I'm loving the Chicago Blackhawks Fans community on Google+. Here are my posts and comments from March, when I joined the conversations, through April. The originals posts are hyperlinked to the dates. Others' posts and comments are quoted (i.e., indented).
Patrick Kane is Magic Man
March 17th 2013
Patrick Kane ices Blackhawks’ rout of Stars with sick spin-o-rama goalLoved Pat Foley's call!
After seeing that ssssweeet spin-o-rama on Saturday, I can't get enough of Kaner!
Ducks have the Blackhawks' Number
March 20th 2013
ESPN hockey analyst Barry Melrose says tonight's Hawks-Ducks match up may be the preview of the Western Conference finals. Based purely on winning percentage (.828 and .750) they're the two best teams in the NHL. The third best is the Penguins at .742.
Blackhawks learned last night that you cannot make that many mistakes, and miss that many open-netters, against a really good team like the Ducks, and still expect to win. (Ducks beat the Hawks 4-2.)
Iginla’s list of teams he will waive his no-trade clause for is Chicago, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and Boston. Hawks need a C not a RW. Either way if they don't give up too much he could be a good pick up. I guess he will go to Boston.I think the Hawks have all the talent they need for the Stanley Cup run. But they need to play with more consistent focus, avoid mental lapses, and shoring up their fundamentals: puck-handling, passing, and fore-checking.
Bummed out about last night's AWFUL loss to the Kings? Me too. Here's a bit of soul food for ya to help ease the pain...all hail COACH Q!!!Yep, that Kings game got me really bummed out, too! Despite the rusty, sloppy play, the Hawks proved that they had scoring power. But Crow had a tough time stopping shots, high glove side, and the Kings exploited it for at least two goals. Great article on Coach Q. That scowl and mustache are classic (lol)!
Natural goal scorers....
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| Redwings Jakub Kindl, defense, scores one for the Hawks |
Kindl clearly wants to be traded to the Hawks. Being able to go top shelf, with the backhand, at close range ... that's an awesome goal!
Check it:Maddening, for sure, Parker, and also worrisome. After a dominant game against the Wings, the Hawks almost fell prey to that dreaded third period curse against the mediocre Preds last night. They really needed to win that game against the Ducks, in order to gain playoff confidence and momentum with a likely rival in the Western Conference finals. Instead, the Ducks showed how much they had the mighty Hawks' number! We miss Hose and Sharpie!
Andrew Shaw is Mr. Scrappy
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| Joel Quenneville, Head Coach, after getting hit in the head |
That was a great moment in a tight, tense game. Coach Q quipped, after the game, that nothing was going to hurt that noggin of his!
Pens too high on this list without the kid [Sydney Crosby].The kid may come back sooner than expected, and help the Pens to the Stanley Cup finals. Where, if everything goes according to plan, they will face the Hawks.
I hope he does come back. The playoffs this year are setting up to be great hockey.Yep, me, too. We went from possibly no hockey this season, due to the lockout, to amazing hockey going into the playoffs. I can't wait!
If Syd comes back he is gonna have a full cage on and you know the first shift someone is gonna try to ring that bell.Yep, but I'm impressed with how tough these hockey players are.
Crawford coming on strong...Emery and Crawford are simply ah.mazing!
Right now, they're #2 (1.91) and #3 (1.92) in the NHL on GAA.
I checked the GAA stats for the 2009-2010 Stanley Cup season, and Anti Niemi was #4 (2.25) and backup Cristobal Huet was #11 (2.50). Both of which were obviously good, as no other team in the league that season came closer to having two goaltenders in the top 10.
But to own two of the top three spots in the league ... well, opponents must be scratching their heads, through their helmets, and wondering How the heck do you score against the Hawks?
Of course, it isn't just goaltending, but also great defensive play and great forechecking by the forwards.
Blackhawks' Lame Power-Play
April 15th 2013
They are good at the PK though, so they have that going for them. I really do not understand the PP problem. As I see it they should be better with more open ice. They just do not seem to be setting it up in the zone in my opinion. 0-18 now on PPs?
