Agree. During and after the game I hardly thought about Colliton's system. Just think if we had 6 NHL defensemen and two great goalies (one great goalie per game). We might give up less than 40 shots and 4 goals per game more often. Maybe win more than lose too. Ok that last sentence went too far.
- -Doh-

I know many make a big deal of shots on goal, I'm more concerned about 2nd and 3rd chances after the initial shot and if they are shot from the blue line either block the shot or take the deflection away.

2 games with all 5 dmen healthy 3 goals in 6 periods, 2 of them on the PK.

They owned 50 50 pucks tonight

Funny thing is no Nylander on the 4th line tonight we go to OT.

Kudos to Alex Nylander tonight. Tremendous effort and a timely goal.

Nice win but JC's usage continues to be puzzling. Saad, Toews and Kubalik all with less than 12 minutes at 5v5.

In no world should Smith and Carpenter play more than those 3. Carpenter is meh and could be part of a decent 4th line. They need someone to replace Smith to turn into a true shutdown line with Kampf being the 4C

Yeah, I know Smith had a hit but he and the puck are not friends.

Nice win but JC's usage continues to be puzzling. Saad, Toews and Kubalik all with less than 12 minutes at 5v5.

In no world should Smith and Carpenter play more than those 3. Carpenter is meh and could be part of a decent 4th line. They need someone to replace Smith to turn into a true shutdown line with Kampf being the 4C

Yeah, I know Smith had a hit but he and the puck are not friends.
- Elbows15

They didn't. Smith with only 9:16, and Carpenter with 13.42. He only beat Kubalik by like 17 seconds, and that was probably because 8 took two penalties.

I know many make a big deal of shots on goal, I'm more concerned about 2nd and 3rd chances after the initial shot and if they are shot from the blue line either block the shot or take the deflection away.

2 games with all 5 dmen healthy 3 goals in 6 periods, 2 of them on the PK.

They owned 50 50 pucks tonight
- BetweenTheDots

Agree. Trending in the right direction. But still small sample size.

Nice win but JC's usage continues to be puzzling. Saad, Toews and Kubalik all with less than 12 minutes at 5v5.

In no world should Smith and Carpenter play more than those 3. Carpenter is meh and could be part of a decent 4th line. They need someone to replace Smith to turn into a true shutdown line with Kampf being the 4C

Yeah, I know Smith had a hit but he and the puck are not friends.
- Elbows15

Agreed that Smith can sit when Dach is ready.

Caggiula-Kampf-Carpenter would be the ideal 4th line.

Game 10?
- kwolf68

7-2-1...plan the parade

Nice win but JC's usage continues to be puzzling. Saad, Toews and Kubalik all with less than 12 minutes at 5v5.

In no world should Smith and Carpenter play more than those 3. Carpenter is meh and could be part of a decent 4th line. They need someone to replace Smith to turn into a true shutdown line with Kampf being the 4C

Yeah, I know Smith had a hit but he and the puck are not friends.
- Elbows15

I think after Shaw's hit, Oilers started watching the forwards more than the puck, several times i saw Draisaitl and McDavid want nothing to do with the checking lines. I think he smelled fear

I doubt we’ll have many people complaining about a lack of physicality and toughness with this roster. For the first time in forever.
- SimpleJack

lavender sniffer...

Really "unquestionable". Lehner has played one game and played very well. You can say Crow has had a better career, for sure. But he has played on better teams too. If they play the rest of the year like they did the last two games, I like our chances.
- -Doh-

Let's hope it's competition that drives each to be better, rather than undermining them

At least for Crow, seems to be going that way as of this game

The schedule this year sucks

Agreed that Smith can sit when Dach is ready.

Caggiula-Kampf-Carpenter would be the ideal 4th line.
- SimpleJack

Dach would start at wing before moving to center.

The schedule this year sucks
- BetweenTheDots

Is it the schedulers just being bad, or are Rocky et al trying to make up for the lost playoff revenue by selling more UC events?

So bad for us when it's back-to-back (although better with two good goalies), then large gaps. Wish they could take this morale booster into a game in a couple of days.

Some good news? At least a good trend...

Ben Pope
@BenPopeCST

Blackhawks' scoring chances allowed in their four games:
PHI: 36
SJS: 31
WPG: 26
EDM: 22

I think after Shaw's hit, Oilers started watching the forwards more than the puck, several times i saw Draisaitl and McDavid want nothing to do with the checking lines. I think he smelled fear
- BetweenTheDots

it was Kampf line that handled most of the dirty work against McDavid. Tippett couldn't get them out there fast enough against Carpenter's line.

Agreed that Smith can sit when Dach is ready.

Caggiula-Kampf-Carpenter would be the ideal 4th line.
- SimpleJack

I would leave Caligula with Toews. They seem to work for some reason. I would get Highmore's ass up here to play with Kampf and Carpenter. Maybe then they could handle some tougher QoC freeing up Saad and Kubalik and whoever to take on a more offensive role.

Smith can't handle that role anymore. Plus, with Carpenter's lack of puck skills that line needs someone who can handle a puck and play smart defensive hockey. Highmore also has a bit more puck skills. Yeah, you lose some size but Highmore is a relentless puck hound who isn't afraid of physical hockey.

Ben Pope
@BenPopeCST
Connor Murphy said (and Colliton confirmed) that the Blackhawks' coaching staff made the team watch videos of good second periods from past seasons before tonight's game.

They didn't. Smith with only 9:16, and Carpenter with 13.42. He only beat Kubalik by like 17 seconds, and that was probably because 8 took two penalties.
- Chunk

Toews played 10 minutes and change at 5v5. That is idiotic.

Nice win but JC's usage continues to be puzzling. Saad, Toews and Kubalik all with less than 12 minutes at 5v5.

In no world should Smith and Carpenter play more than those 3. Carpenter is meh and could be part of a decent 4th line. They need someone to replace Smith to turn into a true shutdown line with Kampf being the 4C

Yeah, I know Smith had a hit but he and the puck are not friends.
- Elbows15

Normally that would be called "rolling 4 lines", except when Colliton does it it is called puzzling.

Toews played 10 minutes and change at 5v5. That is idiotic.
- Elbows15

The box score I'm looking at has Toews with 12:28 ESTOI. With his PK and PP time - his total TOI was 17:48 - which is about normal for Toews.

Toews played 10 minutes and change at 5v5. That is idiotic.
- Elbows15

I get what you are saying, but there was also some hard PK time and PP time. Those aren't just lost in the ether. Also, the "top 3 lines" all had relatively even time. I personally prefer that to leaning on one or two lines.

End of the day, if we get this kind of play, I don't really care how they do it. That was very strong D against a good team while also generating a lot of good chances.

What new team was that in the red sweaters? What a huge difference when they all decide to play as a unit! They did all the small things that really mattered. Proud of the boys tonite.

I get what you are saying, but there was also some hard PK time and PP time. Those aren't just lost in the ether. Also, the "top 3 lines" all had relatively even time. I personally prefer that to leaning on one or two lines.

End of the day, if we get this kind of play, I don't really care how they do it. That was very strong D against a good team while also generating a lot of good chances.
- Chunk

This

What new team was that in the red sweaters? What a huge difference when they all decide to play as a unit! They did all the small things that really mattered. Proud of the boys tonite.
- gabriel

Also the Oilers record coming in was very misleading. They still suck. So yes we keep improving but our opponent tonight was a bad team with like 4 legit forwards(2 of which play far too many minutes) and a poopty defense. I was laughing at all the “Oilers are back” headlines floating around lately.