Category Archives: NHL

Blackhawks Win Game 2 in Dramatic Fashion

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The Blackhawks’ victory last night in Game 2 against the Coyotes in Phoenix was one of the most improbable comebacks I have ever seen in the NHL, let alone the playoffs. After scoring with 14 seconds left in regulation to tie Game 1 at 2 apiece, the Hawks outdid themselves in Game 2.

The scoring all began just over 3 minutes into the first period when Bryan Bickell beat Mike Smith to give the Hawks their first powerplay goal of the series, and a 1-0 lead in the game. After Dave Bolland’s wrist shot bounced off of Mike Smith, Bickell batted the puck into the net out of mid-air from about 3 feet in front of the net. This was just the start that the Blackhawks were hoping to get.

About 4 minutes after Bickell scored, Raffi Torres beat Corey Crawford with a missile of a wrist shot to tie the game at 1. Shane Doan deserves a ton of credit for this goal after he battled for, and won the puck from Duncan Keith in behind the net before he fed Torres with a beautiful pass to set up the goal.

Then, just over 12 minutes into the first period, Jonathan Toews was called for goaltender interference, which led to a Phoenix powerplay. This was easily one of the worst penalty calls of this year’s postseason so far, as Mike Smith is the one who initiated the contact between him and Toews. On the ensuing powerplay, Antoine Vermette redirected Keith Yandle’s shot from the point past Corey Crawford to give the Coyotes the one-goal lead.

About 7 minutes into the second period, Brandon Bollig scored his first ever NHL goal on a hard wrist shot from the right circle to tie the game at 2. However, this lead would not last long.

Less than 20 seconds after Bollig’s goal, Andrew Shaw was given a 5-minute charging major, and a game misconduct. As Mike Smith went to play the puck behind the net, Andrew Shaw, who was also trying to play the puck, collided with Smith sending him down to the ice holding his face/head. After seemingly waiting to see if Smith was injured or not, which he wasn’t, the refs decided to give Shaw the 5-minute major and game misconduct. By rule, this play will automatically be reviewed by the league to see if Shaw deserves a suspension. On their 5-minute powerplay, the Coyotes were able to get another goal from Antoine Vermette. They now had a 3-2 lead, and it stayed that way heading into the third period.

For most of the third period, the Coyotes played spectacular defense and did not allow the Hawks any quality scoring chances. They were stacking 4 players along their own blue line, which made it very difficult for the Hawks to enter the offensive zone. Then, in what seemed like a flashback to Game 1, the Blackhawks were able to work yet another miracle.

With just over a minute remaining in regulation, the Hawks pulled Corey Crawford to get the extra attacker onto the ice. They got a few decent shots on goal in the first 30 seconds or so, but nothing great. Then, with around half a minute left on the clock, all heck broke loose. Jonathan Toews had a great scoring chance after a nice pass from Kane found Toews breaking to the net. Smith gave up a rebound on Toews’ shot, which led to multiple bodies flying through the crease, some ending up flat on the ice. Then, somehow the puck found its way to a wide open Patrick Kane about 15 feet in front of the net. He fired a wrist shot that just missed the right post. With about 10 seconds left now, Marian Hossa had the puck along the boards to Smith’s right. He sent a pass to Patrick Kane, who was standing in front of the boards to Smith’s left. Kane waited a second or two, then fed Brent Seabrook with a perfect pass for the one-timer slap shot that was redirected by Patrick Sharp and into the net with just 5 seconds left on the clock. They had done it again.

In overtime, both teams had some quality scoring chances, but neither side could beat the opposing goalie. With about nine and half minutes left in overtime, an attempted clear by Adrian Aucoin hit Viktor Stalberg along the right boards and deflected right to the stick of a wide open Bryan Bickell in the slot who’s wrist shot beat Mike Smith to win the game and tie the series at 1 game apiece.

Game 2 was nearly a carbon-copy of Game 1, except for the fact that the Blackhawks won this game. In both games, they tied the game with under 20 seconds left in regulation to send it to overtime. As I said before, this is something that I don’t think I have ever seen before. Last night’s win reminded me a lot of the Hawks’ victory in Game 5 against the Predators 2 years ago in the Conference Quarterfinals. In that game, Patrick Kane scored a shorthanded goal with 13 seconds left in regulation to send it to overtime, where Marian Hossa would eventually score the game-winner just after exiting the penalty box following his 5-minute major for boarding.

