Gus is on the ice for 7 of the 6 goals, one is waved off. Crawford is on the ice for 3. Sharks tilt the ice to the tune of 59 shots. Keith and Shaw get kicked out for back to back high sticking penalties.

Bread - the Hawks owe the hockey Gods big time for giving us 3 Cups with such flawed rosters. My prediction? Pain.
- mohel

God's took one away in 2014...

That's how I have it looking, but we don't really know until we see what this Hawks team actually is supposed to look like.
- Chunk

I'll genuinely be surprised if they come out playing like total crapola. First 10 minutes SJ has a distinct advantage perhaps, but the entire freaking game? Nah!

my goodness how anout those NL games 5's...

kershaw now knows what kimbrel feels like...wow consecutive pitches game tied..
- bogiedoc

Kimbrel is toast, Stan told Theo to sign him. Another wasted $15 m on the store bought pitching staff. Theo the genius...

Gus is on the ice for 7 of the 6 goals, one is waved off. Crawford is on the ice for 3. Sharks tilt the ice to the tune of 59 shots. Keith and Shaw get kicked out for back to back high sticking penalties.
- rpeters01

How long into the game before SJ morphs into the Tools, they sometimes are? Or, will they chill out and think about the long term goal? I don't think they'd be served well, by choosing to awaken the Hawks.

Per Scott Powers

Blackhawks lineup in morning skate Nylander-Toews-Kane DeBrincat-Strome-Shaw Saad-Kampf-Kubalik Smith-Carpenter-Caggiula Keith-Gustafsson Maatta-Seabrook Koekkoek-Murphy

Crawford in goal.
- boilermaker100

right call on crow...don't like the 3rd line with kampf and a waste of saad down there

Gus is on the ice for 7 of the 6 goals, one is waved off. Crawford is on the ice for 3. Sharks tilt the ice to the tune of 59 shots. Keith and Shaw get kicked out for back to back high sticking penalties.
- rpeters01

where did all this optimism come from...

God's took one away in 2014...
- rpeters01

No. that was Leddy being a dolt. A couple of missed calls and the Hawks failure to hold the lead.

Got our excuses on lock down yet?

Feels like the first game. Except it isn't. Trap game? On game 2? Mmmmkay.

My goal for tonight is to just not suck. That's pretty much it.

my goodness how anout those NL games 5's...

kershaw now knows what kimbrel feels like...wow consecutive pitches game tied..
- bogiedoc

that ain't nothing new. kershaw always sucks in the playoffs

Got our excuses on lock down yet?

Feels like the first game. Except it isn't. Trap game? On game 2? Mmmmkay.

My goal for tonight is to just not suck. That's pretty much it.
- kwolf68

Which ones? Win? Lose? Both?

Nylander with the hat trick.
- RedRevenge

How sweet would that be, huh?

Got our excuses on lock down yet?

Feels like the first game. Except it isn't. Trap game? On game 2? Mmmmkay.

My goal for tonight is to just not suck. That's pretty much it.
- kwolf68

Keith is going to have to realize he is the stay at home D-man in his pairing.

Not to suck and not giving up multiple odd man rushes would be nice.

I'm looking forward to seeing what de Haan adds to the D when he finally is playing and gets his game legs back. I think I remember some comparing his game to Hammer so I wonder if he could eventually pair with Keith and have Gus pair with Murphy 5 on 5 but still (Gus) QB the PP.

probably high scoring affair, maybe 8 goals total, who wins is anyone's guess.

The over under is 6.5. All you predicting 8 to 10 goals, get your bets down.

Sharks 4 Hawks 3 - Hawks get down early, make a nice comeback, but lose on a late goal from Evander Kane. Hawks continue to struggle with Colliton's defensive system and give up another 35-40 shots. Hope I am wrong, but have a bad feeling that the sharks get their first W at the U.C.

Keith is going to have to realize he is the stay at home D-man in his pairing.

Not to suck and not giving up multiple odd man rushes would be nice.
- bhawks2241

If only Leadpipe were still around. What amazing pairing him and Gus would be.

My favorite part of this write up is the very common sense statement that we do not need to be seeing Keith/Gufstasfson leading in 5 v 5 minutes.
But we may need to wait a bit more on that until de Haan is able to make his 'Hawk debut.
- 35Tony0

It's an interesting debate that I would like to get into as the season goes along.

What should be the breakout for the top 6 defenceman?

The way they are constructed (when de Haan is healthy), I think it should look something like:

Keith (23-24 mins) - still the #1 on the team but needs to play a lot better than the first game. He will see PP2 and PK1 mins.

Gustafsson (21-22 mins) - He realistically will be in the 23-25 mins depending on the amount of PP time. He should be more in the 21-22 TOI though.

de Haan (19-20 mins) - shutdown role with high % of DZ starts. He should be out against top lines.

