Paging intrepid Hogs reporter - hey foxy, any word on why Boqvist didn't play tonight?

Since Rockford was playing the Chicago Wolves - it was on local ch50 in the Chicago area so I got to watch a lot of the Hogs game tonight in between Hawks action. Dach had a couple nice plays but he also got run a couple times by guys bigger than him.

Sikura looked pretty good and got a goal and a few others looked pretty good too - but the guy who stood out to me was Fortin. The guy seemed to be all the fastest guy on the ice, getting in on the forecheck and beating guys to the puck. Quenneville scored a shortie but t was Fortin that made the play.
- EbonyRaptor

During his first 4 games Sikura has been constantly involved in plays on both ends. He gets plenty of touches of the puck per shift. The puck seems tethered to his stick as opponents try to knock it loose yet it still ends up on his blades. Not a slouch in 50/50 battles either.

Sikura is also great at feathering passes. Generally really flying out there making plays at full speed. He's also getting better at using his free hand to ward off defenders reminiscent of what Saad does particularly well.

Beaudin has been the best Hogs defenseman so far, IMO. Remains calm, plays simple, defends the crease, makes crisp passes. He's always in a ready position and processes the game well as he thinks a step ahead.

Carlsson is next best. Physical and persistent. He and Beaudin are both good at staying with their man on 1-on-1 battles.

Krys has been not so good. Although he's a great skater and will battle down low, his passing and zone clearing are horrible. He also gets knocked around easily. Fixable but deep learning curve for him still.

First....The Blackhawks certainly looked like a team that hasn't played much and were not clicking at all. They need more time together with all the new pieces as they seemed to be "off" all night as far as passes, knowing where teammates were and playing as a complete unit.

On the minus side:
- the first 10 minutes were downright awful. So sloppy. Lucky Lehner kept them from being down 2 or 3 early.
- the 5 on 3 at the end of the first period was probably one of the worse I have seen from ANY team in my 40+ years of watching hockey. It was downright ugly.

Plus:
- Lehner was a stud. Goaltending like that we need if playoffs are a possibility at all.
- I thought D-Cat played a decent game
- play improved after the first period. Maybe the lack of games and long layoffs had a lot to do with the brutal start

Finally....at this time of the season I will take the 2 points in a poorly played game over a lose in a well played game. Lots of time to gel and I think once we play some games together, we will see an improvement in "Team" play.

Take the 2 points and move on. Well done!

Yeah, Dach had been getting rubbed out with a lot of high hits and extra-curriculars after whistles. Not sure it will be any better in the NHL. Hopefully his linemates stick up for him more.

Dach was generally quiet in his initial set of AHL games but when he's in a groove he really shows off his strength, reach, and skill to dominate puck possession and create scoring chances.
- AEL_Fox

Like Nolan Patrick of the Flyers and many others of Junior or NCAA fame Dach is or will find out he can't do on the ice with men what he took for granted playing with boys. Men play to win and inflict pain on their opponents.

Like Nolan Patrick of the Flyers and many others of Junior or NCAA fame Dach is or will find out he can't do on the ice with men what he took for granted playing with boys. Men play to win and inflict pain on their opponents.
- RickJ

to your point...do they send him back blades where he will surely dominate and maintain his confidence or keep him all year (blow 1 year of ELC) to live with growing pains both physically and mentally. maybe its obvious to stanbow since they brought him back early...its not to me.

Deserve has nothing to do with it, why couldn't Columbus score, all those shots all those chances and they could only score 1 goal, Dubois should have gone to the box, that was interference, holding, sling shoting whatever you want to call it.

Another game, 2 goals allowed in regulation, NHL goalie, 5 NHL dmen, i know Toews is a slow starter but he's got to cover his guy in front of the goalie.

Look at that a big goose egg on the PK, thankfully the ref blew the whistle on the breakaway goal.

Don't care how many shots a team gets, it's who gets them that really matters that's why they get ther big bucks.
- BetweenTheDots

After the first period, the stats were very even - SAT, SOG, SC - but it sure seemed like CBJ was still controlling the game - lots of one-and-dones for Chicago, more sustained pressure on Lehner. But - the stats say “even second and third”.

to your point...do they send him back blades where he will surely dominate and maintain his confidence or keep him all year (blow 1 year of ELC) to live with growing pains both physically and mentally. maybe its obvious to stanbow since they brought him back early...its not to me.
- bogiedoc

I think Bowman and the coaching staff know after watching their team thru preseason and 5 regular season games that they need more scoring out of the top 3 lines and Kampf isn't going to set the table for his wingers and Strome seems to be off to a slow start. So maybe see what Dach can do. If it doesn't work they send him back to junior for the year and let him play in the World Juniors against the best kids.

The boys on the "Blackhawk's Talk" podcast predict Dach starts opposite of Toews and Cat on the first line tomorrow.