Here's a thought for Coach Q regarding the Hawks' lame PP ... You know how some basketball teams run the floor well and are really good in transition. So opponents try to get them to slow down, and play in the half-court, where they're aren't so good ... Well, that's just the Hawks. They're speed-demons, and they're so dangerous on the rush. It's doesn't matter if it's an odd-man or even-man rush. So, instead of getting mired in the zone-ice game, maybe they should circle out of the zone, at the least back to neutral ice, then rush back in ... In a similar vein, to +Franklin C's point, maybe the reason the Hawks do better on shorties, than PP, is that they can surprise opponents, and get behind them, with their speed. Then, the Hawks overwhelm them with their superb "rush" game. What do you guys think?
Oh yeah!
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| Niklas Hjalmarsson, defense |
Stalberg was a beast to watch tonight!How can you defend Viktor Stalberg? Speed kills defenses!
Just had to share this super-awesome glove save by former Blackhawk goalie Antti Niemi. He was half-sprawled already, screened by an opposing player, and was trying to track the play from behind that guy's butt. Then, in that perfect split second, he locates the puck in flight and snatches it with his glove, like a snake flicking out its tongue!
Byfuglian and he are the two that I was the saddest to see go.Yeah, I miss the big guy, too. Note to self: Check out the roster on that Stanley Cup winning team!
Pretty classy. Hockey folks are the best folks.
I saw clips of this on our Chicago sports network, and it was moving. Both Bruins and Sabers saluted the crowd, after the game.
Dunc!
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| Duncan Keith, defense |
Yeah. What an awful goalie. I am surprised that he let three slip by though. Emery is not there. Who is the backup (not that he will be put in). Some guy from Rockford I guess.Not watching the game, just following it on ESPN ... How's the defense playing? Yeah, Razor is injured. Don't know the backup goalie's name, either!
Well, Keith scored on a PP, so the defense is OK... Oh, playing defense. So-so. Not as good as they usually are.lol ... did Coach Q just let them loose this evening?
I heard mixed things. Some reports say that the stars will be taking it easy, some say that the Hawks will not let up. It seems like a mixture tonight.Ah, that's why ... 15 minutes left in regulation, still knotted at 3-3.
Hossa's fellow Czech just scored!
Oh, man ... now we're in OT!
Hawks win!
I thought this Hossa picture was appropriate after his GWG tonight.
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| Marian Hossa, right wing |
I love Hossa ... he's steady Eddie, and he's a clutch Czech (lol)!
The 'Yotes are another team that are fighting for a playoff spot. Also it is on WGN!
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| Hawks v Coyotes |
Nope. I think he's a decent goalie. Still young and his numbers this year are quite good. I don't hate Crawford, either. But more than a decent goalie, he's actually superb! I just posted about him (below).
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| Corey Crawford, goalie |
So Crawford had a shaky 1st period last night. About that center-ice shot that he flubbed, he missed the fundamentals of stopping the puck. It's the same with a catcher: When the pitcher throws a wild pitch, he has to get his body in front of the ball, instead of trying to glove it.
Nevertheless, it's a fact that Crawford has proven himself to be a top-notch goalie in the NHL: currently, #3 on GAA (1.99), right behind Emery (1.91). #8 on SV% (.924), right ahead of Emery (.923). But he has these aggravating lapses in concentration that cost the Hawks, and bring down the fans' confidence in him. So he has to work on his mental game, going into the playoffs.
The way I look it, Crawford is a superb goalie, despite his occasional sloppy play. So imagine what kind of beast the Hawks would have on net, if he shored up his mental game!
BTW: On shootouts, Crawford sucks: #31 on SV% (.588). Emery is #6 (.833). But I don't think there are shootouts in the playoffs, right?
We don't know how Coach Q is going to work out his goalies for the playoffs. But obviously he and his staff have the best insight on which goalie is on his game, at any given point in a series.
Four more games, and the regular season ends on Saturday, April 27th. Then, it's "Bring on the playoffs, baby!" The real fun on ice begins!
Good read.Many thanks, Ricky. I hope the high-stakes nature of the playoffs will stimulate Crawford to concentrate more. BTW: He attributed his improvement, from last year to this year, in seeing the puck better. Without question, he's made awesome strides. What should actually scare opposing players is that he still has good room for improvement!
