2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs - Round 4 - Hawks vs Lightning

[anotheridiot]

Yeah, that may have worked against the Rangers, but you can't do that against the Hawks. One down, although I think Tampa takes game 2.

I dont want to jinx it by predicting this series. Will tampa have the wind to play the entire game like they played the first 10 minutes? Doubt it. Will the Hawks have the fitness edge when it gets back to every other day, absolutely. I dont think the Hawks play well after a long rest, and three days is long considering it has been every other day. Two days rest for Saturdays game, will probably have the lightning look faster again, but then monday wednesday here is back to the hawks advantage.
Plus with Bickell, TVR ready to come in and contribute, a loss in game two might get them in for the home games. I really cant see how Steeger didnt get concussed as long as he was down. Dont know if he was selling the push and trip or was really in lala land.

 

[averagejoe]

On CBS 2 local:Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn defended the Tampa Bay Lightning’s controversial plan to keep Blackhawks fans out of Amalie Arena in an interview with CBS 2’s Rob Johnson.

“We don’t want to lower our standards,” he said. “We want them to spend a lot of money here in Tampa, but you are not coming into my house.” Asked if it was inhospitable, he replied, “Hospitable? We’re gonna win. We don’t care about hospitable.” He said the Lightning’s appearance in the Stanley Cup Final has been “great … except for those guys in the red jerseys.”

Nice trash talking by the Tampa mayor.

You know what's ironic? Wikipedia shows that he was born in Evanston, IL.

Traitor.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Been a little while since I've been on, just been busy as of late. I hope I can start getting on the Hoop more often.

Anyways, during last nights game, for some reason, I was never worried about trailing 1-0. I just had this feeling that we were going to score, and I felt like if we found the net once, we would find it twice and sure as shit, we did.

You could see that Tampa was starting to play that game "not to lose", and you simply can not do that against the Hawks. We started to find a rhythm towards the end of the 1st, then the 3rd you could really sense the Hawks picking up the momentum.

Tampa blew game 1, a game that they desperately needed because the Hawks only get better as these series move along.

 

[JBM73]

"Blackhawks: Trevor van Riemsdyk available for Game 2, but likely to keep same defensive pairings, says Joel Quenneville."

 

[averagejoe]

Thought I heard a stat on local news that the Hawks are 10-2 when they are out-shot. Cool stat.

 

[anotheridiot]

"Blackhawks: Trevor van Riemsdyk available for Game 2, but likely to keep same defensive pairings, says Joel Quenneville."

I just wonder if he holds him out simply to get Timonen on the ice for any possible clinch games that might come along. Doesnt Timo needs to be in uniform to hoist the cup? But if Cumiskey or Runblad have one turnover I think the shot for TVR taking some of those available 7 minutes is pretty good. My biggest concern is one of the big four going down and having to rely on Runblad or Cumiskey for 20 minutes.

 

[averagejoe]

Couple of thoughts from game 2:

• Gotta give Tampa credit. IMO most of the goals they're scoring are quality deflections and screens. Looking on the bright side of those kind of bounces, I can't imagine that they continue throughout the series.
• Haven't seen anything tangible about Bishop leaving the game. Saw 1 report that suggested that he had to poo? Another hinted that he had an injury. Depends who you believe. (Pun intended.) We shall see.
• Didn't realize how big Boyle was. Of course, everyone looks big next to Shaw.
  
• Hawks didn't look as crisp to me.
  
• Versteeg didn't take any stupid penalties. But Sharpie did. (Shocker #1)
  
• I know the Hawks don't hit much, but even a bump could disrupt some of the Lightning's rushes.
• I did see Kaner give a hit. (Shocker #2)
  
• With the way Teuvo is playing, I'd love to see him, Saad and Sharp on the same line. Just for a shift or two.

if Cumiskey or Runblad have one turnover I think the shot for TVR taking some of those available 7 minutes is pretty good.

Boom. Cumiskey may be gone.

 

[anotheridiot]

I read that Bishop had diarrhea. stellar fucking performance if he dealt with that all game. didnt get to see much of the game, JUST KEPT SEEING GOALS. Should see some changes, D and possibly Bickell to provide some of the hits we need, I gotta admit it would be sweet to see TVR back to finish what he helped start. -

 

[JoeyTourettes]

Just wanted to share... Played in my first summer league hockey game @ 37 years old... won 4-3...even got the first two goals. It's been 25 years since I last played organized hockey, amazing feeling putting the puck past the goalie. It was a good day.

 

[anotheridiot]

TVR and Bickell both possibilities for game 3.

 

[averagejoe]

Just wanted to share... Played in my first summer league hockey game @ 37 years old...

Nice, Joey!
Is it an over 30 league?

TVR and Bickell both possibilities for game 3.

Rotoworld is reporting that Bickell and TVR are in, and that Versteeg and Rundblad are the scratches. I would have guessed Cumiskey to be the healthy scratch.