The victory in Game 2 for the Hawks has the potential to give them a ton of momentum in this series heading back to Chicago for the next 2 games. After tying both of the first 2 games of this series with less than 20 seconds left on the clock, and then winning the second one in overtime, they have to have a ton of confidence moving forward.

The unsung hero of Game 2 has to be Corey Crawford. He came up with some HUGE saves, especially in the last 5 minutes of regulation to keep the score 3-2. It was no secret that in order for the Blackhawks to be successful in the playoffs that Crawford needed to be really good in net. Well, so far he has been, and that’s a great sign for the Hawks.

Moving ahead to Game 3, the Hawks MUST play better when they have a lead in the game. I said it after Game 1, and I’m saying it again now. Lately it would seem as though they take their foot off the gas pedal once taking the lead in games. They cannot afford to do that and expect to advance to the next round of the playoffs. Once they have the lead in the game, they have to continue to put heavy pressure on the Coyotes and wear-out their defense.

As for the fate of Andrew Shaw, we shall wait and see what the league determines. I don’t think he will be suspended. The league looks at whether or not the victim on the play was hurt or not, and in this case, Mike Smith was not injured. He even said after the game that he is “fine.” However, should Shaw get suspended, expect to see Michael Frolik take his place in the lineup. I don’t think that the Hawks have enough confidence yet in Jimmy Hayes to dress him for a playoff game.

The Hawks are right where they want to be in this series heading back home for Game 3. They had the third best home-record in the NHL this season, which obviously bodes well for them.

Thanks for reading.

Coyotes Take Game 1 in OT

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The Phoenix Coyotes beat the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 1 of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series last night by a score of 3-2 in overtime. This game could have easily been 5-4 had it not been for the play of both goalies.

The scoring started about 4 minutes into the game when Jonathan Toews scored on a backhand shot from about 10 feet to Mike Smith’s left. This was a great sign for the Hawks, seeing as how this was just Toews’ second shift on the ice after missing the previous 22 games due to a concussion. The Hawks seemingly had the momentum the rest of the first period, but just couldn’t muster up another goal.

Just over 7 minutes into the second period, Taylor Pyatt tied the game on a wrist shot from abut 4 feet in front of the net. This goal came after the Coyotes kept the puck in the Blackhawks’ defensive zone for about a minute and a half straight, which did not allow the Hawks to make any line changes during that stretch. Right before the goal was scored, Blackhawks’ defenseman Sean O’Donnell, who had lost his stick on the play, made a hand-pass to Corey Crawford with the hopes that Crawford would be able to freeze the puck and get a much needed whistle. Unfortunately for the Hawks, defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson slapped the puck in behind the net right as Crawford was reaching for it, thus leading to the eventual goal by Pyatt.

Later in the second period, Antoine Vermette beat Corey Crawford on a wicked slap shot from straight out, and just atop the circles. This came moments after the Coyotes got away with having too many men on the ice without the referees noticing. The second period really seemed to be the deciding factor in the game as Phoenix outplayed Chicago in just about every aspect of the game.

The third period was an equally contested period by both teams, but neither side was able to score until there were just 14 seconds left in regulation. Being down 2-1, the Hawks pulled Corey Crawford to get the extra attacker on the ice with just over a minute left in the game. They generated a few scoring chances in the first 50 seconds or so that they had the 6th man on the ice, but nothing great. Then, with 14 seconds left, Brent Seabrook tied the game after a wrist shot by Patrick Kane hit the post and bounced right to Seabrook for an empty net goal. This goal wouldn’t have been possible if it hadn’t  been for the patience of Patrick Kane to hold onto the puck until a good scoring chance presented itself.

In overtime, Martin Hanzal scored to win the game on a deflection off the shot of Adrian Aucoin. This came just seconds after Marcus Kruger iced the puck, and then lost the ensuing face-off in the Hawks own zone.

So, what did we learn after watching Game 1?

Well, first and foremost, the Blackhawks need to play better when they have the lead. Going back to the regular season and then into Game 1, they seem to let down their guard when they are leading in the game. They almost fall back into a defensive approach, rather than trying to build on their lead and put sustained pressure on their opponent. The second period last night was a perfect example of this. The Blackhawks entered the period leading 1-0 in the game and should have been playing with momentum and more aggression to try and increase their lead. However, they did the exact opposite. They put little to no pressure on the Coyotes defense and basically let Phoenix come at them with their best shot. No team should ever have possession of the puck for a minute and a half in the offensive zone, but that’s just what Phoenix was able to do last night, and it led to their first goal of the game.