That's why I have been leaning towards Emery. It's his lack of consistency that scares me. He'll look like an All-Star the whole game but then have a self goal or allow the simplest rebound. You said it best, he has to shore up his mental lapses.
were you listening to my conversation last night? Lol that is exactly what I was saying to my cousin. I mean in Damn near the same words. But you are right the couch/staff does have insight that we don't. But the way he fell apart last year leaves me worried. Plus we have gotten lucky with those sketchy games that Crawford had. Our D was was playing great and or offense. But that shit doesn't get you buy in the playoffs. We aren't playing the Panthers lollol ... maybe! Absolutely right about our overall D. The main reasons that Crawford and Emery have a higher ranking among goalies on GAA (3rd and 2nd) than on SV% (8th and 9th) is because the Hawks have superb defense, fore-checking and takeaways.
2010 Stanley Cup Roster
April 21st 2013
I was living overseas when the Hawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010, and I didn't have a cable subscription. I wasn't following them closely, except to see the box score and watch highlights on ESPN. So, when I saw this video - set to the tune of "Chelsea Dagger" (by The Fratellis) - I didn't know 3/4ths of the guys on the team! I'm like, Who's Cristobal Huet, and Tomas Kopecky, and Brent Sopel (lol)?
April 21st 2013
I was living overseas when the Hawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010, and I didn't have a cable subscription. I wasn't following them closely, except to see the box score and watch highlights on ESPN. So, when I saw this video - set to the tune of "Chelsea Dagger" (by The Fratellis) - I didn't know 3/4ths of the guys on the team! I'm like, Who's Cristobal Huet, and Tomas Kopecky, and Brent Sopel (lol)?
Coach Q style!
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lol ... love it!
Nice heads-up for Lord Stanley!
The Field Museums Brachiosaurus went Blackhawks today!
Great shot, Tetine! Gorgeous sunshine, after all the rains we've been getting.
Coach Q says last night's game was awful and not to panic. AGREED.Yep, Coach Q is on-track. Let's see who pushes whom, in the playoffs!
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| 2010 Stanley Cup winners |
Oh, man, who are these guys (lol)?
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| Presidents' Trophy |
Yep, Division (check, yeah, like last year). Conference (check, yawn). Prez Trophy (check, just tonight, sssweeet).
Here's how the offensive stats are shaping up this season and no surprise who's at the top.
Kane is just 4 off the NHL lead at 54 points (4th best). St. Louis (58 points) and Stamkos (56 points) are top 2, and I don't even know these dudes. They're with the Lightning, and they're out of the playoffs. Really, though, the most amazing stat is Crosby, who at 56 points is tied for 2nd best. And he hasn't played the last 10 games, man!
St Louis has been in the league a long time. I believe he is 38. He has helped Tampa win the Cup and has lead the league in points for a few seasons. Great player. Then Stamkos was drafted 3-4 years ago and is a pure goal scorer putting up 40+ goals per year.
Anyways Crosby would of won easily if he was healthy. Since he isn't I am hopping Kane has 2 nice 5point games to end the season.Thanks for the background, Franklin. St. Louis and Stamkos must be awesome players to be 1-2 in the NHL, but what's with the rest of the Lightning team? How well are these two stars motivating and pushing their teammates? Yep, I bring up Kane, because with two games left, he can spin-o-rama past those Lightning dudes (lol)!
I think they mentioned it on TSN last night during the SJ PHX game. This will be the 3rd time where the top two point leaders in the league are on the same team that does not make the playoffs since the new era. Not sure what they classify as the new era. The rest of Tampa's offense is fine. They just lack defense.Corey Crawford's 'Sick' Save
April 25th 2013
OK so I don't have any content til tomorrow but let's be serious here: that save by Crawford with the glove hand tonight was THE SICKEST F*CKING SAVE OF THE SEASON!!!!Yep, Crow was a cobra with that glove!
HAWKS!!!
April 25th 2013
Here's that awesome flashing of leather by Crow...Gotta love Pat's reaction, make sure you crank the volume!
In-craw-dible!
