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Game Time:  They make an 11:30 AM on Sundays too?
TV/Radio: NBC for the USAers, TSN for the Canadiers/ 560AM
A Wretched Hive:  Winging It In Motown

First off, sorry if you came here expecting some nerdtastic preview once again.  I may have even led you on a bit with the Empire/Rebel logos... but I can't really pull off something like that.  Plus McClure's so good at it (read: he's a fantastically big dork) that I wouldn't even do it justice. Fuck.. just go read this whole thing again.  It's so good that it deserves multiple readings anyway.  It's the same damn teams... it still applies.

Now to the game at hand.  When this season began, we had a feeling this series was going to be a big one.  So in a way, we were spot on.  It is.  Unfortunately, we were hoping this series may help decide the fate of the division... maybe the conference if Vancouver didn't decided to freak the fuck out.  Instead, the Hawks are on the brink of missing out on the post season all together.  As you all know by now, they've received absolutely no favors from anyone else in the league (except for maybe those folks in the War Room, right Conk?).  Yet with a single point, they clinch.  If not, it's wait and rip out your hair until 5:00 when the Stars take on the Wild, leaving you little to do but pray to whichever deity you deem most worthy. 

As Sam said in the wrap though, if the Hawks can play the same way they did on Friday then there's no reason to think they can't easily walk out of here with at least one point, if not another two.  This will be the same Wings team with just about nothing left to play for.  And this will be the same Hawks team with absolutely everything on the line.  Sure, the Wings would love to push out a rival.  But these two teams don't seem to hate each other the way the fans do.  If the Hawks were playing the Nucks, sure, that'd be a major problem, they'd want nothing more than to keep the Hawks out of the playoffs.  There isn't that level of animosity between these teams though, I think the Wings are far more concerned with making sure none of their players break a hip (because they're all really old). They may come out flying in the first to make amends with their fans for getting their cocks kicked in on Friday... you weather that storm though and I doubt you'll see the same fight put up in the second and even less likely in the third.  With San Jose's win last night, they've locked up the #2 seed.  Detroit's #3 no matter what happens on the ice tonight.

Meanwhile the Hawks can move all the way from 8th to 5th overall with a non-shootout win tonight... at least I think it does.  It's 2:00AM right now and while Sam and I agree... I don't quite trust our math.  If the Hawks win in a shootout we move to 6th?  Fuck... who knows? Who cares?  Put the Wings to bed early and we can forget about all these crazy scenarios.  Word out of practice on Saturday was Sharp and TomoKop were resting but fine and it seems they're both expected to play for the regular season finale.  That's especially good news in regard to Kopecky who has actually been playing very well with Johnson and Stalberg.  Keep that line together and with the top two finding a good form again, you've actually got three lines you can roll out.  The fourth line.. well it's a fourth line.  The team should be rested as the solid lead allowed Q to actual keep the minutes to a relatively sane level on Friday.  The Hawks have played tough against Detroit all year.  They haven't lost a game to Scum since they raised the banner way back in October...  and doesn't that seem like an eternity ago?  It'll take one more to ensure the post season... so what do you have left in the tank men? Empty it.  Where there's a Toews, there's a way.

Lets Go Hawks

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Game Time: 6:00PM
TV/Radio: WGN and NHLN/WGN720
Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment: Raw Charge

With only 5 games remaining the Blackhawks once again are almost inexplicably facing another Eastern Conference team, this time being our old spin-o-rama loving friends from Tampa Bay.  I'm sure you need to reminder of the last time these two teams met but I'll give you one anyway.  The Hawks had just had their 8-game winning streak by the Florida Panthers and should have come out looking for redemption.  Instead we got a relatively back and forth affair and of course, some absolute nonsense from the zebras.  Oh, we also saw the attempted murder of Dave Bolland as Pavel Kubina decided to give him the people's elbow to the back of the skull.  Kubina served his time and has returned to the line up.  It'll be interesting to see if any of the Hawks actual challenge him. 

The Bolts have been a streaky team of late, they looked to have a division title within reach but a four game losing streak handed that over to the Capitals.  Of course, they've coming storming back (get it? Lightning? Storming? Yeah... fuck you too) and have responded to dropping four in a row by winning their last four.  Most recently they've ensured the Wild will be golfing in a little over a week with a 3-1 victory.  Things are close though... if the Bolts lose in regulation tonight, the Southleast division title will belong to the Capitals.  So the Hawks have a chance to play spoiler while also solidifying their chances. 