Murphy (19-20 mins) - the other 1/2 of the shutdown pair. He was one of the most reliable defenders last year. Is ready to grow into full-time shutdown guy and if he has chemistry w/ de Haan, that could be a really good thing.

Maatta (18-19 mins) - I have liked what I've seen and could be end up being higher on this list. He and Keith could be a solid PK1 if he can play his off-side effectively.

Seabrook (15-16 mins) - has looked ok so far in preseason and game 1, but needs to be strictly 5-on-5 with a little PP2 time and PK mins only if necessary

Koekkoek - 7th dman; plays 12-14 mins / game when he's in.

--

As the Hawks are really lacking a legit top pairing I would go with a strategy of defence by committee. The de Haan and Maatta additions help achieve that.

It's an interesting debate that I would like to get into as the season goes along.

What should be the breakout for the top 6 defenceman?

The way they are constructed (when de Haan is healthy), I think it should look something like:

Keith (23-24 mins) - still the #1 on the team but needs to play a lot better than the first game. He will see PP2 and PK1 mins.

Gustafsson (21-22 mins) - He realistically will be in the 23-25 mins depending on the amount of PP time. He should be more in the 21-22 TOI though.

de Haan (19-20 mins) - shutdown role with high % of DZ starts. He should be out against top lines.

Murphy (19-20 mins) - the other 1/2 of the shutdown pair. He was one of the most reliable defenders last year. Is ready to grow into full-time shutdown guy and if he has chemistry w/ de Haan, that could be a really good thing.

Maatta (18-19 mins) - I have liked what I've seen and could be end up being higher on this list. He and Keith could be a solid PK1 if he can play his off-side effectively.

Seabrook (15-16 mins) - has looked ok so far in preseason and game 1, but needs to be strictly 5-on-5 with a little PP2 time and PK mins only if necessary

Koekkoek - 7th dman; plays 12-14 mins / game when he's in.

--

As the Hawks are really lacking a legit top pairing I would go with a strategy of defence by committee. The de Haan and Maatta additions help achieve that.
- Tyler Cameron

Gus should be at 18 minutes per game, 4 or 5 on the PP and the remainder at sheltered equal strength time.

I will be watching this one on the DVR tomorrow as tonight I'll be 4th row off the glass at the Pepsi Center for the Avs v Bruins Should be a hell of a game in Denver tonight!

It's an interesting debate that I would like to get into as the season goes along.

What should be the breakout for the top 6 defenceman?

The way they are constructed (when de Haan is healthy), I think it should look something like:

Keith (23-24 mins) - still the #1 on the team but needs to play a lot better than the first game. He will see PP2 and PK1 mins.

Gustafsson (21-22 mins) - He realistically will be in the 23-25 mins depending on the amount of PP time. He should be more in the 21-22 TOI though.

de Haan (19-20 mins) - shutdown role with high % of DZ starts. He should be out against top lines.

Murphy (19-20 mins) - the other 1/2 of the shutdown pair. He was one of the most reliable defenders last year. Is ready to grow into full-time shutdown guy and if he has chemistry w/ de Haan, that could be a really good thing.

Maatta (18-19 mins) - I have liked what I've seen and could be end up being higher on this list. He and Keith could be a solid PK1 if he can play his off-side effectively.

Seabrook (15-16 mins) - has looked ok so far in preseason and game 1, but needs to be strictly 5-on-5 with a little PP2 time and PK mins only if necessary

Koekkoek - 7th dman; plays 12-14 mins / game when he's in.

--

As the Hawks are really lacking a legit top pairing I would go with a strategy of defence by committee. The de Haan and Maatta additions help achieve that.
- Tyler Cameron

I think Keith should be PK2 at best, Murphy, DaHaan, Matta, and Seabrook should be PK1 and 2. Keith looked horrible again on the PK last game, and wasn't good (obviously) last year.

I will be watching this one on the DVR tomorrow as tonight I'll be 4th row off the glass at the Pepsi Center for the Avs v Bruins Should be a hell of a game in Denver tonight!
- EnzoD

Great score on the seat! That should be a great game to watch live. Don't jump ship on the Hawks!

I will be watching this one on the DVR tomorrow as tonight I'll be 4th row off the glass at the Pepsi Center for the Avs v Bruins Should be a hell of a game in Denver tonight!
- EnzoD

Hows the snow up there Enzo? horrible here in the Springs and 25 closed N of Mon Hill....

If gus is top 2 in D minutes on your team....you're not making the playoffs

When Keith is paired with him, he essentially is on the ice with 4 other forwards

If I'm on the other team playing the Hawks, everytime 2 and 56 are on the ice, I am attacking Keith/his side every-single-time

I'm carrying the puck at him, I'm dumping the puck to his side...I'm putting every bit of pressure on him because he doesnt have support and 2 doesnt have a reliable D partner outlet. Eventually, it will wear him down and force turnovers- which is exactly what has happened to him since JC labeled Gus a top minute "defenceman"