Secondly, the Blackhawks must get better in the face-off department heading into Game 2. They lost 57% of the face-offs last night, which is unacceptable. One would think that having Toews back in the lineup, who is arguably the best face-off man in the league, would increase the Hawks’ face-off percentage. I don’t see this being as big of a problem heading into Game 2. The Blackhawks are better than that.

Lastly, the Blackhawks must step it up physically. Phoenix out-hit the Hawks 48-22 last night. I know physical-play is not in the Hawks DNA, but they need to do better in that area of the game moving forward in this series. Aside from the hits, they need to win more board battles. Winning the puck battles along the boards gives your team possession of the puck, thus leading to more offense. The Coyotes killed the Hawks in this area of the game last night, which goes along with them being a better team physically.

Looking ahead to the rest of this series, I don’t think the Blackhawks should be too worried. This was only the first game of the series. They were able to out-shoot the Coyotes 45-34, which is always a good sign. If they can win Game 2 tomorrow night in Phoenix, then the Hawks will be in great shape. If they lose Game 2, then they still have the next 2 games on home ice in Chicago, where they had one of the best home records in the NHL this year. However, if the Blackhawks want to win this series, they are going to have to win at least one game in Phoenix. I think they can do that.

I’m sticking with my original prediction in this series. The Blackhawks will win in 6 games.

He’s Baaack

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Jonathan Toews announced this afternoon after the Blackhawks’ morning skate that he will for sure be back in the lineup for Game 1 tonight against Phoenix. This is huge for the Hawks.

Not only is he one of the best leaders in hockey, but Toews is one of the most talented and skilled players in the NHL. Had he not suffered the concussion that has kept him out of the last 22 games, he would most likely be a candidate for the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP. Shane Doan of the Coyotes feels the same way:

“He’s ultra-competitive. He’s intense. And he makes the guys around him better through his intensity and with his play. If he doesn’t get hurt he’s probably in the running for the Hart [Trophy] this year.”

That’s how much Jonathan Toews means to the Blackhawks and their hopes at winning another Stanley Cup.

I said a few days ago that I feel the Hawks would take this series in 6 games, assuming that Toews would be back. Well, he’s back, and that’s not a good thing for the Coyotes.

The game starts at 9:00 pm CST, and will be airing on the NBC Sports Network, as well as CSN-Chicago. For people in Chicago, I believe the game will be blacked out on the NBC Sports Network and you will have to watch Pat and Eddie on CSN.

NHL Suspensions

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In the dying seconds of Game 1 of the first round between the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings tonight, Nashville captain Shea Weber did one of the most idiotic things he could have possibly done. There’s a good chance that he might even get suspended for it too.

With about 2 seconds left in regulation, and the Predators up 3-2 over the Wings, Shea Weber first punched Henrik Zetterberg of the Red Wings in the back of the head, and then proceeded to grab Zetterberg’s head and slam it into the glass. A penalty was called on the play, but time had already expired. Zetterberg fell to the ice holding his head and stayed down there for a good 15-20 seconds before he finally stood back up. The second I saw this happen, I immediately thought that this play called for a suspension. As it turns out, I’m not the only one.

Following the game, I went onto Twitter and read a bunch of comments made by NHL writers and analysis’. Most of them were agreeing with my opinion in that Shea Weber deserves a suspension. However, one comment by an NHL writer caught my attention. It read something along the lines of, “I don’t think he should be suspended multiple games unless Zetterberg is hurt.” I briefly touched on this topic a while back when writing about Duncan Keith’s suspension, but I am going to talk about it again.

I highly dislike the fact that the lengths of suspensions in the NHL are partially determined by whether or not the victim on the play got hurt. Punish the player who made the hit for the HIT ITSELF, not for the outcome of the hit. An illegal hit is an illegal hit. It’s that simple! The fact that the NHL looks into whether or not the victim of the hit got hurt seems ridiculous to me. A hit that should warrant a one-game suspension might be bumped up to a 2 or 3-game suspension just because the victim on the play got hurt. Look at the hit itself and determine a suspension length based on the hit, nothing else. The victim of an illegal hit could theoretically sit out a game or 2 just to make the hit look worse, in which case the guy who delivered the hit might be suspended for more time than he deserves. The fact that this scenario is even possible seems insane, and it brings me back to my main point: punish a player for the illegal hit that he makes, and not because the victim of the hit got hurt.

