vs. 
GAMETIME: 9pm
TV/RADIO: CSN, WIND-560AM
OPPOSITION BLOG: Matchsticks and Gasoline
Tonight’s Second City Viewing Place: Huettenbar in Lincoln Square, right off Western Stop on Brown Line.
First, here’s an opportunity, using the Fantastic 4’s Human Torch, to complain about how terrible those movies were. Completely ruined my favorite comic book character, The Silver Surfer, which will now never be turned into a good move. Damn you Jessica Alba, damn you to hell.
Now, to the real stuff. It probably sounds silly to say now, but I was never too confident about Game 3. Winning your first ever playoff game on the road seemed like a tall order, though the Hawks had every chance until Rene Bourque’s goofus-goal at the end of the 2nd. I expect much more tonight.
We’ve already gone over the big key to tonight’s game, the Hawks PP. In addition, if the Hawks keep Iginla under wraps, and Keenan has shown no signs of trying to find better matchups for him even at home, chances improve. Head over to Matchstick to see the percentage breakdown of who’s playing against Iggy, and you’ll be surprised at how little they changed between Games 2 and 3.
Officiating will be crucial tonight. Though this series has not displayed more than normal nastiness than any other playoff series, you can be sure that the refs will want to keep this from boling over. In fact, if the Flames are ticked off enough after the antics of Game 3, that could play into the Hawks hand. We’ve been waiting for the Flames to overcommit to their slob tendencies, and frankly I would love nothing more to watch them runaround head hunting and leaving Mssrs. Toews, Kane, Havlat, and Sharp with even more space to work with.
Also importantly, Khabby has to return to his star form of the first two games. Khabby wasn’t bad on Monday, but he wasn’t good either. I’m sure there’s a couple he’d like to have back, and the Hawks can’t afford any soft goals tonight. Kipper didn’t let any in Monday, after questionable ones in each of the games on the West Side. He’s probably due for another one tonight.
So, get the power play going, have Khabby play well, and make the Flames 3rd and 4th lines beat you. They did that on Monday successfully, but I’m willing to wager they can’t do it three more times, or even one.
Let’s Go Hawks;
Note: The Menage a Trois Of Idiocy that is this blog will be taking the game in at Huettenbar, McClure’s and my second, possibly first, home. 4721 N. Lincoln, in the Square, and a couple hundred feet from the Western Brown line stop. Be there or be stupid, and as always, McClure will be both.