Series Thread: Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 - Predators vs. Blackhawks

[podsox]

hawks turning into jags

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

And the catfish hits the ice....

 

[Cobiemonster]

Great game by Nashville!

 

[GenJac]

You know something's up when Crawford goes down right in front of the net as opposed to the top of the crease. When his skates are on his goal line or worse, behind the goal line, you know it's going to be a long night -- and it was.

For 2 games now, he played like he was playing The Cryotes 4 years ago. The Hawks can't afford to have him play like that for very long. I don't know why he would do that, he's overcome that every year since The Cryotes. I would think it's not part of his game anymore, but obviously it still is.

We'll see what happens in Game 3. As for The Preds, you can see their D can be had by The Hawks when they want it to. This was a game of breaks -- for and not for. The Hawks hit 2 posts and the puck came out -- The Preds hit 2 posts and the puck went in. It's happened before and The Hawks still won.

What will be priceless is to see the school boy grins on The Preds faces tonight and compare that to their faces if and when they lose the series.

A 4-goal win was much closer than their grins would tell you.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

Does Crawford start game 3?

 

[Cobiemonster]

 

[anotheridiot]

Does Crawford start game 3?

Q better give Darling a start, needs to get Vermette in too, stupid instigating crap by Shaw and Versteeg should allow Vermette to replace one of them. Unfortunately it will probably be Nordstrom or Teuvo sitting.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

I like Vermette too

 

[Cobiemonster]

 

[Cobiemonster]

The two teams trade goals - 1-1

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

Ending of that period with the clock issues:

 

[tabascojet]

defensive struggle in the 2nd....

 

[Cobiemonster]

Seabrook makes it 4-2 Chicago

 

[Sgt Brutus]

Just me or were the hawks offsides on that 2nd goal

 

[esls79]

Rat boy just punched Shaw while Shaw was on the bench - that may be suspension worthy.

 

[puckhead]

Hawks are going to kill Ribiero from here on in.
And that's a good thing.



ratboy standing by the hawks bench, and punches Shaw in the face.
then taunts the Hawk bench about it "pretty good shot, eh?"
I hope they make him bleed a lot.

 

[NCChiFan]

Darling for the rest of the series, imho.

 

[GenJac]

Here's a proposed Hawks line-up. Any comments?

L1: Sharp-Toews-Hossa
L2: Saad-Shaw-Kane
L3: Bickell-Richards-Vermette
L4: Desjardins-Kruger-Teravainen

D1: Keith-Seabrook
D2: Oduya-Hjalmarsson
D3: Rundblad-Timonen

G1: Darling

PP1: Keith-Toews-Kane-Saad-Shaw
PP2: Seabrook-Teravainen-Sharp-Hossa-Bickell

Notable scratches: Versteeg, Rozsival, Nordstrom (and Crawford would be G2)

My reasoning: L1 - Sharp has been hot recently, and he's worked well with Toews and Hossa in the past. L2 - this was the great line that almost saved the Hawks against the Kings in the WC finals last year. L3 - these guys are all fairly big and might do well together; Bickell needs to somehow get back into "playoff monster" mode. L4 - this line was great together late in the regular season. All 4 of these lines have at least 2 guys experienced with taking face-offs.

D1 - the Hawks' top D-line for many years. D2 - their other familiar and successful D-pairing. D3 - Rozsival can rest a game at the very least; I'm a little wary of putting both Rundblad and Cumiskey together however. Rundblad and Timonen combines youth and experience, both from the Nordic (Sweden and Finland) system.

G1 - pretty obvious that Darling is the hot goalie now, and Crawford is the not goalie at the moment. Sorry Crow, we know you can do better, but this is about momentum.

PP1 - this would keep the successful (from last year's WC finals) line together, plus Keith and Toews. All young and high-energy guys. It gives them a face-off guy in Toews and alternate in Shaw. Also a net-front presence in Shaw. PP2 - brings in Teravainen for his playmaking and face-off ability, includes veterans Sharp and Hossa but lets them rest a bit vs. the first power play line. Also brings in Bickell as a net-front presence, something that was extremely effective in 2013 playoffs and somewhat effective in 2014 playoffs. Maybe helps get Bickell's head in the game.

Also note: penalty killers would include, besides the D-men, Kruger (we know how good he is), Desjardins (fairly effective with the Sharks), and possibly Vermette (a penalty killer who scored shorthanded goals with the Coyotes).

Scratches - Versteeg looked out of control emotionally in yesterday's game, could be a penalty liablility if he's like that again. Also he hasn't been adding to the offense for a long time (probably why he was so angry, at least in part). Nordstrom just can't seem to score in the NHL, he's got only 1 goal and 5 assists in 63 NHL games, including a zero for 9 playoff games stat sheet. Desjardins clicked much better with the Kruger-Teravainen unit when Nordstrom was out, and Des also has more experience and some actual goals in past NHL playoffs. Rozsival, well he's been a great player, just has gotten old and slow. If Rundblad stinks (and he's certainly capable of a bad game), at least Rozie would be rested for Game 4. Timonen hasn't shown much this season, but he's experienced, and putting in Cumiskey with Rundblad might be too much inexperience together. Plus Cumiskey hasn't been playing.

Is Chicago about to deliver the KO of the Preds?

 

[anotheridiot]

I dont know why Q is not juggling lines at all. Vermette only got three games with Kane, Richards really isnt doing much with Kane. Versteeg is instigating more than playing hockey.

Really dont know when Timonen gets a game off. Really looks slow out there. He is in the right position when he can get there, but he isnt really getting there enough.

I really dont see alot of need to score on that fourth line. They have a purpose, forecheck, keep the puck in the zone, keep the nashville shift out of our zone. Scoring really should be secondary when you have three better than average top lines and D men that are shooting often. Worried more about mixing up the PK and throwing them off.

I really dont think we will see much juggling until its really desperation time, seems like part if the one goal is having options for the next series that there is no film on.

 

[GenJac]

I'm upset that the Preds player that fell on Darling in the first period didn't get a game misconduct and a suspension. He didn't even get a penalty. It probably was incidental. But it also was incidental when Andrew Shaw collided with Mike Smith in 2012. Seems like the same thing should get the same punishment. Or maybe Darling needs to take acting lessons from Mike Smith.