Ugh - Scum 3 - Blackhawks 2

I guess that’s a good thing?

early in the season. I figure they’ll go .500 or a bit better for the first 10-15 games then start to gel. Losing Soup hurts the gelling process, but I’m hopeful that it will also turn Leddy into a better player.

Last night the Hawks looked like a team that was a bit confused at times, not quite sure who would be where and just still trying to figure out each other’s tendencies. (Is there any team that had more turnover than the Hawks in the offseason?)

What is the deal with powerplay? It seemed like our boys could hardly enter the offensive zone without losing the puck. What’s worse than clown shoes?

but that goal is going down in Blackhawks lore. After that goal, I’d change my name to Scott John and join the circus, never to be heard from again.

I didn’t read the game threads: have all the “TIMMMMBERRRR!!!” jokes already been made? If so, shame on you all for being so lame.

We’re seeing way too much of Scott so far in the season – if he’s not going to be fighting then he should be sitting.

First the lows:

John Scott ironically leads the lows. He looked like the guy I saw playing for Michigan Tech whom the Badgers easily skated around and made somewhere between a non-factor and a liability for MTU. Maybe he has the jitters playing with the defending Stanly Cup Champions in real games, but if he’s going to be on the ice he better start playing NHL caliber hockey.

Defense.

Kopecky – What happened to the guy we saw last Spring?

Seemed like an awful lot of Hawk shots from the blue line were shot right into scum. I mean six feet away.

Passing was not sharp. I saw a lot of long passes that were easily picked off by the scum. Scum read the playbook and knew what to look for.

Turco – At times looked brilliant but in my mind, he let in two goals that should not have gone in.

Clown shoes on the PP for the most part.

Highs:

The fourth line was impressive.

Captain Serious, Kaner, and Hoss look like they’re defending Stanly Cup Champions and were generally dominating when they were on the ice.

We were missing Soup and Sharpie and played the scum close.

That’s all I have to say about that.

It will have to be Vodka from now on. While I love the 22 oz Sapporos, if I hold the can the beer gets too warm and The Hawks lost both times. So, unfortunately for me, it’s flat tonic and Citron with lemon from here on out.

’dano, the guy we saw last spring will be back in the spring. For now, we get Kopecky.

I had to watch the Game on the Wings feed (Fox Detroit), and except for the nimrod that gets air time between periods and pregame, they were pretty cool about the whole ceremony thing, even if they only showed it for a couple minutes. Even Mickey Redmond was not his normal douchey self. He questioned both penalties that led to the Wings 5 on 3. Usually he is such a Homer that I want to kill bunnies.

Skille, Bickell, Dowell. I like these guys. They are the new…………guys.

From where I was sitting, Skille was the best Blackhawk out there Friday night and his play in the first two game warrants more ice-time. Bickell also played well and he absolutely lit up Datsyuk in the second period.

I still don’t understand the logic of sitting Hendry on Saturday. With the team speed of the Red Wings it seems to be it was a no brainer to sit the slowest player on the team.

Either this is the strangest of gifts or the most practical ever.

The caption reads:

Antonia Godoy, mother of trapped miner Richard Villarroel, shows Chilean flag underwear she received as a gift for his son when he is rescued

My caption would have been:

What do you get a guy who has been trapped in a mine for over two months?
Clean underwear of course.

Vanilla and Sewage

- Odd to me to play Leddy on PK in Colorado and then decide that Scott is a better option. I dont think Scott should have been on the ice for his shining moment Saturday.

- Bickell has been impressive. Moreso than his two great wristers, and the physical presence he has played with, I have been MOST impressed with his hockey IQ. He has consistently made the right play whether it be getting the puck deep, avoiding turnovers, defensive zone awareness

- Sitting in near proximity to a “get it out” spectator can actually ruin the UC experience. (A “get it out” person is somebody who, after the puck spends more than 5 seconds in our defensive zone, yells “get it out” over and over again as if Hammer needs the guidnance) I had a mid-40’s “get it out” girl one row behind me Saturday, and nearly stuffed my souvenir banner down her throat

- The 4th line has been awesome, AND they are not playing like a 4th line at all. Skille and Stalberg are bringing top 6 forward skill AND play and Dowell is chipping in grit in the corners for sustained offensive chances. Gone are the days of Burish, Eags, and Fraz/Kop chipping the puck in and burning clock.

- Toews and Kane have been fine, but they haven’t been Toews and Kane yet. Not necessarily because they’ve been left on the score sheet, but in their puck possession and passing.

- Awesome ceremony. The whole time I felt undeserving of being there. Being a 27 year old, who has suffered far less than older and more dedicated fans through the Dollar Bill tough year, I just felt spoiled and almost out of place. That meant a ton to me, and I can only imagine what it meant to a 55 year old with no memory of the last title.

Everyone should check out Puck Daddy and watch the highlight of Buff playing like absolute shit on one of Tampa’s goals. He loses a battle to a guy a foot shorter than him in the corner then lazily glides to the front as a shot from the point comes. It should cheer some people up after Saturday.

Hendry > Scott.

If I am wrong and Kop can’t play with the top dogs on line 1, put Brouwer up there. He potted 22 goals last year.

…I see they sent Pirri down..or up…or over yesterday

I’m flying to Baltimore for a wedding early wednesday morning, and it can’t hurt to start getting ahead of the jetlag.

For as much as I hate Detroit, I have for the better part of 12 years follow along with “Lets Go Hawks” rather than “Detroit Sucks”.

Hjalmmer seems to need Campbell to complete his style.

New Bars, more asshats. I am unfortunate/fortunate enough to have season Tickets right next to a New Bar (306). Verdict isn’t in yet but the new D-Bags smoking in the nearest mens bathroom (outside 307) then continually sitting in my seats got old real fast. I did like the quick drinks and Jenny the bartender was awesome.

Most of the Wings fans over the years have been pretty cool folk. Over the past years other than falling victim to a beer fight (3-2 OT loss with 2 min left in Reg up 2-0) and some mustard spash from aboved mentioned asshat to an innocent Detroit Fan (in a game we won) I don’t mind having the Scum near me.

I was livid about Scott on Saturday and the idiots sitting near me blamed the entire loss on not having Byfug to score on the PP and Niemi to make the additional saves needed.