effort).

One win against the Blues now convinces me of nothing.
- StLBravesFan

I agree with all of this post. Yes, one win against the Blues tonight doesn't really convince me of anything either, but it could be the spark this team needs to get it going.

>Shaw got his money, has his honey, and is playing like a dummy
>First 2 goals are on him -- goal #1: he is a few feet from the blue line and needs to chip it out to get a much needed line change -- instead he goes cross ice and turns the puck over extending the shift; goal #2: allows Giroux inside position behind the net and offers no resistance as Giroux takes the puck away
>Shaw has been lazy and a disaster in his own zone for quite some time and also is needlessly extending his shifts far too often
>Too many Hawks getting outworked in their own zone -- especially the forwards
>Versteeg slows the play down way too much, passes up too many shots, shoots off of his back foot always with no momentum ever going forward, makes the puck travel way too far on many of his passes -- his "rocking chair hockey" needs to end now -- he's another forward who is getting way outworked in his own zone by the other team
>This team needs to play every shift as if it is their last of the year -- or -- it will definitely be a first round exit
- SnapitUpstairs

This!

I agree with all of this post. Yes, one win against the Blues tonight doesn't really convince me of anything either, but it could be the spark this team needs to get it going.
- EKolb13

If they win tonite - and play well AND WIN the next three (home) games against non play-off teams (as of this morning - Carolina, Nashville, Dallas) I'll START to fell confident again.

The powerplay isn't the issue! All season the Hawks inability to play without the puck was, is and will continue to be the problem. A puck possession team has to have the puck to be successful. If the Hawks don't dedicate themselves to stopping the other team, to win board and puck battles, to hound the opposition every time they have the puck they will not be successful, plain and simple.

Too many Hawk players are not playing over the puck when they don't have it. Instead they take a static defensive posture reaching in with their sticks instead of using their speed and bodies to pressure the other team. Last night the worst was Regin who stands 4 feet from the opposition along the boards and daintily reaches in with his stick.

A better powerplay is a nice to have, but last year the Hawks powerplay was average at best but they won the cup because they were the best defensive and puck retrieval team and that was the catalyst for them to be the best puck possession team.
- paulr

This: not engaging, either in board battles or stopping the opponent with the puck in center ice - reaching with sticks, avoiding all contact, slamming on the breaks and poke-checking the puck along the boards instead of finishing checks - can't blame any of that on the Hawks being a "possession team" - that's just basic hockey.

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=chicagoblackhawks&id=4680946&city=chicago



t 330 this morning Blackhawks posted that TT is on the way . Will be here Friday....
- mrpaulish

Of course he will. Why do you think they have "Morning Skate Live" this Friday…..No pressure there kid.

Really would have liked to seen the Hawks get a third goal there early in the Flyer game and put that one away early. Oh well. Hawks did gain a point on the Lanche though, which is pretty much all I can root for. I doubt they catch the Blues, so home advantage against Colorado is really the best thing I can expect.

Hawks are gonna have to get off their dependency on using the stretch pass as their primary use of offense.

No rest for the wicked….Blues tonight. Onwards.

If they win tonite - and play well AND WIN the next three (home) games against non play-off teams (as of this morning - Carolina, Nashville, Dallas) I'll START to fell confident again.
- StLBravesFan

The Hawks are as good as any team in the jackpot to win the Stanley Cup - when they show up to play all 60 minutes.

SnapitUpstairs said it best last night: "this team needs to play every shift as if it is their last of the year -- or -- it will definitely be a first round exit."

Dropping games at this point, whether they be against playoff teams or non playoff teams isn't going to work. I believe that this team's mindset should be that the playoffs have started now, and every single player needs to be bringing their best for every shift.

I've been patient enough waiting for this team to snap out of their slump. A few more losses and I'm ready to join Rob out on the ledge.

This: not engaging, either in board battles or stopping the opponent with the puck in center ice - reaching with sticks, avoiding all contact, slamming on the breaks and poke-checking the puck along the boards instead of finishing checks - can't blame any of that on the Hawks being a "possession team" - that's just basic hockey.
- StLBravesFan

I wasn't blaming it on the Hawks being a possession team, but rather if they can't get the puck how can they possess it?

One thing I was glad to see was Bickell finally get angry. Maybe it will be his launching pad to the post season? Last year in the stretch run I remember him annihilating Getzlaf with a huge body check then played more physical on into the playoffs.

You know red asses can be fun at times. If you are speaking of who I think you are, (frank), he wants Mashinter up.
- Elbows15

Yeah, that will fix everything that ails the Hawks.

I wasn't blaming it on the Hawks being a possession team, but rather if they can't get the puck how can they possess it?

One thing I was glad to see was Bickell finally get angry. Maybe it will be his launching pad to the post season? Last year in the stretch run I remember him annihilating Getzlaf with a huge body check then played more physical on into the playoffs.
- paulr

I know you weren't, and the end of that comment is right.

As Olczyk always says, take a hit to make a play: that will be more true in the play-offs, and the Hawks too often back off from it.

Pirri has 3G, 4A in last 5 games. Looks like he is fitting in well there...

Another game....another half ass performance.

Until this team proves it can play 60-65 minutes....the expectations on this end are minimal. In fact, this team will not go ANYWHERE. THey aren't good enough to decide to turn it on late in games and win. They can make it interesting, but not win.

Raanta should be in Rockford. However, when you take a flyer on a has been you get killed, and that's precisely what happened here. So now the margin is so THIN in goal, that's it's CC or bust. CC knows it. The team knows it. Q knows it.

Tonight will be a war.....and maybe the Hawks show up and this board is showering them with rose petals tomorrow. Or maybe they get another stern message sent, and instead the blame will fall on the officials, or how Miller stood on his end, or whatever new excuse makes those who fail to see this team for exactly what it is....talented on paper, but unwilling to pay the price to win the battles that win you games consistently. Paper champions don't mean $hit.

OH....and when everyone cries about where is TT look on further then 1901 w Madison who mismanaged his cap that he has ZERO room to do anything.

So TT can go hang out in Rockford and then everyone can keep on pretending he's the savior....

OH....and when everyone cries about where is TT look on further then 1901 w Madison who mismanaged his cap that he has ZERO room to do anything.

So TT can go hang out in Rockford and then everyone can keep on pretending he's the savior....
- SteveRain

No one thinks he is the "Savior"

Saad is the only Christ like player on the squad

Listen , the offense has hit a snag , its exciting to see if a player with TTs vision can help jump start a group that is already LOADED at forward. No one think he is a savior, just think he can help a little bit . Thats all.

No one thinks he is the "Savior"

Saad is the only Christ like player on the squad

Listen , the offense has hit a snag , its exciting to see if a player with TTs vision can help jump start a group that is already LOADED at forward. No one think he is a savior, just think he can help a little bit . Thats all.
- mrpaulish

That would be me.

Peace be with you my son.

No one thinks he is the "Savior"

Saad is the only Christ like player on the squad

Listen , the offense has hit a snag , its exciting to see if a player with TTs vision can help jump start a group that is already LOADED at forward. No one think he is a savior, just think he can help a little bit . Thats all.
- mrpaulish

He's not coming up because they have ZERO room...not until very, very late in the season and do we really think Q is going to roll the dice and play an unproven NHL player big minutes in what will be crucial games?

Ahh.....no. Not unless there's an injury.

So again....the point is moot.

Just wondering - anyone think there could be a Crawford for Lou trade on draft day?

Just wondering - anyone think there could be a Crawford for Lou trade on draft day?
- powerenforcer

Nope.