After seeing the replay of Weber’s head-smashing a few times now, it clearly demonstrates just what the NHL is trying to take out of the game, which is illegal hits to the head. I believe Weber should get a 2-game suspension for what he did. If he does end up getting suspended, especially for more than one game, then Nashville is going to be in a lot of trouble without him while trying to fend off the Red Wings.

Thanks for reading.

NHL Western Conference Quarterfinals Predictions

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1-8 Matchup:

vs. 

I love this matchup. The Canucks won their second straight President’s Trophy this year as being the team to earn the most points in the regular season. They are currently without Daniel Sedin (concussion), but their offense is still lethal. Henrik Sedin, Ryan Kesler, and Alex Burrows are just a few of their top scorers who will be more than ready to take on the Kings. Possibly the most intriguing story-line heading into this series is the Canucks’ goalie situation. Roberto Luongo has been the number 1 goalie in Vancouver all year long, but has not played like the number 1 goalie that they signed to a 12-year, $64 million contract a couple of years ago. In fact, he was recently booed on the Canucks’ home ice. His replacement, Corey Schneider, has had a much better year than Luongo, with a 1.96 goals-against-average. I’ve heard rumors that the Canucks’ players have confidence in both goalies, but have a little bit more confidence in Schneider.  Again, that is something I have heard through NHL analysts, and it’s just a rumor. The Kings have been tough to figure out all year long. Much like the Washington Capitals, the Kings have way more talent and skill than their record shows. When you have top forwards such as Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards, and Jeff Carter, and one of the best goalies in hockey in Jonathan Quick, one would think that you should finish a bit higher in the standings than 8th. For whatever reason, however, the Kings just haven’t been able to put it all together consistently this year. I think this series is going to come down to the goaltending. Can Luongo find his game again? Can Quick continue to play at a Vezina Trophy-worthy level? We’ll just have to wait and see.

-Vancouver win series, 4-2.

2-7 Matchup:

vs. 

I think this is going to be another great matchup. Expect to see a lot of physical play throughout the entire series, as these are two of the more physical teams in the Western Conference. The Blues fell behind the Canucks in the standings only recently, after having led the Western Conference in points for an extended period of time. The main reason why they are the number 2 seed in the West is because of their defense and goaltending. They finished the regular season number 1 in fewest goals-against per game. They have gotten spectacular play from both Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott in goal all season long. Now the question is, who are they going to turn to in net to start the playoffs? If I were the one having to make this decision, I would probably go with Jaroslav Halak because of his past experience in the playoffs with the Canadiens. However, I honestly believe this one is up for grabs. Ken Hitchcock could go either way. The biggest problem that I see with the Blues is their potential lack of offense. Their highest point-getters, David Backes and T.J. Oshie, only finished the season with 54 points each. That’s rather low compared to most NHL teams. My worry is that they don’t have enough fire power on the offensive end to get the job done in the playoffs. The Sharks have been possibly the most disappointing team this season. They are easily one of the most talented teams in hockey, yet they barely made the playoffs. They finished the season 8th in the league in goals-against-average, which isn’t bad. From what I have seen of the Sharks, it almost seems that until recently, they had been coming out “flat” on a nightly basis and weren’t able to get a good team-game going. It’s almost as though they didn’t have enough motivation to go out and compete every night. It would appear, however, that they have recently found that motivation and are therefore playing much better. To be completely honest with you, the Sharks have a good chance at upsetting the Blues in this series. But, my gut says…

-St. Louis wins series, 4-3.

3-6 Matchup:

vs. 

