This line was a huge mismatch in games 1 and 2. Got several prime chances.
- PuckAndSticks

Exactly.

If they want to try other options to get 88 room, alternate 20/10 between 1L/2L once in awhile.

Keep the 3rd and 4th lines: 23/80/86 and 11/16/65.

I figure it may be one of these things to watch and see how Cooper handles Hedman. One other thing: KEEP winning at the DOT! Surprised this wasn't mentioned much - I know I forgot - they were 67% last night. Three games in a row they're between 58-67% at the dot. Win draws on the road = re-establish your match ups a bit better

Forwards need to support the D better it would seem. Otherwise, any clue how they can figure this out?
- golfbard

All Hawk forwards back check well, this is Coach Q's system of team defence and why we are in the top 3 every year. The problems we are experiencing simply come down to the fact that Q has been riding essentially 5 forwards and they are GASSED, while Tampa incredibly has no downtime in their game. This is why I have been advocating the urgent necessity for Q to go back to rolling 4 lines. You must have FRESH LEGS to play two way hockey!

So Steve you don't accept you can stop a pure finesse player yet you have railed on here many times that the Hawks need bigger more physical players to stop the finesse players on other teams. Sure Toews, Saad, Hossa can be successful, that's because they can, will and are able to play in traffic and tough areas on the ice.

You want Kane to help the team, spot him on the PP on 4 on 4 play and against softer lines and defense pairings. Right now the guys best able to help the Hawks win are the more physical players willing to play in the dirty areas, not the pure finesse players who aren't.
- paulr

Again....Kane is arguably one of the best forwards in the game right now. Period. I'm sure he has seen this style played against him.

There is no way in hell you can spot him in and out of the lineup. He thrives on flow to his game, so to spot him in 4 on 4 or PP is a joke. Not happening. What he needs to do is adapt and adjust. Stop pulling up at the blue line looking for a trailer because the tampa back check is all over him. This isn't game 2. This has been going on now for 4 straight games. It's up to Kane to adapt his style. Kane has 1 on 1 moves and quickness to draw penalties and create space.

The bottom line is to your point, the biggest guy on the team refuses to crash the net and play a grind game. That's why he's watching in a suit up high.

A huge point from last night's game was all the juicy rebounds that the Tampa goalie gave up, and an even BIGGER point was how few Hawks were there to pounce on them! Again, the biggest difference of this series from any other series, including the last one against ANA is how noticeably we are struggling with finishing. Tampa has usually made the most of their opportunities (a very Hawk-like trait) and we haven't. And you can't just simply lay this on Tampa's strong goaltending...we have hit a ton of iron and missed a bunch of empty nets. This MUST change during this best of 3. FOCUS!
- MexicoHawk

How much of this is the fatigue factor with the forwards not wanting to be caught down too low, not having enough juice go get back on defense, and giving up odd man rushes?

Mike Babcock and Yzerman created a monster with that defensive system they used in the Socchi Olympics. It shut down the Team USA offence quite easily if I recall and the great Dan Bylsma didn't know what to do. Something similar is being thrown at the Hawks in this series.

Kane can't cut it, he will be moved for picks and prospects in the offseason. Hawks fans will show the middle finger and wave good riddance.


- RickJ

Nobody said trade him. He won't be traded.

He's got to be better. He's a top player on this team. He's shown he can do it in the past.

To JJ's point 86, was no where to be found last night. Yet, 86 has found room on 2 beautiful plays. IN game 1, he moved right off Keith for a perfect 1 timer....In game 2....he found a soft spot on the PP. Those are things Kane should be doing. Finding the soft spots. He it did 1 time last night on an odd man break and almost scored.

Kudos to Oduya and Seabrook and all the guys for that matter. As a Chicago Sportsfan growing up, I did not get to witness many championships, but always loved the work ethic and determination of our teams and players. The character.

Much of that is gone in society these days, but the Hawks have embodied that spirit and for that I am grateful. Sure Kane has a few prima dona shifts, but you can't take anything away from Oduya or Seabrook and Kruger, imo he is hurt pretty bad.

They soldier on.

Win or lose, lots to be proud of. Great showcase for the sport of hockey. How many of you thought i was high or crazy when I said how the Lightning are the Hawks of a few years ago, talented, determined, confident? And that they would give the hawks everything they could handle.

Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.

JJ, thoughts on Killorn and JT Brown?

Stamkos is finding space down the wing for shots, has driven the net, is finding soft spots. He is engaged.

That is what Kane needs to do.

