2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs - Round 2

[anotheridiot]

Minnesota sure keeps coming until one gets past their goalie. Somehow stoner and his hit buddies are taking it out on morin and nordstrom. Morin, Zeus and versteegs best shift was their first one, but Q just keeps pushing the right buttons. Little tired of hearing how Bickell cashed in with a measly 4 million. Didnt shaw just get a 4 million per extension? Bryan bickells average is 4 million, thats tied for 141th highest paid player in the nhl, cap this year is 3 million, 235 ranked in the nhl. Those guys need to get a clue.

Morin did some nice forechecking, got one to the goalie, got run into the boards ending up putting the hawks short by leddy making sure the minny guy knew about it. Probably wont be back in if Shaw is back or Bollig gets the message. Like I said, Mo needs three games to get to form, they wont afford him that luxury, but for a few minutes on the ice who knows. Toews got away with a few hooks and trips that led to goals.

Six straight, gotta play better though.

 

[averagejoe]

Hossa is playing positively great! Crawford IS underrated too. The rest of the Hawks looked tired the first 54 minutes of the game. They got legs when the clock was winding down. Makes you wonder if that's the "scheme" against the Wild?

Sharpie is still M.I.A. Keith was a little non-Norris-like as well. Usually the 4th line plays well enough to generate some motivational "life" that the other lines feed off of - that was missing in game 2 also.

Game 3 in Minny will be tough to win.

 

[anotheridiot]

I dont know if we can blame the fourth line if they hardly get on the ice. I was expecting to see more when they got up two goals and q was still running the three lines. I dont know how many goals is gonna be enough to get them out more. I think switching Ben to the second line has blown that fourth line out of the rotation, especially with Kruger up to the third line too.

 

[averagejoe]

AI, you make valid points.

I dont know if we can blame the fourth line if they hardly get on the ice.

Maybe the lack of ice time is Q's way of recognizing that the 4th line is NOT providing a spark either. And besides, even with a lack of ice time, we've seen in the past that even a 45 second shift by the 4th line can change the momentum of a game.

 

[55briggs]

im really just glad we made it to round 2, but i also think we have a legit chance now that we have a few players back.

 

[anotheridiot]

AI, you make valid points.


Maybe the lack of ice time is Q's way of recognizing that the 4th line is NOT providing a spark either. And besides, even with a lack of ice time, we've seen in the past that even a 45 second shift by the 4th line can change the momentum of a game.

It might have a different place if it was still Bollig, Kruger and Smith. Smith played himself off that line. Handzous anchors down any line and by anchor meaning does not move. We all know how necessary he is on the PK, somehow I get the feeling those hooks Toews got away with are not gonna fly in Minnesota. Now its Versteeg, Handzous and the last guy on the bench so I doubt any of us would play them. To me its keeping the best two fill in guys on that fourth line incase you lose another guy like when shaw went down. Zeus is there to PK, Steeger, Mo or Nordstrom play better with better players around them. I just see alot in nordstrom getting into the hard areas without fear. I think thats why Q takes Mo or Steeger over Regin because Regin would just sit there on the bench.

 

[JBM73]

Shaw out again for game 3. Sounds like game 4 questionable, too.

2014 NHL playoffs -- Andrew Shaw of Chicago Blackhawks out for Game 3 vs. Minnesota Wild - ESPN Chicago

 

[JBM73]

Bryzgalov starting again for Minn:

NHL.com - Yeo: No goalie issue; Bryzgalov to start Game 3 - Blackhawks-Wild Series Blog - 2014 SCP Second Round

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I hate to call a sweep but I can't think of a single aspect of the game where the Wild have the advantage over the Blackhawks.

 

[averagejoe]

I hate to call a sweep but I can't think of a single aspect of the game where the Wild have the advantage over the Blackhawks.

Game 3 in Minny should favor the home team IMO. Plus the Wild seemed to have more jump in games 1 and 2. If the Hawks play like they have in game 3, add in a few bad clearing attempts (which has been an issue), I can see a scenario where the Hawks lose this one. Not to be pessimistic.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Game 3 in Minny should favor the home team IMO. Plus the Wild seemed to have more jump in games 1 and 2. If the Hawks play like they have in game 3, add in a few bad clearing attempts (which has been an issue), I can see a scenario where the Hawks lose this one. Not to be pessimistic.

Yeah home ice should give the Wild somewhat of a spark, but when I look at the depth, talent, rosters, goalies, coaches, offense, defense, etc, I see the Hawks as the better team all around. Maybe the Wild steal a game at home, but I can't see this series going more than 5 games.

Good to be pessimistic about your team tho, don't want to upset the hockey gods with arrogance.

 

[anotheridiot]

Game 3 in Minny should favor the home team IMO. Plus the Wild seemed to have more jump in games 1 and 2. If the Hawks play like they have in game 3, add in a few bad clearing attempts (which has been an issue), I can see a scenario where the Hawks lose this one. Not to be pessimistic.

