Huh?: Isle 4, Hawks 2

by SamFels on Mar 15, 2009 6:04 PM CDT

There's no actor better than saying, "What the fuck?" than Jonah Hill, which is just about how I feel right now. What a bewildering afternoon. A sort of ho-hum first period followed by a period in which I swear the Hawks played pretty well, and yet found themselves down 3-1. They doubled up the Isles on shots, had chance after chance, and the only thing I can see is a couple dumb penalties, by Eager, Walker, and Barker, and the now-suddenly clueless penalty kill.

This is the one thing to really worry about. More than faceoffs, because if you notice the Hawks have won the faceoff battle the last four games, and are 1-3. But the PK is leaking like my steering fluid. It's given up 3 goals to the Isles and BJs, the 20th and 30th ranked PP's in the game. I'm not going to sit here and pretend I know enough about systems to tell you what the exact problem is. What i do see is that when the Hawks PK was nails, they blocked a lot more shots out front. Those shots are getting through now. The Hawks this year haven't been moving people out front of the net, they were more concerned with pressure outside and blocking shots. Now those shots that are finding their way through are being met by unmolested forwards in front of the Hawks goalie. Q has showed a reluctance to change personell or systems, he shouldn't the latter but maybe the former. Why Toews isn't out there, no one has adequately explained to me yet.

The 3rd was about how you'd expect, unable to climb back against a team that had bunkered down. An infuriating sequence took place to the end, eliminating any chance of getting back into the game. The Hawks were up two men, pulled Khabby, and had a 6-on-3 advantage. This should be an automatic goal. Yet, the Hawks were still looking for the cute play, instead of firing at will and using the ridiculous numerical advantage to crash home a rebound.

What a forgettable afternoon, and though I'm not looking for the panic button yet, I'm going to remind myself where it is. It's an ugly week looking us in the face, in New Jersey when Brodeur is going for the all time wins record, and the next night in Columbus. This could be squeaky-bumhole time in a hurry. About the only good thing that come out of this game is that Mark Streit made me look like a genius after writing a spotlight about him in The Indian, so he wins the Player of The Game.

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Comments

This franchise is starting to really take the mold of the cubs

and coming from a cubs fan, this is really disturbing. The last thing I would ever want is for the hawks to become the cubs, but the similarities that are starting to take place are terrifying

Lets Go Hawks!

by CubsBall2202 on Mar 15, 2009 7:02 PM CDT reply actions

Explain.

What similarities? Organizational/systemic similarities or similarities in fanbase or … ?

NOW STOP IT RIGHT HERE

by mjthor on Mar 15, 2009 7:44 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't really know fully but the players and fanbase in a way

Now the fans are back and selling out every game, very cub like, players begin to crack under the pressure that the fans bring with, a lot of new fans not really knowing anything about the game at all,like most cubs fans that go to games. I don’t know I’m really trying to convince myself that the hawks aren’t becoming like the cubs of hockey but it’s becoming eerily similar

Lets Go Hawks!

by CubsBall2202 on Mar 16, 2009 2:05 AM CDT up reply actions

We're not even a year into this regime.

Give it some time. Now if they started giving out beanie babies and scratch off tickets, selling Old Style, and blow a #1 seed, then maaaaaaaybee I’ll buy into this theory. Oh and I forgot, I’ll start worrying in 20+ years too.

"You just don't know understand how frustrating this is"- Kevin Borseth

by TkGoUWGB on Mar 16, 2009 8:46 PM CDT up reply actions

They already have been giving out scratch off tickets…

www.SecondCityHockey.com

by Killion on Mar 17, 2009 9:12 AM CDT up reply actions

Will the real Blackhawks please stand up?....I think we have a problem here!!!

Once again the Hawks fail to take advantage of home-ice advantage against 2 beatable opponents to ruin another weekend. Don’t know about the rest of the Hawks fans but I’m getting sick of it. 10 games of struggling hockey has the Hawks looking like deja vu 2002. It’s now time to buckle the seatbelts and start driving into the playoffs. Although for the most part I had no problem with today’s effort, they just didn’t get any breaks today. Mannino give him credit stood on his head but Campbell…oh my how did he miss the net completely on that one? Outside of Versteeg nobody seems to finding the back of the net with any regularity, and Khabibulin…well he kept the Hawks in the game in the early part of the 1st but in the end had no chance on any of those goals. The Isles simply capitalized on every chance they had today. Damn those playoff spoilers!!!

by hawks61 on Mar 15, 2009 7:57 PM CDT reply actions

On to the Rock...not Newfoundland but the Prudential Center!!!

With Brodeur’s opportunity to break Roy’s record with career win 552 everybody knows the Devils are going to come out firing, and everybody knows the Hawks better be ready. This has every chance of being a slump-buster game for the Hawks and re-establish themselves among the NHL’s elite, however this also has the chance of being a rout in favour of the home squad and a record breaking night. The Hawks have already been part of NJ history in ‘88 when they beat the Hawks in the Stadium to clinch a playoff spot for the very first time in team history, hopefully history doesn’t repeat itself. The Hawks need to bring their best and that might be a good thing ‘cause it seems it can’t get any worse!!!

by hawks61 on Mar 15, 2009 8:06 PM CDT reply actions

Darn that 1st goal!!!