Randy McCumber's Awesome Story
April 26th 2013
back in the late summer of 1961, the chicago blackhawks had won the stanley cup, beating the detroit red wings four games to two. At that time i was an almost 10 year old hockey freak living in st. catharines, ontario.
the blackhawks held their training camp in st.catharines for years and many of the players had played junior hockey with the st. catharines teepees of the ontario hockey league. the list includes bobby hull, dennis hull, stan mikita, elmer vasko, pierre pilote, and phil esposito.
one saturday while the hawks were in camp, my father took my sister and me to the arena to get autographs and watch the workout. Metropolitan life insurance had issued a number of large poster size prints they called "great moments in canadian sport" the only two posters i remember, and i had them all, was a print of a painting of bobby hull scoring his 50th goal...the first time he had accomplished the feat. he would do it four more times during his career and a poster of swimmer marilyn bell. this poster/print was what i wanted bobby hull to sign on the front and as many of the stanley cup champs as possible to sign the back.
my sister was not a sports fan and wasn't really all that interested in going but as younger sisters sometimes like to do, decided that a day with her big brother might be fun. anyway i gave her a few of my hockey card doubles and told her to try to get a player to sign the card that had his name on it.
the practice was fun to watch and i managed to get a puck that bobby hull had shot over the net and into the stands. when the practice was over, we joined about 50 other kids at the players' entrance to get autographs. within an hour i had the entire team's autographs except for stan mikita, bobby hull and kenny wharram. those three were still in the dressing room.
first of the three to exit the dressing room was kenny wharram. he told us no pushing or shoving or else no autographs.he might as well have waved a red cape at a bull. anyway wharram only signed one autogragh... for my sister because she was the only girl in the mob.
next out was stan mikita. i handed him my rolled up poster, he unrolled it and asked if bobby hull had seen it. i said no that we were still waiting for him. mikita asked me my name and said he'd be right back.
about 10 minutes mikita returned and gave me my poster. i unrolled it, and read what hull had written...."best of luck randy, bobby hull". i turned to thank mikita but he had already had crossed the street.
i never had the chance to meet bobby hull to thank him, but i still have the poster, autographed by all of the 1961 stanley cup champions except kenny wharram. i don't know if my sister still has that autographed card or not but she wouldn't give it to me, wouldn't let me buy it......and i have never forgiven her for that and any chance i get, i let her know that i am still pissed about it 50 years later!
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| Bobby Hull |
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| Ken Wharram |
You may remember that 42 years ago, next month, the Hawks and the Canadiens battled for the Stanley Cup. The Hawks led the hard-fought series twice, and even had a 2-1 lead in the deciding 7th game. But the Canadiens scored 3 unanswered goals, and it was a heartbreak!
Hull, Mikita, Esposito (Tony, of course) ... were boyhood heroes of mine. That poster and card are keepsakes, for sure!
i have this dual personality thing about the blackhawks and the canadiens. i like them both a lot and always hope for a 0-0 tie when they play :)
Ah, that's a nice hope, Randy :) I haven't followed the Canadiens this year, but they're clearly among the best in the East. So Hawks vs. Canadiens is a very good possibility for the Stanley Cup. They're two of the most storied franchises in hockey history!
i would really enjoy a stanley cup final involving 2 original 6 teams.....as long as boston isn't one of them :)
lol ... me, too. I'm cool with Boston, though. BTW: I asked myself which teams were the Original 6, before I Googled it, and I was right :)
The playoff picture for the East was set last night. But for the West, it's coming down to the very last game. Hawks will not know which team they play first, until all the games that the Redwings, Wild and Blue Jackets play tonight are finished. I've gone through different outcome and numerical scenarios in my head, and any of these teams can end up 8th seed.
Here's what we've got, hockey fans! (a) Redwings control their destiny. They win tonight, and they secure the 7th seed. (b) If the Wild win, and Redwings gain only a point, the Wild secures the 7th seed. Regardless, the Wild also control their destiny: They win, they're in. (c) If the Blue Jackets win, they secure the 7th seed, but only if the Wild gain 1 or 0 points (Wild own the tiebreaker). Even if the Redwings gain a point, the Blue Jackets are in 7th place.