Just like 50 yesterday, the criticism of Kane is VERY fair at this point. He has to be BETTER. Period. There is really no excuse. They have Saad who is arguably the Hawks best forward in this series on his line now, and Richards, who has amped up his game.
- SteveRain

Hawks should be very pleased with what Richards has given them

FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST:

Seabrook was battling flu-like symptoms before the game and toughed it out, had to take an IV between periods, teammates were in AWE, from a source.
- John Jaeckel

I thought so, Seabs looked even more of a robot last night than he normally does, so I watched his face at every chance and he did not look good. Tremendous effort, but then again, he's a hockey player!

>Love Kaner, but his grey zone turnover with 2 minutes to play was incredibly bad
>Up until that time, Hawks had defensive flow and had "control" of the game from the Saad goal until the Kane turnover -- 11 straight minutes killed off the clock
>After the Kaner monumental mistake, puck never left the Hawks zone except for an icing around the 50 second mark
>If Kaner shuttles the puck deep, everyone likely feels better about the "W"
>Like the lines that Q switched to during the game -- keep Richards at 2C -- he played really well -- move Shaw back to 4L RW -- keep Sharp on 1L, Saad on 2L
>At some point during a hockey series, a team decides if they are going to actually pay ANY price to win -- last night the Hawks made that decision -- led by Seabrook and Johnny O
>The formula to win this series is actually pretty simple (not easy) -- get pucks to the Tampa net and get to the Tampa net -- and continue to check Tampa forwards in our slot -- saw several outstanding stick lifts last night
- SnapitUpstairs

Good points, Snapper. Toews could have also helped a bit in the last minute or so by not losing two straight face offs with the empty net on the other side. Great face off numbers overall, but those two could have really hurt.

Exactly.

If they want to try other options to get 88 room, alternate 20/10 between 1L/2L once in awhile.

Keep the 3rd and 4th lines: 23/80/86 and 11/16/65.

I figure it may be one of these things to watch and see how Cooper handles Hedman. One other thing: KEEP winning at the DOT! Surprised this wasn't mentioned much - I know I forgot - they were 67% last night. Three games in a row they're between 58-67% at the dot. Win draws on the road = re-establish your match ups a bit better
- blackhawk24

They also lost 2 of those 3 games.

So by G8 I guess we should see the Kane we've been expecting to see?
- savvyone-1

Good one, but really im thinking game 5 he'll adjust and make something happen that helps the Hawks.

Nobody said trade him. He won't be traded.

He's got to be better. He's a top player on this team. He's shown he can do it in the past.

To JJ's point 86, was no where to be found last night. Yet, 86 has found room on 2 beautiful plays. IN game 1, he moved right off Keith for a perfect 1 timer....In game 2....he found a soft spot on the PP. Those are things Kane should be doing. Finding the soft spots. He it did 1 time last night on an odd man break and almost scored.
- SteveRain

That's because he is being spotted.

Good points, Snapper. Toews could have also helped a bit in the last minute or so by not losing two straight face offs with the empty net on the other side. Great face off numbers overall, but those two could have really hurt.
- mohel

>No doubt about it

TVR should round into form next game. More practice time with the starters and a couple games under his belt. Don't know if he'll see more ice time, but I think he'll start playing more consistently.

What a battle going on, so fun to watch
- BlazinMike

I don't think so, in fact I can guarantee he won't. All you have to do is watch TVR's head, it's spinning out there...the game is moving at infinite speeds for him right now. TVR only played about 20 games this season for the Hawks, and in them he was protected and looked "okay", decent for a rookie. But coming off those two injuries and never playing in the NHL playoffs, he is close to being lost out there. The fact that he is in the lineup at all speaks volumes about how Q views the rest of the bunch. And to think that there is actually "talk" that Runblad will be back next year!?!? Incredible really...

First, I called the Crawford bounce back yesterday. Yay me.

Second, shows you how incomplete of a player Sharp has become. Drags his ass like dog with the runs across the carpet and all of a sudden finds a second gear with Hoss and Toews. What a piece of crap. I can't wait for this team to be rid of him.

Also, awful game to watch. This series has really done nothing to advance or sell hockey to the masses. It has been brutal, especially this last game. Absolutely nothing positive to say about that watching experience except for the Hawks won and there was a lot of eye candy at the bar. Completely different from any of the other series where there was some urgency and intensity. Yawn fest.
- fattybeef

Hey Fatty, I know what you mean about being tough to watch, although I enjoy the effort and competition from both teams. But I have never seen so much hacking and whacking. The noise they are making is awful. I can't hear the skates cut the ice or the puck being received. All I hear is that composite clacking. And although I do love the intensity, the flow is very choppy and tough to watch at times.

Kudos to Oduya and Seabrook and all the guys for that matter. As a Chicago Sportsfan growing up, I did not get to witness many championships, but always loved the work ethic and determination of our teams and players. The character.