 

[anotheridiot]

yeah, big surprise Runblad sat instead of Cumiskey, who left an open net goal. Hawks won the 5-3 battle, but this game should have been completely different, hawks miss two open nets, not open sides, straight ahead open nets in the first when Bishop was reeeling and really fighting everything. still way too many shots before anyone gets to the front of the net for all those rebounds that were just lying there. Looked like Shaw had a tap in, but the play whistled dead as bishop just sits there with the puck in front of his pad.

yet another game Q gives us a taste of Kane and Teuvo and its fucking magic, then no more shifts unless Teuvo stayed on after a change.

bad call with cumiskey over runblad, questionable sitting versteeg, seemed to have some jump, just really doesnt have a good matchup on our side and Bickell was at least hitting but he keeps staying at the boards instead of planting himself in front of the net.

 

[averagejoe]

this game should have been completely different, hawks miss two open nets, not open sides, straight ahead open nets in the first when Bishop was reeeling and really fighting everything.

I feel the same way. I'm kind of stunned the Hawks lost this game. The score should have been 4-1 at the end of the 1st period. Really depressed about this loss.

Plus I thought the Hossa trip (when he was positioning himself to shoot into the vacant net) could have been a penalty shot, instead of a minor penalty.

 

[anotheridiot]

I feel the same way. I'm kind of stunned the Hawks lost this game. The score should have been 4-1 at the end of the 1st period. Really depressed about this loss.

Plus I thought the Hossa trip (when he was positioning himself to shoot into the vacant net) could have been a penalty shot, instead of a minor penalty.

Yeah, it could have been, but almost felt like there was a pity party for Bishop that included the refs. Those whistles were quick when the puck was bouncing around him. But then even what Saad was whistled for to even the sides 4-4 was not unlike board battles that kept happening around the rink all night. It got those two excellent chances when Kane and Teuvo were together, but it still should have just been a power play. There were plenty of questionable misses on calls, what happened to see the numbers dont hit the guy at the glass? Krueger was drilled without the puck. That 13 second goal after the hawks took the lead was a back breaker.

It almost looked like Tampa decided to start this series going speed for speed and the longer it goes the more physical they will get. Might have caught the hawks off guard. Once they got the lead they went heavy on the forecheck.

It was pretty interesting they said Yzerman went down into the dressing room after the first period, seemed like he lit a fire under that team big time. Dont know if Bishop was getting shots or just taped during the breaks because somehow he started moving again late in the game. After the dive with Saad and laid out like he got hit by the zamboni, maybe it was all acting.

 

[averagejoe]

Well, I guess it's time for Bruce Banner to get angry. Hawks always seem to go into Hulk mode when they are down (either in a game or in a series). Let's hope the Hulk makes an appearance in the next couple of games.

 

[JBM73]

If Cumiskey plays again I'll be pissed.

 

[anotheridiot]

Well, Dan McNeil reminded me that the Hawks were down 2-1 against the Boston Bruins too, this just felt so one sided for so long with a goalie that was struggling to get back up again that makes it feel worse than it was.

I thought TVR played pretty well, he just finds a way to get pucks thru defenders somehow to clear the zone. The one play he got blamed for, he was ahead of Oduya to get the puck but Oduya followed him around instead of going to the middle of the ice so he could get to the other side. I dont know if Oduya expected TVR saw him and should have let the puck go so he could get it and TVR could sprint across the rink to get back to his side
or what, but first to get the puck should get the puck when Tampa was forechecking like they were.

Sure hope we get a d man that isnt afraid to carry the puck into the zone soon. Really miss Leddy doing that.

Well, I guess it's time for Bruce Banner to get angry. Hawks always seem to go into Hulk mode when they are down (either in a game or in a series). Let's hope the Hulk makes an appearance in the next couple of games.

I thought Hossa and Saad were pretty much there. Its the secondary scorers of Sharp and Vermette that needed to step up with the guys down the chart. Top scorers on both sides are being kept in check, its the role players that will make the difference.

Shaw was skating extremely well, negating icings, just winning battles and still knowing to get his ass back to the front of the net once he did that.

 

[oaknightshockey1]

I wasn't thrilled with the line combinations last night. I think Teuvo has the potential to be great, but he is SO much better when he's got someone out there with him to take the heat off and give him some space. I love it when he's out there with Kane and Toews, but that leaves the other lines a bit short. I'd like to see what he could do with Toews and Saad. I think that opens up a lot of options for some combination of Hossa/Kane/Shaw/Sharp/Richards for the next couple lines.

 

[averagejoe]

I agree that Shaw, Saad, Teuvo and Hossa have been fairly consistent the last 3 games. Also think that Richards had his best game of the entire playoffs in game 3.
Someone in the pregame (on NBCSN) said Bickell in the lineup is a disadvantage and slow. But I thought he had some jump.

Still in shock they last that game.

 

[JBM73]

Blackhawks Johnny Oduya suffered upper-body injury, expected to play in Game 4 - Second City Hockey