Tiebreakers: (1) Wild win against Redwings and Blue Jackets, if they end up with the same number of points, because they have more wins. (2) If Redwings and Blue Jackets end up with the same number of points, which ever team has more wins wins the tiebreaker. If they also end up with the same number of wins, then the Blue Jackets win the tiebreaker because they've scored more goals in head-to-head competition.
Bottomline: It's a great finish to an amazing (albeit short) NHL season!
Here's what we've got, hockey fans! (a) Redwings control their destiny. They win tonight, and they secure the 7th seed. (b) If the Wild win, and Redwings gain only a point, the Wild secures the 7th seed. Regardless, the Wild also control their destiny: They win, they're in. (c) If the Blue Jackets win, they secure the 7th seed, but only if the Wild gain 1 or 0 points (Wild own the tiebreaker). Even if the Redwings gain a point, the Blue Jackets are in 7th place.
Tiebreakers: (1) Wild win against Redwings and Blue Jackets, if they end up with the same number of points, because they have more wins. (2) If Redwings and Blue Jackets end up with the same number of points, which ever team has more wins wins the tiebreaker. If they also end up with the same number of wins, then the Blue Jackets win the tiebreaker because they've scored more goals in head-to-head competition.
Bottomline: It's a great finish to an amazing (albeit short) NHL season!
Thanks! The scenarios were breaking my head trying to figure it out. I never did claim to be sharp.lol ... I'll take care of the geeky stuff for us fans in this community. You guys just enjoy the games tonight!
Latest update: Redwings won, so they secured 7th seed, and will not be facing the Hawks. Blue Jackets also won, and but their playoff fate depends on the Avs beating the Wild. Wild are up 2-1, with 10 minutes left.
Henry: Okay folks...I'm tired of our team bowing out in the 1st round.
We draw the Wild who are trying the NY Yankees route of "buying" their championship. Are they beatable? Yup. Hawks only lost in a SO this year to them and are 6-0-3 overall in the last 9 contests...not too shabby.
My call: Hawks in 6. In Toews I trust!
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Sabrina: Haha <3 Toews! But man on the Hawks website we got a dude, i forget who, talking about teams that the Hawks can lose too and he nearly listed all of them. Made me scared...we are so inconsistent with teams that can be easily beatable. Sometimes our offense and defense, sorry to say, suck but other times we are unstoppable. When we first came out in the season, we were amazing! Definitely unstoppable! But now towards the end of the season, I don't know what happened. Crawford hasn't been doing well and we seem slow all the time. One game, I forget who against, we were getting pushed around so badly. We gotta be more aggressive!
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Franklin: actually Crawfords stats to end the season were pretty good. In his last 10 he has over a .900sv and under 2gaa. (I remember seeing it somewhere).
For the past 3 seasons even when the Hawks won the cup they were never considered the top team. They were one of the elite teams in 2010 but not the team to beat sort to speak. This time is different. Anything short of a cup is an unsuccessful run. Hopefully Bolland is healthy and ready to go.
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Sabrina: Really? Oh, well i'm surprised. I guess the games i saw he seemed to lose touch as compared to back in the win streak. I think i remember hearing about that too on ESPN but forgot, thanks though. I hope he does well in the playoffs. And yeah, of course, we were the "underdogs" and continue to be despite our #1 lead in the NHL. I agree, I'm glad Sharp and Hossa have been back, too!
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Henry: Well, you need to remember that the Hawks arguably "mailed it in" for some of their games. They clinched...so, nothing to really play for per se.
Generally speaking, they have been heads-over-heels unbeatable. The teams that give the Hawks trouble: Kings, Ducks, and Nucks all have a commonality -- they are physical, fast, and know to pound Chicago's D.
If Chicago is unable to pick up the pace when this happens and start moving the puck, they will again be a playoff elimination.
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Sabrina: Definitely! In their last game of the season they put in a lot of new guys and that was nice to see. That would make sense they did not have to worry too much about their guaranteed play off spot anyway, but I do hope, like you said, they don't blow off their chances.
