Blackhawks 2014-15 Season Thread

[JBM73]

NHL -- How are trade deadline acquisitions fitting in with new teams?

 

[anotheridiot]

Nice win yesterday, gotta love when Krueger scores on a partial breakaway. Teuvo showing his quick hands with the goal and really neat almost assist with shaw redirecting hitting the post, that shot came out of nowhere.

Got to 100 points, Rangers took care of the hot Wild, 5 points ahead now, one point behind St Louis, 3 behind Nashville.

Looks like they are solidifying that fourth line with Krueger, Desjardins and surprisingly Teuvo.

It hurts a little on the PK with Saad playing where Nordstrom would be, still havent seen Vermette on the PK, I thought he was gonna be on the PP and PK. Do you think that has something to do with his not really getting into his game? Maybe getting that adrenaline from killing a penalty would translate to the offensive side.

 

[JBM73]

Quenneville: Kane questionable for first round of playoffs - Chicago Blackhawks Blog - ESPN

Doubt he plays in the 1st round, but sounds like the 2nd round is a real possibility. That's better than needing to waiting until the Conference Finals.

 

[JBM73]

Blues Ryan Reaves Pulls Out Tooth On Bench, Continues Playing (Video) | NHL | NESN.com

 

[anotheridiot]

Tough game to give away and allow them into the #1 spot over an idle Nashville. What the hell, the blues were blocking everything but the hawks kept trying to get shots thru from the fricking blue line. Yeah, Versteeg had a goal, but how many times did he clear the zone for St Louis? Really cant see what Q sees with him on that top line when Sharp and Saad are different players on that line.

 

[anotheridiot]

wow, missed opportunity as St Louis and Nashville both lose.

Love the last desperate rush for the game tying goal ends with a versteeg turnover at the blue line. What do they see in that guy?

 

[averagejoe]

AI, sounds like you like to pick on Steeger as much as I like to pick on Kaner.

I like Versteeg. But that was a terrible way to end the game. He had to know that their 10 second window was almost up.
Prior to the last 2-game skid, the 4th line was playing phenomenal. And that seemed to fuel and motivate the other guys. Oguya, Saad, Sharp, Hossa, and Hammer all seemed to have more jump.

I liked Baun. He had some nice hits and made good use of his ice time.

The game to watch on Thursday may be Calgary-Kings. Kings need to win to bump Calgary. Go Flames!

 

[anotheridiot]

AI, sounds like you like to pick on Steeger as much as I like to pick on Kaner.

I like Versteeg. But that was a terrible way to end the game. He had to know that their 10 second window was almost up.
Prior to the last 2-game skid, the 4th line was playing phenomenal. And that seemed to fuel and motivate the other guys. Oguya, Saad, Sharp, Hossa, and Hammer all seemed to have more jump.

I liked Baun. He had some nice hits and made good use of his ice time.

The game to watch on Thursday may be Calgary-Kings. Kings need to win to bump Calgary. Go Flames!

I just see Versteeg figure skating, stick at waist, parallel to the ice, not on the ice. You see a jump with sharp and saad when they are on the top line. I just see versteeg seem like he just is not on the same page as Toews and Hossa. I guess just coming back last year when Florida paid half his salary to not be on their team made me feel like if Florida didnt want him, why should we have.

I will be keeping track of the other side, the possibility of the red wings not making the playoffs with three teams 1 or 2 games behind. they either clinch tonight or possibly fall out of third and back to wild card.

As much as I would like to see the Hawks Redwings for the cup, breaking the streak at 23 would be ok too.

 

[anotheridiot]

I like Bauns play, but tough time to have him up playing. didnt contribute to the two losses, but didnt do enough to make it different. Now Minnesota can tie us and they have the tiebreaker, making us the wild card that gets anaheim or st louis first round, and they cant score on st louis backup goalie. After Anaheim was running away with the points early, they are not tied with st louis.

What did look really good in the third period, after Q kept Toews off the pk, was toews, bickell and hossa with Bickell getting in his playoff position of front of the net. Anyone looks good on that line with Toews and Hossa, everyone but Versteeg.

 

[averagejoe]

IDK. Sometimes the Hawks just come out flat. But then they pick it up in the second period. That wasn't the case against STL. They stayed flat all night. Other times they just don't get the bounces. And that was certainly the case all night THU.

Too many turnovers. Terrible passing. (Like more than a few behind-the-back, blind passes to nobody.) Bad penalties. Most all of their shots were from the blue line (which means that no one was getting open between the circles). No jump. Skated with no sense of urgency. (In fact, during one PP, it took them almost 30 seconds just to regroup and get out of the their own zone. You shouldn't be wasting that kind of valuable time.)

Kudos to STL. They played like they knew the Hawks' gameplan. They positioned themselves well. Thwarted nearly every rush up the ice and forced them to take low-risk, long-range shots.

Hate to say this, but if the Hawks get eliminated in the playoffs, I'd like to see either STL or MIN go all the way. I really like the guys both of those franchises have assembled.

 

[averagejoe]

Re: Versteeg
I see your point about him. But what I like is that he always seems to have the puck on his stick. Some guys will spend part of their ice time "chasing" the puck. Yet when Versteeg is out there, the puck "finds" him. That's a good quality to have. He needs to make better decisions when he has it.

 

[anotheridiot]

I know I posted about Keith going behind the net allowing a change. Yesterday there were about 22 seconds left, empty net, after st louis cleared the zone, but not deep enough for icing and he still hung back behind his blue line after all the hawks cleared the zone, seemed to cost at least 6 seconds. I would have like to at least see him advancing the puck to the red line to be able to at least dump that puck in deep, with 20 left instead Toews ends up entering the zone with the puck on his stick with around 9 seconds left, somehow the puck got behind the net and ended up going right thru the blue paint with around 2 seconds left leaving no chance for that final shot.

I really dont get it. Krueger was also a healthy scratch allowing Desjardins to center the fourth line.

I felt they needed to promise some of these college free agents they signed some playing time, but was Q forced to play him and in pouty mode? I completely understand not wanting to show what we will have against these guys in the playoffs, but losing a chance for home ice and falling to the wild card is pretty significant.

 

[averagejoe]

Not that I'm defending Keith, AI, but the Blues were clogging up the neutral zone all night long. It forced the Hawks to play dump-and-chase, when they'd rather try to carry the puck in.

 

[anotheridiot]

Just notice it against alot of teams, seems tentative with the puck, not just against St Louis, but against any team with 20 seconds left and desperate to score, he should have found some pace.

Seems official, Hawks against Nashville in round 1, regardless of anything that happens in the final game. Minny lost their chance this afternoon to take the 3 spot. Blues currently on top waiting for Anaheim to get their last two points.

I guess its a better shot at a team that was falling off at the end of the year instead of a team that has found their game and taken over.

 

[anotheridiot]

Darling looked human again, out of position alot, made up for it with great saves, couldnt stop iginla though on straight on shots. Thinking ahead to Nashville...

 

[averagejoe]

I was a healthy scratch from watching the final game. I just hope they click into playoff mode immediately.

 

[averagejoe]

Brian "Soupy" Campbell joined Carmen and Jurko in studio on ESPN1000 today. I miss Campbell. Really liked him.

Here's the podcast link for the show. Soupy joins about 1 hour 19 minutes into the podcast and talks hockey and reminisces.

 

[anotheridiot]

Injury update on Michal Rozsival - Chicago Blackhawks - News

Rosie fractured ankle confirmed.

Other news, Babcock to open market, rumors are him going to canada, maybe toronto. Maybe Montreal if they lose to the Lightning.