The Coyotes are still looking for their first playoff series victory since moving to Phoenix, believe it or not. They made an incredible run at the end of this season to capture their first ever division title, thanks to the play of Mike Smith in net. Heading into the playoffs, he has stopped 190 of his last 192 shots-against. That’s an incredible statistic. Without the play of Mike Smith for much of this season, odds are that the Coyotes are not a playoff team. Their leading scorer for the regular season was 39-year old Ray Whitney, finishing with 77 points. Arguably the best player on the Coyotes is defenseman Keith Yandle. He finished the season with 43 points, but he is also one of the best players at his position in the entire NHL. He is going to have to play up to his fullest potential this series to try and slow down the Chicago offense. Speaking of Chicago, they have been an interesting team to follow this season. Before their 9-game losing streak that started in late January, the Hawks led the NHL in points and were seemingly a top candidate to compete for the Cup. However, that losing streak dropped them in the standings, and they weren’t ever able to climb their way back up to the top. Shortly after ending their losing streak, Jonathan Toews went down with a concussion and missed the last 22 games of the season. Despite his loss, the Hawks have played very well without Toews and came close to getting both the 4th or 5th seed in the West. It is very likely that Toews will be back to start this series against Phoenix, and if that is the case, the Hawks just get that much better. The key for Chicago is going to be the play of their goalie, Corey Crawford. He has had an up and down season, to say the least, but seems to have found his game over the last month of the season.

-Chicago wins series, 4-2.

4-5 Matchup:

vs. 

Along with the Pittsburgh/Philadelphia series in the East, this has all the makings to be possibly the best series of the first round. Both of these teams are at the top of the league when it comes to defense, both ranking in the top 10 in goals-against-average. Nashville went all-out at the trade deadline and got defenseman Hal Gill, and forwards Paul Gaustad and Andrei Kostitsyn to help improve their depth on both offense and defense. Then, Alex Radulov decided to rejoin the team after leaving them following the ’07-’08 season to play in the KHL. For those who don’t know a whole about Radulov, he can be a top-notch point producer and goal scorer and has already greatly helped out Nashville’s offense. The Predators have the best single pairing of defenseman on any one team in hockey with Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. They also have a top-5 goalie in Pekka Rinne back-stopping their defense. While they don’t exactly have the prolific scorers that most of the top offensive teams do, the Preds finished the season ranked 8th in goals-per-game, and 1st on the powerplay. They also finished as the 10th best team in killing off penalties. Any time you can have both of your special teams ranked in the top 10 in the NHL, you should be confident about your team moving forward. The Red Wings were one of my favorites to win the Stanley Cup when this season began, and for a good portion of the season it looked like they might very well be a leading candidate. However, over the past month or so, they have fallen into a bit of a rut. After setting the all-time NHL record for consecutive wins on home ice, one would think that they might be the President’s Trophy-winning team. That is obviously not the case. When it comes to playing on the road, the Wings are just 17-21-3. In order for them to win this series, they are going to need to play better than that on the road. Jimmy Howard, who has been injured a couple of times this year, needs to have a great series in net for Detroit. Even though the Wings finished second in the West in goals scored, they are going to really have to step it up defensively in this series. They can’t rely on scoring 3 goals per game against Pekka Rinne.

-Nashville wins series, 4-3.

NHL Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Predictions

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Here are my predictions on how the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals will play out.

1-8 Matchup:

vs. 

The Rangers have been number 1 in the Eastern Conference since about late December, or early January I believe, and for good reason. They are an extremely well-balanced team with an above average offense and one of the best defenses in hockey. They rank third in the NHL in goals-against-average thanks to the play of their goalie, Henrik Lundqvist. He should without a doubt be a top 2 candidate to win the Vezina Trophy this year. As for the Senators, they have had a very nice “comeback season” after finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference last season. They have some good offensive weapons in Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson, and one of the league’s best defenseman in Erik Karlsson. With that said, however, the Rangers are too deep and skilled of a team for the Sens to beat in a 7-game series.

-New York wins series, 4-1.

2-7 Matchup:

vs. 

The defending Stanley Cup champions are never an easy team to knock out of the playoffs. The Bruins showed no signs of a “Cup hangover” early on this season, but as the year progressed, they began to show some signs of exhaustion. For about the first 2-3 months of the season, it looked like the Bruins were going to run away with the number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, but they have since come back down to earth. They, much like the Rangers, have an extremely deep team. All 4 lines are capable of scoring. Their defense is one of the best in hockey, and their goaltending is as well. The Capitals have been a tough team to figure out all year long. For the past few years, they have consistently been one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, but not so much this year. It wasn’t until recently that they finally started to step up their game and play some good, consistent hockey. Alex Ovechkin has had one of his most disappointing seasons so far in his career, and so has Alex Semin. I think this will be a surprisingly good series. The fact that the Bruins have had the fewest amount of rest from the end of last season until now (Vancouver as well), coupled with the fact that Washington has started to play a lot better and stronger as of late, I see this series being a very competitive one. In the end, it’s going to come down to goaltending and defense.