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Franklin: The kings were no real problem this year. Even the games against the ducks they outplayed them while missing 2/top 6 forwards. Nucks were the only I think they gave them a hard time. I really don't buy the whole physical argument as they were basically the same in 2010. The Hawks basically had three segments to their season: (a) record-setting start (21-0-3); (b) post-point streak hangover (6-5-1); and (c) playoff bound (9-2-1). As a team, they had a lot of lulls in their play, during segment (b), and had that dreaded 3rd period curse. However, I'd say that Coach Q did an awesome job of getting his guys back on the winning track to close out the season, with a good amount of focus and consistency.
Of course, there are no guarantees and no easy games in the playoffs. It's a higher level of intensity, physicality and skill, and if teams are not up to snuff, it'll be tee-time for them on the links! Consider this: Top sports teams, with the best records, were knocked off in the first or second round, in 2012: Greenbay Packers (NFL), Vancouver Canucks (NHL), and our own Chicago Bulls (NBA). So our Hawks must bring their A+ game at all times.
Besides their consistency, talent, and determination, the Hawks have a lot of playoff experience on their team. Ten players were on the 2010 Stanley Cup winning team, plus Coach Q, of course, so they know what the playoffs are like and what it takes to hoist Lord Stanley high above the ice!
Here are some stats for the geeks out there: The Hawks finished the season with the best point differential (1.08). No other team comes close: 2nd are Penguins (.90), and 3rd are Bruins (.49). The Hawks were 2nd on GF/G (3.10), and Penguins were 1st (3.38). Also, they were 1st on GA/G (2.02), and Penguins were a mediocre 12th (2.48). What this means is that the Hawks have scoring power, and it's tough to score on them.
So, all told, the Hawks are well-positioned going into the playoffs, and I am so excited!
Still only one goal though. It is nice that they share it.Congrats to Crawford and Emery!
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| Blackhawks vs. Wild |
Hawks hitting back, I see.
Because of his injury, we have to stay positive and supportive of Crawford.
Getting really good movement, and using their skating and puck-handling skills, are keys to getting a PP score.
Yep, Hossa is Mr. Clutch, and I think is one of the league leaders in GW goals.
The West is were most of the league's elite teams are. So Wings-Ducks will probably be a tight one, too.
Come on, let's go HAWKS!
All three playoff games, knotted at 1-1, right now!
Hawks have a lot of offsides in this OT ... maybe those without the puck are too anxious to get into the Wild zone!
Oh, man, BICKS!
BIG sigh of relief, man!
Hats off to Josh Harding, Wild goalie who played an awesome game. Crawford was awesome, too, and finished the game ahead of Harding on SV% (.963 v .946).
Yep, I agree 100%. No question, Hawks outmatch Wild. Wild aren't a physical team by nature, so let's see how long they can keep hitting the Hawks. Coach Q will get the guys settled down, and into playoff hockey.
Coach Q said yesterday both Bolland and Emery were day-to-day. Injury reports are more vague in the NHL than in other leagues, it seems.
Annoys me, too, man! I'm going to look into it, and see what I can find out.
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| Michael Jordan statue, United Center |
How about those skates?Cute, totally cute on MJ! Same with helmet (lol)!
I want the nhl to do a stat in the most goals taken away from a teamIt's definitely a serious point. The question is, How well are the referees actually performing their duties? I'm sure the NHL has a performance evaluation and a game investigation process in place. If not, I'm interested and available to consult with them on creating or improving it :)
BTW: In that last regular season game between the Wild and Avs, there was also a controversy around a goal that was taken from the Avs. The Avs could've won that game, in which case the Blue Jackets were in the playoffs and the Wild were out. So that blown referee call definitely had big implications!
Ron, I have been a leader for a long time and you cannot start second guessing the guy on the ground unless it is obvious. With that said, I remember last year had at least 5 goals that the nhl took away from the hawks. My point is more towards the nhl hating on Chicago more then other teams. It is pure speculation on my part but sometimes I wonder.I don't know if the NHL is hating on the Hawks, as they seem to be an equal-opportunity Like (or Dislike) of the teams. But like the athletes, the referees are human, too, and they make mistakes. So there should be a clear, impartial investigation process by the NHL of these goal controversies, and determine how much the Hawks have been impacted, as compared to all the other teams. Maybe there are some referees who are biased against the Hawks, who knows? The NHL should surface that, and correct it.
Agreed
Thank you for reading, and let me know what you think!
Ron Villejo, PhD