Bryzgalov has not played badly, but he needs to be perfect. Minnesota was coming hard but as soon as the hawks score a goal it really spoils the minnesota pressure, really deflates them. First ten minutes of weathering the tide, first goal will be huge. There will probably be screaming hawk fans to keep the place loud, but if the hawks dominate pace it could get real quiet in there.

 

[anotheridiot]

lots of writing about Hammer not able to talk yet after taking the puck to the throat last game, but he is lacing them up and wont miss the game. No reason the healthy guys shouldnt get a lift from that, especially when hammer goes down in front of a few pucks again tonite.

 

[anotheridiot]

think we were all expecting that game yesterday. Dont know what happened with the Leddy scratch, was Rosi playing that much better than Leddy? especially after that effort to track down parise on the breakaway?

How about that awesome color commentating? How many super slo mo replays do we need to show toews getting hit in the ear hole? NHL network, same response. He got hit in the back of the head.

Seems like the hawks didnt want to break the streak of losing the 8 last away games in a new series.

 

[averagejoe]

think we were all expecting that game yesterday. Dont know what happened with the Leddy scratch

The Leddy scratch was surprise to me. This is what ESPN had to say:

The Blackhawks scratched defenseman Nick Leddy, his first absence since his rookie season of 2010-11. Quenneville said he wanted Sheldon Brookbank in the lineup for a physical presence.
​

Based on this, I think this is why Bollig is still in the lineup as well.

Hawks skated better in game 3 but still not typical. Only 19 shots on goal. Wild's D is clocgging up the middle. And on some quality chances, the pucks were bouncing off of the end of the Hawks' sticks. Gotta give Bryzgalov his due though. He was excellent.

Hossa continues to skate hard. Toews too even though he seems to be mobbed every time he touches the puck. Everyone else kind of stands around. Kane didn't have any jump in his step until the Wild scored in the third. C'mon guys!

I'm guessing we take game 4.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Wow, Wild certainly made me look stupid. I didn't see how they could possibly matchup with the Blackhawks. I guess the key is to bog things down for most of the game and hope that Crawford completely collapses at the end.

 

[anotheridiot]

The Leddy scratch was surprise to me. This is what ESPN had to say:

The Blackhawks scratched defenseman Nick Leddy, his first absence since his rookie season of 2010-11. Quenneville said he wanted Sheldon Brookbank in the lineup for a physical presence.
​

Based on this, I think this is why Bollig is still in the lineup as well.

Hawks skated better in game 3 but still not typical. Only 19 shots on goal. Wild's D is clocgging up the middle. And on some quality chances, the pucks were bouncing off of the end of the Hawks' sticks. Gotta give Bryzgalov his due though. He was excellent.

Hossa continues to skate hard. Toews too even though he seems to be mobbed every time he touches the puck. Everyone else kind of stands around. Kane didn't have any jump in his step until the Wild scored in the third. C'mon guys!

I'm guessing we take game 4.

It does seem that Q was expecting the wild to get physical, they really didnt have to, but Leddy leading the powerplay and skating the puck deep sure seemed like the wrong guy to sit especially when there was an excuse to sit hammer with the injury. Some say he is being readied for a big game in front of his friends and family on friday. My guess, his friends and family were there yesterday. This from a coach that played Crow in both montreal games since he is from montreal. To me, Q out thunk himself yesterday.

19 shots was weak, but minnesota had 14 blocks, and for some reason, shots that hit the pipe, (2) dont count as shots on goal, so it was an all out defensive win and shutout.

Also, dont know if something happened to Ben smith, third period, the line was sharp, saad and kane most of the time.

Versteeg was skating faster on the forecheck, but didnt get anything to the net. I dont know, just seems like Versteeg skates past the bench after his line changes. Dont know if thats planned or Versteeg ignoring the call.

Bollig on a 2 on 1 with kane should have gotten kane the puck at the blue line, not take one of his patented 50 footers which missed badly and wasnt even counted as a shot. His line was all zeros. If he is in the game, you would think he would hit someone at least, 8 hits total, Duncan credited with 3. Makes you wonder if Q was really expecting a physical game, even though the wild had 22 hits.

Minnesota got bounces. That first goal, a saucer pass over a stick, bounced to the ice, then onto the stick shows how it takes a little luck.

Two days, hawks came home instead of staying in minnesota.

 

[anotheridiot]

hawks practiced, shaw ruled out for friday, game time will be set after finding out what happens with the penguins rangers series. Keith and hammer rested.

Winger Cooke is finished with his 7 game suspension, claims he is altering his game, I guess we can hope.

Dont know what will happen with the lines, just hope Leddy is back. Dont think Versteeg did much but only looked like two times he couldnt clear the zone.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

I'm a little worried after the loss.

If the Wild tie the series, anything can happen. I'm just not sold on this team like I was last season or the '10 team.

 

[JBM73]