-Boston wins series, 4-3.

3-6 Matchup:

vs. 

Both of these teams have had great turnaround seasons. Florida finished last season as the worst team in the Eastern Conference. This year, they went out and acquired Kris Versteeg and Brian Campbell, among a few others, and gave themselves a brand new identity. Their offense is not the best, but it is decent. The same can be said of their defense and goaltending. The Devils finished last season ranked 11th in the Eastern Conference, which completely surprised many people, myself included. This year, they have played the way that we expected them to a year ago. Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise are two of the game’s most lethal scorers. They also have rookie Adam Henrique, who has been a very pleasant surprise on the offensive end this season. As for their goaltending, do I even have to mention his name? Martin Brodeur is arguably the best goalie of all-time, and even though he is getting up there in age, he can still get the job done. I’m calling for an upset in this series (I am only saying it’s an upset because Florida has a higher seed).

New Jersey wins series, 4-2.

4-5 Matchup:

vs. 

You want a physical series? Well, this should be all that, and more. This is arguably the best first-round series in the entire playoffs this year. Both of these teams are capable of going very deep into the playoffs, but only one of them will get through the first-round. Pittsburgh was able to climb the standings this year at an incredible pace and become one of the best teams in hockey, all without Sidney Crosby in the lineup. They have what could be the deepest team in the league offensively, and their defense isn’t anything to ignore either. Pittsburgh has the best trio of centers in the NHL now that Crosby is back: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jordan Staal. This will make them a tough team for anyone to defend. Oh and by the way, the Penguins led the league in goals per game this season. Also, don’t forget they are only 3 years removed from winning the Cup and still have a number of players who were on that team, including Marc-Andre Fleury. The Flyers also have a very good offensive team, as they ranked second this season in goals per game. Their biggest problem is going to be defense. They went out and traded for Nicklas Grossman and Pavel Kubina at the trade deadline, which will help, but I am still not convinced that their D-unit is strong enough to beat the Penguins. Also, despite the recent play of goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, I am not 100% sold that he can guide a team to the Stanley Cup. He showed too many weak spots early on this season. This is going to be a very entertaining series to watch, but I just don’t see the Flyers prevailing.

-Pittsburgh wins series, 4-2.

Check back later on for my Western Conference predictions.

Blackhawks Win In Shootout; Secure 6 Seed

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What a game between the Blackhawks and Red Wings this afternoon in Detroit. I don’t think anyone could have scripted that outcome if they tried.

The Hawks took the lead in the first period after Stalberg scored off a big rebound let up by Jimmy Howard to make the game 1-0. Then in the second period, Andrew Shaw scored on a great one-timer from Patrick Sharp to make it 2-0, Hawks. It would remain that way heading into the third period.

Just over 8 minutes into the third, Johan Franzen scored for the Wings from a bad angle to Corey Crawford’s left, making it 2-1. With just 47 seconds remaining in regulation, Pavel Datsyuk tied the game after a great pass from Holmstrom through the middle of the crease found Datsyuk with a wide open net.

Neither team scored in overtime, and the Hawks went on to win in the shootout thanks to Patrick Kane’s nifty goal through the legs of Jimmy Howard.

So, what does this mean for the Hawks and Red Wings?

The Red Wings will head into the playoffs as the number 5 seed in the West, and they will play Nashville in the first round, with the Predators owning home-ice advantage in that series.

As for the Hawks, they have clinched the number 6 seed in the Western Conference and will have to wait and see how today’s later games play out before they know just exactly who they will meet in the first round. It will be either Phoenix, Los Angeles, or San Jose. If Phoenix wins their game, they clinch the Pacific Division and will play the Hawks. If they lose, the Blackhawks will get the winner of the Sharks/Kings game (that’s going to be a fun one to watch). No matter who the Hawks end up playing, they will not have home-ice advantage.

The common belief among Blackhawks fans heading into today’s game against Detroit was that we would rather have the Hawks not beat the Wings in regulation to ensure that we would get the 6th seed in the West. Our reasoning? The Blackhawks match-up much better against any of those 3 Pacific teams than they do against Nashville. Had the Hawks won today’s game in regulation, they would have clinched the 5 seed and a first round matchup with the Predators. It would seem that the Blackhawks themselves may have had a different mindset than us fans.

