Cannot believe they got any points from this one, let alone 2, but they finally had the bounces go their way tonight to make up for the last 2 games.
I think I've convinced myself. The Hawks have lost both games I haven't watched. Those points were stolen from Calgary.
Gotta love the way the Hawks can stay in games even when they aren't playing well. 10 of the first 12 games on the road and they have a point in each game so far this year. Hossa is looking very good so far as well as Kane. Loving this team so far.
The stars have to play good, but that isn't enough. We won in 2010 because our 3rd and 4th lines were decidedly better than everyone else. In addition, we need Duncan Keith back to the old Duncan Keith. Definite signs of it this year, but he has still made some horrendous mistakes. Finally, I loves me some Brandon Saad.
I am enjoying Saad as well. He is going to be good. I agree with you that the 3rd and 4th lines are where we need production and if we are going to win in the playoffs that is where they will need to improve. I also look at this team and see the same flaw that I saw last year. A lack of toughness. Not in the Goon dept. or anything like that, but with Carcilo out, we need someone who can answer back to the hard checks that the Hawks will be taking especially in the playoffs. I wonder when we will see the Rockford shuffle begin? We have Smith, Jimmy Hayes and Morin down there who can make a difference. I don't think Kyle Beach will ever be an NHL player though. Plus is it Kevin Hayes, the younger brother to Jimmy, he should be coming up next year or so.
I want the Hawks to win again, having them celebrate right outside my building again would be awesome!
Yeah, Kyle Beach is one of the few real misses in the last few years in the draft. Non-draft, however, I have some issues with the FO. It seems as though they were choosing between Niemi and Hjalmarrson while letting everyone else go. At the time, I said I would have let both of them go (after the SJ offer sheet on Hjalmarrson) if it meant we could have kept some combination of Byfuglien, Burish and/or Ladd. I think that is the toughness you are referring too. I'll be interested to see how tough Saad might be as well. In some ways, he reminds me a bit of Jocylen Lemieux back in the day, only a little less physical and a little more skilled. Same speed and style, however. And I loved Lemieux.
Wow I hadn't thought about Lemieux in a long time. You are correct Saad is cut from that same cloth but with better skill and speed. Yes the toughness I am talking about is what Byff, Burish and Ladd brought to the team. Losing Ladd was the one guy that really really bothered me the most. He was young, proven player who made a huge difference. Haven't see how long Bolland may be out if at all. Hawks still need to pick up another qualiy center.
Have they figured out how to score on powerplays this season? It was painful to watch in the playoffs last year
Supposedly he hasn't been ruled out for the end of this road trip, so it shouldn't be that long. When I saw his injury, I thought it looked like a serious knee injury, so 2 weeks out is nothing in comparison.
Wild game, especially in the first period (4 goals during a 90-second span). Benefited from a really dicey call that saw a 4-minute penalty changed to 4 minutes of 4-on-4 (during which the winning goal was scored) and a 1-minute power play. Even without that call, though, I think we still end the game 8-0-2. After Thursday, the team will have played as many games in Phoenix as they have in Chicago.
Yep. Still undefeated in regulation time though. That said I want Sharpie to start scoring goals again.
I'm just happy they finally got a 5v4 power play goal in regulation. The 5v3 power play has been great and all penalty killing too, but normal power plays are looking too much like last year. He had that great shot in Phoenix in game 2, but since then it seems like his best shots all hit the post or crossbar. Kane looked like he was trying hard to set him up for a goal in Nashville towards the end. I think they said that the longest a team has ever gone without a regulation loss to start the season is 16 games. Anaheim went 12-0-4 to start the 06-07 season and went on to win the Stanley Cup.