I was hoping that this time it would be different but NO. It definitely is a crazy stat but after Tampa’s win on Saturday every team has winning percentage of over .500 when scoring 1st which is NUTS! Unfortunately the Hawks dropped to 12-16-6 when trailing first but even more troublesome is that the Devils are a whopping 33-3-2 when being the first to notch the twine and a incredible 33-0-1 when leading after 2. It is absolutely essential to grab the lead against the Devils, the player personnel may have changed as well as their philosophy but in the end the Devils are still the Devils, and Brodeur is still Brodeur!
Agree or disagree in the numbers and their importance but with the Devils the numbers do tell the story!!!

by hawks61 on Mar 15, 2009 8:17 PM CDT reply actions

Hey man...

finish typing before you hit “POST”

and no, I’m not trying to be a dick; just making a suggestion.

NOW STOP IT RIGHT HERE

by mjthor on Mar 15, 2009 8:30 PM CDT up reply actions

Point taken!!!

I just try to keep everything into phases and not turn it into a novel or in many cases just when I think i’m done and hit post another idea pops into my head. Sorry but sometimes I just want to get my point out there rather than wait for a while and post a 1000 word post. Short and sweet may be more effective than long and boring but everybody is different. Not trying to be dick; just an avid Hawks fan!!!

by hawks61 on Mar 15, 2009 8:40 PM CDT up reply actions

Love the new One Goal Promo with Toews and Kane!!!

Love to see little kids reaction when their idols step on the ice with them their jaws dropping with the single reaction of ‘WOW!’. It is definitely a moment that these kids will never forget for the rest of their lives. What a touching moment that truly identifies the future of this great game and that is the kids. And a commercial such as this ultimitely humbles even the extreme hockey fan for in the end it’s just a game and it’s just fun. Fun to watch, even more fun to play. Which brings me to another question, how many Hawks fans here (other than myself) play recreational (shinny) hockey? Just curious.

by hawks61 on Mar 15, 2009 8:31 PM CDT reply actions

PANIC NOW!!!!!!!!

are you watching the standings???PANIC NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Loose59 on Mar 15, 2009 9:39 PM CDT reply actions

And the Canucks...........

………..are up 3-zip after the first.

This team needs to get its act together. Yes, they faced a goalie who stood on his head today, but they have to be better. The Isle are horrible, yet they made the Hawks look worse…….at HOME.

Supposedly there was a “players only” meeting earlier this week. Too bad it did no good……….

"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." ~ George Burns

by tville on Mar 15, 2009 10:00 PM CDT up reply actions

The players only team meeting was covered ad nauseum already

NOW STOP IT RIGHT HERE

by mjthor on Mar 15, 2009 10:09 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm not covering it, but rather saying..........

………it didn’t do much good.

"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." ~ George Burns

by tville on Mar 15, 2009 10:10 PM CDT up reply actions

.........................................

……………………………. Oh, okay.

NOW STOP IT RIGHT HERE

by mjthor on Mar 15, 2009 10:14 PM CDT reply actions

Oops!

meant to be a reply. Silly me!

NOW STOP IT RIGHT HERE

by mjthor on Mar 15, 2009 10:14 PM CDT up reply actions

I am unable to watch the games out here

but we are 12-10-1 since the All Star break, not exactly setting the world on fire, and of those 10 L’s, 4 or 5 should have been W’s. I realize that sometimes you play your butt off and lose and sometimes you mail it in and win. But this is not the trend we want to continue if we want to hold onto the #4 slot in the conference.

15 games left to get going again and get on a roll that will help us in the playoffs.

We have lost 7 of our last 10 and Vancouver has won 7 of their last 10, 2pts behind us with an easier schedule to end the season. We have a game in hand and play them once more, let’s not get it to that point, ok, guys???

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Mar 16, 2009 3:11 AM CDT reply actions

commit me now

playoff hopes sinking-whole season ~~Shot~~-coach Q not the answer,millions of dollars for goalies-wasted. Blackhacks hockey

by Loose59 on Mar 16, 2009 8:11 AM CDT reply actions

Give me a break!!!

Jumping ship already? Already giving up? Are you kidding me? A real Blackhawks fan never gives up on the team NEVER! The Hawks have definitely hit a bit of a slump here but do you really believe Vancouver is going to continue winning, the same team that lost 9 consecutive at home? C’mon the Hawks are making the playoffs and even if they don’t get home-ice who cares? All they have to do is win Game 1 in Canada where they are 6-1. So don’t panic and stick with it and stop being a fair-weather fan!!!

by hawks61 on Mar 16, 2009 4:49 PM CDT up reply actions