Apologies for the late wrap, but the Bottom Lounge was just too damn fun after the game- sucks to be you if you missed it. So anyway, both teams came into today with the game kinda sorta mattering, and they played like it. The Hawks jumped in front early on a Dave Bolland power play put-in, and Scum leap-frogged the Men of Four Feathers with goals from Patrick Eaves and horse-face Johann Franzen. Scoring sensation had a centering feed from Marian Hossa go off him and into the net late in the third to tie it, and once the tilt got to OT, Brad Stuart put an end to the regular season when he was left alone streaking into the slot. It always sucks to lose to Detroit, but now we can get on with the real season. Some thoughts-
- We know its weird, but the braintrust here at SCH was kinda glad to see the win streak end before the playoffs started, just to get it out of their system. Yeah, you want to win every game, but it had to come to an end sooner or later, and better now than in the post season where you can’t afford to give away games.
- The Hammer of the Gods (Hossa/Toews/Sharp) still look as strong as ever, and the 3-to-4 goal eruption in a game from Sharp seems like almost a foregone conclusion at this point.
- I still don’t like Buff’s propensity for wandering when partnered with Keith.
- While it only got one goal, the power play showed signs of competence today. It’s amazing what happens when you let Toews walk the puck along the goal line, isn’t it?
- They finally played “Everybody Wants Some” on the PA at the United Center. Please, please, PLEASE let this be the song they use for the intro montage during the playoffs.
- Extra special thanks to everyone who showed up to the Bottom Lounge, and again to the staff at the Bottom Lounge themselves. We’re looking forward to a lot more activities there during the post season./
So the Hawks finished where we thought they would at the beginning of the season, with the #2 seed, and they’ll play #7 Nashville, who we haven’t seen since December in the opening round. Only problem is we have to wait until fucking Friday for it. No matter, it’s going to be a neutral zone bog regardless of when the series starts. Keep an eye out this week for all sorts of pre playoff goodies, including playoff beard guides, a new podcast, and the triumphant return of the Beard Of The Day. Now the fun starts kids. Everybody wants some, I want some too.