Michal Rozsival goes down hard and awkward

Blackhawks defenseman Michal Rozsival apparently got some derision from heartless, mean-spirited fans, after he fell so hard and awkwardly on his left skate that it was painful to watch. He was much maligned for his inconsistent, sometimes bumbling play.  That's one thing: Criticize a player for his performance.  It's quite another thing: Cheer (or jeer) an injury.  That's simply not right.

Stan Bowman speaks with realism and wisdom

General Manager Stan Bowman

“I think obviously if you never see any signs of your team playing good hockey, then there’s reason for concern,” Bowman said before the Blackhawks’ series-clinching Game 4 win over the Minnesota Wild last week. “We had a lot of stretches this year we played very good. It’s the way the game is today in terms of how balanced it is. It’s completely unrealistic to think you’re just going to breeze through in an 82-game season and have no struggles.

“I go into every year knowing that there’s going be times that try your patience. I think if you go in with that mindset that you understand when those times happen you come together as a group, you figure out a way to get your team going. You never get too fatalistic about things. I think as much as you want to be consistent every night it’s just really with the competitive balance in the league, it’s unrealistic to expect that. But you still have to have signs that your team can be a force. I think we’ve shown that throughout the year probably more times than not that we can play some very good hockey.”

Reference: Bowman never lost confidence in Hawks.

The fact is the Hawks are a winning organization. We see all the talent on the ice, but there must be loads of stars behind the scenes, too: from the executives and front office staff, to the trainers and equipment guys. It is in this context, I think, that Bowman never wavered in his confidence, even as the team weathered an up and down season. He speaks with the realism and wisdom of a seasoned, successful executive, who knows that the road to the Stanley Cup is long and tough and there are no guarantees for even the best of teams. But as long as everyone in the organization gets the job done, he can count on something very special at the end of that road!

Game 7: Rangers > Capitals in OT

Game 7 is as exciting as it gets in any sport that plays a Best of Seven.  The Capitals took a 3-1 series lead, but every single game was nip and tuck, that is, decided by a mere goal.  It took an OT goal for the Rangers to finish a thrilling comeback.

#slowmoMonday: Stanley Cup Playoffs (2)

Big goals, big saves, bit hits.  The most bittersweet moment in sports has to be that series closing handshake.

#slowmoMonday: Stanley Cup Playoffs (1)

I love #slowmoMonday.  Something surreal, something interior.  As if the fast game of hockey didn't quite follow the laws of physics, or rather gave proof to Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity (i.e. that time slows, as we travel faster).

Of course by now eight teams are history from the 2015 Stanley Cup contention:  Blues, Predators, Jets and Canucks from the West; Penguins, Islanders, Red Wings and Senators from the East.  A bit wistful to see these teams on this first postseason edition of #slowmoMonday.

Stanley Cup Hockey at its Best!

I'm still blown away by how the Hawks played in the last 10 minutes of Game 6 (April 25th). They dialed up the pace and pressure big time, swarming and cycling, leaving the Preds a stick and a step slower. Andrew Shaw had a terrific shift simply being Andrew Shaw deep in the zone. Brandon Saad looked like Marian Hossa protecting the puck and advancing up neutral ice. A shift before his GWG, Duncan Keith did a dipsy-doo and a semi-spin-o-rama, clearly doing his best to channel his inner Patrick Kane. 97 seconds to go, my heart didn't beat a single beat. By this time, the Preds looked winded, and probably didn't realize what hit them, until they arrived into the dark night and dead silence of Music City!

This year's Blackhawks are not a dominating or consistent team, and every game going forward will probably be Coronary City. But if anyone wants to see what Stanley Cup hockey looks like, just watch these last 10 minutes. And if anyone wants to know what Stanley Cup mettle looks like, Google every Blackhawk.

Bring on the Wild, baby!

Painkillers in NFL (3) Keith McCants

More than 1,000 former NFL players are addicted to painkillers. Many are without health insurance, or any semblance of a support system. In this VICE Sports Sitdown, Keith McCants reflects on losing control as mental and physical pain took over his life.