Personnel-wise, the Lightning are still being led by wunderkid Steve Stamkos who has only recently ceded the league lead it goals to all-around dickbag Corey Perry.  He's obviously still a constant threat though and will find any soft ice you give him and will likely bury any one-timer in his reach... so don't give him any.  As if Stamkos wasn't enough, there's also guys like Martin St. Louis to worry about.  He's got three straight games with a goal and has reached 30 goals for 6 straight seasons now.  On the blue line the Bolts have size but not a lot of speed.  Marc-Andre Bergeron is a threat on the power play but they still don't have a true puck mover.  Dwayne Roloson got the start yesterday in Minnesota meaning the Hawks will face back-up Mike Smith, he of the .888 Sv% and 3.10 GAA. 

We know the Blackhawks were lucky to come away with two on Friday night and evidently so do they.  Quotes from the team after the game indicate they know they got lucky but who knows how that'll translate into today's game.  This team says all the right things but hasn't quite lived up to that whole "walk the walk" bit yet.  They're still mired in this win one lose one trend which needs to be snapped tonight.  Calgary and Dallas are both right on the edge of a cliff and just need a little push.  Both will play later tonight as well so there will be plenty of scoreboard watching going on.  Not many of the Hawks have been playing particularly well lately so there's not a whole lot to mention.  It makes even worse when the men of four feathers aren't playing well.. but playing a ton.  The TOI is almost comical right now and won't make anything easier come playoff times.  It's unfortunate this late in the season but right now they just need to take things slow and get their heads (and legs) right... baby steps.

Lets Go Hawks

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Game Time: 7:00 PM
TV/Radio: WGNx2
You Know That Band, Phoenix... They Suck. Just Sayin': Five For Howling

A Sunday game that doesn't start at some ungodly hour, what a wonderful idea.  It seems over and over again we mention that the upcoming game is the biggest of the year and it's going to be true again tonight.  The Yotes currently sit in 4th place in the lonesome crowded west, 5 points ahead of the Hawks but with two extra games played.  They're getting red hot at exactly the right time, winning their last 5 and 13 points in the last 7 games overall.  A common theme in those 7 games has been captain Shane Doan's name on the score sheet with 10 points overall.  Lee Stempniak, Radim Vrbata and Eric Belanger also all hold point streaks of their own as well but perhaps the biggest reason for the dog's success has been the outstanding play of Ilya Bryzgalov.  He's won his last four in a row, posting one shutout against Calgary and a 1.50 GAA and a .975 Sv%.  Bryz is another one of those goalies who is more than capable of winning a game on his own and has had good success against the Hawks this year despite only racking up one win.  Bryz is also coming off some rest as it was Jason LaBarbera who helped the Yotes win over the Nucks on Friday (A backup getting a start.. another wonderful idea.)  The Yotes lost a bit of their grit when they traded Scottie Upshall to the BJs but they've still got decent size and with Brian Campbell still out for the Hawks I'm sure we'll see them bring an aggressive forecheck.  The Yotes have lacked disciple lately though, taking 25 penalties in the last four games and hold onto the 5th worst penalty kill in the league.  If the Yotes do come out hitting, and there's no reason to think they won't as it's working pretty well against the Hawks lately, the Hawks will need to keep calm and remember they do somehow have the second best power play in the league.  Keith Yandle continues to lead the Coyotes in scoring with 57 points and has two points against the Hawks this year and a +3 rating. Oh, it's also Adrian Aucoin's 1000th career game... so good for him I guess.  I have no use for him..

For the Hawks - they've had 2+ days to stew on their pathetic disgusting loss to the Stars and should have every reason to come out firing on all cylinders.  Whether they actually follow through with that though remains to be seen.  They've had far too many opportunities to learn from their mistakes and yet they keep coming out flat and allowing the opposing teams to dictate the game.  The shutout on Thursday was first time the Hawks were held without a goal since early December.  We know there will be at least one change to the line up as winger Ben Smith was called up yesterday.  Smith suffered a concussion and missed some time in Rockford.  He's been heating up nicely the past few games though with 7 goals in 10 games.  No word yet on if this means Bryan Bickell is still out but I would assume so.  Dave Bolland and Brian Campbell will be missing from the line up making things harder for the Hawks. There was no morning skate today so we'll just have to wait to see what the lines will be like but don't expect any drastic changes.  The Hawks need to redeem themselves for Thursday's loss and while I'd like to say nothing short of DLR appearance is acceptable, I don't have the confidence to think it'll happen.  The Hawks are once again in danger of falling out of the top 8 so two points is an absolute must.. and not in OT either.