Much of that is gone in society these days, but the Hawks have embodied that spirit and for that I am grateful. Sure Kane has a few prima dona shifts, but you can't take anything away from Oduya or Seabrook and Kruger, imo he is hurt pretty bad.

They soldier on.

Win or lose, lots to be proud of. Great showcase for the sport of hockey. How many of you thought i was high or crazy when I said how the Lightning are the Hawks of a few years ago, talented, determined, confident? And that they would give the hawks everything they could handle.

Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.

JJ, thoughts on Killorn and JT Brown?
- TrueGrit

You also said the same about the Sharks, Colorado, Dallas and Ottawa. Am I missing anyone?

Just read that everyone's favorite St Louis Blue (Jackman) was told he won't be resigned by the team.

and so now its patrick kane's turn to be female doged about...

i seem to remember 2 shots the russian kid some how stopped...one was going top shelve blocker...he reacted at the last possible instant and got it...

it that goes in...its all about how kane stepped up....

Just read that everyone's favorite St Louis Blue (Jackman) was told he won't be resigned by the team.
- MNHawk

How long until Stan signs him?

Nobody said trade him. He won't be traded.

He's got to be better. He's a top player on this team. He's shown he can do it in the past.

To JJ's point 86, was no where to be found last night. Yet, 86 has found room on 2 beautiful plays. IN game 1, he moved right off Keith for a perfect 1 timer....In game 2....he found a soft spot on the PP. Those are things Kane should be doing. Finding the soft spots. He it did 1 time last night on an odd man break and almost scored.
- SteveRain

The trade comment was being facetious.

In the playoffs forever, small players skilled players have had trouble when the big bodies come out to play. And in the case of Tampa, their big framed players are diligently executing a system that works for them - so far.

Just read that everyone's favorite St Louis Blue (Jackman) was told he won't be resigned by the team.
- MNHawk

hawks should take a look

You also said the same about the Sharks, Colorado, Dallas and Ottawa. Am I missing anyone?
- paulr

Modern Hockey!

You know how everybody POSTS First when they are?

I again on the last blog and almost every other blog in the last month am always LAST.

It is not even funny at this point...
- wiz1901

So here's the simple solution to Wiz's problem. From this blog forward, the contest to try to be "first" on the new blog is now changed to try to be the first person to post "last" on the old blog immediately after the new blog goes up. So when you see a new blog up, you don't race to type "first" on that blog. You go to the old blog and immediately type "last". First person to type "last" on the old blog with a time stamp after the new blog posting wins.

In this way, Wiz will always see "last" and know there's a new blog up and running.

You're welcome, Wiz. I love your insight and dont want you frustrated!

Again....Kane is arguably one of the best forwards in the game right now. Period. I'm sure he has seen this style played against him.

There is no way in hell you can spot him in and out of the lineup. He thrives on flow to his game, so to spot him in 4 on 4 or PP is a joke. Not happening. What he needs to do is adapt and adjust. Stop pulling up at the blue line looking for a trailer because the tampa back check is all over him. This isn't game 2. This has been going on now for 4 straight games. It's up to Kane to adapt his style. Kane has 1 on 1 moves and quickness to draw penalties and create space.

The bottom line is to your point, the biggest guy on the team refuses to crash the net and play a grind game. That's why he's watching in a suit up high.
- SteveRain

>On any given shift Kaner can either score or set up a goal
>Timonen's crossbar blast was set up by Kaner
>Kaner needs to get Tampa to chase him over bigger stretches of ice -- with or without the puck
>Would like to see Kaner actually exit the OZ when the Hawks have the puck and quickly re-enter into soft spots
>Cooper watched hours of tape on Kane -- all the Bolts are doing is denying him his usual "spots" -- there is plenty of other ice Kaner can find
>And as you say, go ahead and take it to the net more
>But the big picture is just get the "W" -- any way you can

Ummmm they have one guy chasing him and they are boxing the other 4 in front of the goal. There really isn't any space to go to in the middle.

Hopefully Saad can create some space on the off side but TB is doing a great job playing an exceptionally boring brand of hockey and shutting down the Hawks transition and Patrick Kane. Working hard and getting results are not the same thing. If they can get some guys to spread out and commit down low something and lose their shape then that will help. Otherwise its going to be a grind.

The Soccer term for this would be parking the bus.
- fattybeef

This just isn't so. If Kane has a "spy", chasing him, then it would be easy for Kane to beat him one on one, and then break down the defence, but this just isn't the case. Tampa is playing what is called TALL around him, encouraging him to the outside...the frustrating thing is that Kane seems to be okay with this. He needs to skate hard with the puck (like he did in the 3rd period last night) and attack the net which will result in breaking down the defence...this creates opportunities and open space for the other forwards. Kane doesn't have to be the one scoring, but he does need to start generating chances and you can't do that from he boards!