After Detroit tied the game with less than a minute left to play, Joel Quenneville pulled Corey Crawford for the extra attacker, thus making it obvious that the Hawks really did want to win the game in regulation and secure the 5 seed. However, that obviously didn’t happen.

So, looking forward for the Hawks, I think their best matchup would be against Phoenix. The Coyotes don’t have the offensive fire-power that both San Jose and L.A. have, and I just think the Hawks are flat-out the better team and should win that series. One thing about Phoenix that scares me is the recent play of their goalie, Mike Smith. He has been lights-out for the past month or so, and the Coyotes are ranked 5th in the NHL in goal-against-average.

Worst case scenario, the Kings win that division and face the Hawks in the first round. Jonathan Quick is most likely going to be a finalist for the Vezina Trophy this season for the league’s best goaltender, and he has been incredibly good against the Hawks this season. As a result of Quick’s play, and the team defense of L.A., the Kings are second in the league in lowest goals-against average. Plus, and like I mentioned a bit earlier, the Kings have some very, very skilled forwards who can put the puck in the back of the net at will. For whatever reason, they just haven’t been able to do it the rate that they would have liked for most of this season, but that could all change come playoff time.

As for a possible Hawks series with San Jose, it could be worse, but it could be better. San Jose is a very physical team, and the Hawks are not. That won’t bode well for Chicago. Of the three teams that the Hawks could play in the first round, they had the best regular season record against the Sharks, going 2-2.

Regardless of which team the Hawks end up playing, I think they have a legitimate shot at advancing into the second round. Whether or not they get Jonathan Toews back, however, could lead to a different outcome in the series. With Toews, I’d say that the Hawks should have a good chance of advancing. Without him, a series against either San Jose or L.A. could get ugly for them. I’m not saying that Phoenix would be any “easier,” but I think the Hawks could still beat them without Toews.

Check back sometime within the next day or so for my predictions on how the first round will play out for each conference. Obviously, not all the match-ups are set yet.

This is going to be an interesting evening of hockey. I can’t wait!

Playoff Fever

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I have been waiting for this moment ever since the Blackhawks were eliminated in Game 7 of the Conference Quarterfinals against the Canucks last year. NHL playoff fever is finally back.

Now that the Hawks have clinched a playoff spot, all I can do is think about the upcoming playoffs. Three years ago when the Blackhawks made the playoffs for the first time since 2002, I was introduced to playoff hockey for the first time in my life (I was too young to remember the ’02 playoffs or the playoffs from the 1990’s). Let me tell you, it’s a feeling that never gets old. It’s almost an addiction. It is also one of the toughest feelings to try and describe to someone who has never experienced it.

During the regular season, hockey is still one of the most suspenseful sports to watch because of the quickness of the game. The playoffs, however, take it to a new level. From the opening puck drop to the final buzzer, you will find yourself on the edge of your seat with your eyes wide open knowing that at any second, someone could score a goal. For me, I get a bit more extreme.

I cannot sit back and relax while watching the Blackhawks in the playoffs. I am constantly leaning forward, waiting for something to make me jump out of my seat. My heart is beating a mile a minute from about 2 hours before puck-drop to a good hour after the game ends. I can’t even think about food while watching the game. I get so wrapped up and nervous while watching that I sometimes even feel sick. Yes, I know that sounds pathetic, but I cannot help it. You know those people who yell and scream at the TV while watching their favorite sports teams? Well, that’s me, and then some. Just ask any of my college roommates, or anyone who lived on my floor in the dorm last year during the Hawks’ first round series against the Canucks. I know for a fact that I woke up most of my neighbors when the Hawks won in overtime in Game 6, as well as when Toews scored shorthanded to tie Game 7 with about 2 minutes left in regulation. Maybe the best example of how obsessed I am with the Blackhawks and the playoffs is this:

May 29th, 2010 was the day of my high school graduation. It was one of the biggest days of my life up to that point. I had been waiting for that day basically ever since I started school. Most kids get nervous before their high school graduation, and for good reasons. They don’t want to trip and fall while walking across the stage, they don’t want to faint while sitting during the ceremony, etc. Well, I was definitely nervous that day, but for a completely different reason. May 29th, 2010 was Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Blackhawks and Flyers. While riding with my family to my graduation, which was about a 45 minute drive from my house, all I did was read that day’s newspaper articles about the Blackhawks and the Cup. While sitting in my seat during the graduation ceremony, guess what I was thinking about? I don’t think I even have to answer that. When the whole ceremony was over with, I took a few pictures with my friends like most people do, but then it was back to the Hawks. The best part about it all was when my dad handed me a note after the ceremony that read, “Be ready by 4:00. Game starts at 7:00.” It was at that moment that I realized he had bought tickets to that night’s game without me knowing until then. I’ve never been so excited in my life.