Lets Go Hawks

Hide me from next February. I've grown fat and I've grown tired.  Kick my ass I was once admired.  I've grown tired and I've grown fat but there's one more thing so much better than that, I'm already gone. 

We've got arms in the armory, facts in the factory, sense in the century.. this century of of centipedes, this century lies.  I hope that we do better next time.

What holds you up, when the earth lets you down?  What holds you up, when gravity's corrupted?  I hope atoms are enough cause eve sure ain't coming.  The temperature's up in the afternoon sun.

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Game Time: Way Too Goddamn Early
TV/Radio: NBC - WGN720
There's A Swingin' Town I Know Called: Japers Rink

If the Hawks are looking for a solid victory after two disappointing losses in Florida... well the Washington Capitals probably wouldn't be first on the list of teams they'd like to face.  After having gone through a rough start to the year, the Caps have found a way to turn their season around (sound familiar?). Unlike the Hawks, who aren't too far removed from the danger of falling out the playoff picture, the Capitals have marched their way right back to the top of not only the Southeast Division but of the entire Eastern Conference.  They're currently only 3 points behind the Flyers for the #1 spot.  A quick look at it will show there are few teams as hot as the Capitals right now, who are riding a season-high seven game win streak.  A deeper look shows though that it's possibly not quite as impressive as it seems.  While they are playing very well, they've only defeated one team that's currently in a playoff position (Tampa) and some of the victories have come against basement dwellers like the Oilers, Islanders and Blues (once again - any chance I can get to disrespect the Blues... I take).  A seven game streak is nothing to scoff at in the NHL but this one isn't quite all it's cracked up to be. Only of the of these games have been a definitive victory (Wednesday against the Oliers), all the others have been a single goal victory, including 3 games that needed extra hockey.  This does mean that the Capitals are doing well in tight games though... an area the Hawks haven't exactly excelled at.

One reason the Capitals have had such success lately is the unreal play of Braden Holtby.  In his last three games, he's allowed only one goal and that came in a game in which the Capitals allowed 41 shots against. Holtby gained the reins to the starting role when Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth both went down with injuries.  Neuvirth is ready to come back but it's no shock the Capitals are going with Holtby again.  As great as he's been lately though, he's still an incredibly young goalie who hasn't been tested on a major stage... like national TV against the defending Stanley Cup Champions.  There's also this other guy named Alexander Ovechkin who has suddenly remembered that he's a pretty damn good hockey player.  Ovie has points in 12 of this last 14 games... 17 in total, including 8 goals.  So yeah, he'll be someone to keep an eye on.   

Not all is rosy in Capital City though.  There are a few injuries that are of concern to the Caps.  Nicklas Backstrom is out for today's tilt with a thumb injury and noted scooter enthusiast Mike Green is all brown brained and isn't even eligible to return for the Capitals until March 22nd... if he's even ready by then.  Those are two fairly large pieces to be missing from a puzzle. 

Meanwhile, the Hawks are coming off what should be an uplifting visit with President Obama and an inspirational visit to Walter Reed.  They'll be without the services of one David Bolland but we already knew that.  Michael Frolik will once again be filling in at center and hopefully be surprising us nicely once again.  Brian Campbell will be a game time decision which is almost in time to celebrate the one-year anniversary of being driven into the boards by the aforementioned Ovechkin.  Will there be any bad blood between the teams?  Probably not. It wasn't an overly dirty hit by Ovechkin as much as it was a stupid and reckless.   Not something that really creates a rivalry... especially between teams that play each other once a year. 

At this point we could get further into what the Hawks need to do but we all really know the story.  Losing three in a row, even if they do manage a point or two, is almost unacceptable.  The West is far too crowded and time is running out.  The schedule won't be any easier soon either as the Sharks are up next tomorrow and crucial games against the Stars and Coyotes follow.  Play a smart simple game and two points should follow.

Lets Go Hawks.

But while we're young, boys, everybody raise your glasses high. Singing "Here's to the good times, here's to the home team, kiss the good times goodbye, oh yeah, kiss the good times goodbye."