I would like to see Nylander opposite of Strome and Kane then. Drop Shaw down to the fourth line and see some combination of Shaw Carpenter Smith Caggiula.

Paging intrepid Hogs reporter - hey foxy, any word on why Boqvist didn't play tonight?

Since Rockford was playing the Chicago Wolves - it was on local ch50 in the Chicago area so I got to watch a lot of the Hogs game tonight in between Hawks action. Dach had a couple nice plays but he also got run a couple times by guys bigger than him.

Sikura looked pretty good and got a goal and a few others looked pretty good too - but the guy who stood out to me was Fortin. The guy seemed to be all the fastest guy on the ice, getting in on the forecheck and beating guys to the puck. Quenneville scored a shortie but t was Fortin that made the play.
- EbonyRaptor

Na can't be, Fortin is the next Stalberg
players in Hawkville never get better

Bought tix for tonight’s Hogs/Wolves game thinking I was going to get a chance to see Dach play... Pffff... thanks Stan.

John Gibson is the best goalie in the world right now.
- EnzoD

Hot takes by Enzo!!!

Any chance the Hawks scrap their D scheme and go back to a more traditional system? Way too many point blank opportunities.

During his first 4 games Sikura has been constantly involved in plays on both ends. He gets plenty of touches of the puck per shift. The puck seems tethered to his stick as opponents try to knock it loose yet it still ends up on his blades. Not a slouch in 50/50 battles either.

Sikura is also great at feathering passes. Generally really flying out there making plays at full speed. He's also getting better at using his free hand to ward off defenders reminiscent of what Saad does particularly well.
- AEL_Fox

So he's not about to be sent to the ECHL?

Really been impressed with Maatta. Not sure the underlying numbers but he seems to make smart quick passes out of the zone or to a forward to start transition. No overthinking or hesitation. Just crisp clean quick decisions. Nice improvement from what we saw from some of our D last year.

Really been impressed with Maatta. Not sure the underlying numbers but he seems to make smart quick passes out of the zone or to a forward to start transition. No overthinking or hesitation. Just crisp clean quick decisions. Nice improvement from what we saw from some of our D last year.
- bhawks2241

He's way better than that bum Toews.

The boys on the "Blackhawk's Talk" podcast predict Dach starts opposite of Toews and Cat on the first line tomorrow.

I would like to see Nylander opposite of Strome and Kane then. Drop Shaw down to the fourth line and see some combination of Shaw Carpenter Smith Caggiula.
- SoftServe

Cat-Toews-Dach would be interesting. Losing Caggiula's feistyness and gritty game and replacing it with size and skill.

NHL .500

Despite Shaw spending his nightly requisite 4 minutes in the sin bin.
- Ogilthorpe2

On the bright side at least we killed all four PK’s.

Thanks Tyler makes me feel a lot better!! A healthy scratch would have really pissed me off!!
- ChicagoHope

Not sure if Boqvist feels the same way.

Nylander didn't play much but I agree he looked good in limited time.

His play away from the puck was really strong. He worked his butt off and is trying to make his way back up to the first line.
- Tyler Cameron

I really like him playing with Smith and Carp, they’re teaching him the importance of having a good work ethic.

OK, so against Edmonton, Keith looked to be in great form intercepting passes clean and with other stick work.
But against Columbus, the entire team seemed to struggle, having to work their asses off just to get the puck to center ice.
The eye test indicated they got outplayed. But they kept digging and pulled out the OT win.
Therefore, I'm going to call this one a big win.
And looking forward to see what they can do with Washington.

Any chance the Hawks scrap their D scheme and go back to a more traditional system? Way too many point blank opportunities.
- TJYTJY

According to Natural Stat Trick
BJ 8 high danger scoring chances, Blackhawks with 7

All teams are going to get those chances in a game

https://twitter.com/ByScottPowers/status/1185368448307736576
- bogiedoc

Doubt that had anything to do with with him being called up, not like he isn’t going to get tripped and banged here. Time will tell.

According to Natural Stat Trick
BJ 8 high danger scoring chances, Blackhawks with 7

All teams are going to get those chances in a game
- BetweenTheDots

Isn't that a low number of high danger scoring chances for each team?

Doubt that had anything to do with with him being called up, not like he isn’t going to get tripped and banged here. Time will tell.
- walleyeb1

I watched the game last night, I didn’t see anything that made me think that Dach was being targeted. He took a solid hit that knocked him down and his helmet off - but he got up and seemed OK when talking to the coaching staff on the bench afterward.

It was a typical, salty game between the Hogs and the Wolves - players were mixing it up regularly. I expect it to be more so for tonight’s game in Chicago.

Any chance the Hawks scrap their D scheme and go back to a more traditional system? Way too many point blank opportunities.
- TJYTJY

The primary difference I saw in the last two games was the forwards, not the Dmen. Last night there was almost no forechecking by the forwards, Jackets had a free pass through the neutral zone all night long.