The playoffs make you experience certain feelings that you never even knew existed. Some people might ask how I can find enjoyment in watching the Blackhawks when all I do is get so nervous that I end up feeling sick. Well, my answer to them is this: I am a die-hard fan who lives and dies with the Hawks. When they win, I win. When they lose, I lose with them. It’s an addiction, and not a bad one.

Us Hawks fans are still waiting to see just where in the standings they will finish up this year. It’s looking like they will most likely finish 6th, with a 50/50 chance at finishing 5th. They have 2 huge games left on their schedule, both of which they need to win if they want to finish any higher than 6th. Thursday, they’re in Minnesota, and Saturday afternoon they finish up their regular season in Detroit.

So, with all of that being said, if there is one thing that I can ask of you, please watch the NHL playoffs this year. Especially those of you who have never done so! You will not regret it, I promise.

Go Hawks!

 

Interesting Dilemma For Blackhawks

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With last night’s big win in Nashville, the Blackhawks tied the Red Wings for 5th place in the Western Conference with 97 points. They sit just one point behind the 4th place Predators. While you always want to try and head into the playoffs with as high of a seed as possible, this year may be a little different for the Hawks.

Up until last night, the Blackhawks had been sitting in the number 6 spot in the West for quite some time. If they were to enter the playoffs as the number 6 seed, they would play the number 3 seed (the winner of the Pacific Division) in the first round of the playoffs. If they make the playoffs as the number 5 seed, they will play either Detroit or Nashville (whichever is the number 4 seed) in the first round. There is now a chance that the Hawks could even end up getting the 4 seed in the Western Conference. The big question is, do the Blackhawks really want to end up as high as the number 4 or 5 seed?

Let’s say that the Hawks end up finishing 5th in the Western Conference. They would end up playing either the Red Wings or the Predators in the first round. Both the Wings and Predators are two of the best defensive teams in the entire NHL, and they also tend to give the Blackhawks more problems than most other teams. As the 5 seed, the Hawks would play one of these two teams in the first round, and they would be without the home-ice advantage (only the top 4 seeds get home-ice advantage in the first round). If this were to be the case, I’m not so sure that the Blackhawks advance to the second round, regardless of whether they play the Red Wings or Predators.

Now, what if the Blackhawks get the 4 seed? In this instance, they would still play either Detroit or Nashville, giving them an extremely tough first round matchup, but they would have home-ice advantage. This gives them a bit of a better chance at advancing past the first round.

What happens if the Hawks end up as the 6 seed in the West? Well, they would play the winner of the Pacific Division in the first round. Regardless of which team wins the Pacific (San Jose, Dallas, Los Angeles, or Phoenix), they will have finished the season with fewer points than the Blackhawks. The Hawks match-up better against any of those 4 Pacific Division teams than they do against both Detroit or Nashville. The only problem with finishing as the 6 seed is that they lose home-ice advantage. With that said, I still believe that the Hawks could get by the first round against whichever team wins the Pacific.

So which seed benefits the Hawks the most? It comes down to either the 4 or 6 seed. With the 4 seed, yes they would have an extremely tough first round matchup, but they would have home-ice advantage in that series. As the 6 seed, they would match-up better against their opponent than they would as the 4 seed. Having said that, I would like to see the Blackhawks finish 4th in the conference. Their first round would definitely be a tough one, but with home-ice advantage on their side, they could get the job done (not to mention that it sounds like Toews will for sure be back for the playoffs). It’s always a good thing to have as high of a seed as possible as you get deeper and deeper into the playoffs.

As it stands right now, anything could happen. As long as the Hawks don’t end up getting the 5 seed, I think they have what it takes to get by the first round, and maybe even further.

Your thoughts?

Blackhawks Downed in Shootout

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The New Jersey Devils beat the Blackhawks in a shootout tonight by a final of 2-1. One could say that the outcome of this game was determined by the play of Martin Brodeur.

About the first 10 minutes or so was all Devils. They were dominating the Hawks in just about every aspect of the game. Corey Crawford was forced to bail his teammates out a couple of times by making some big saves. Then, with just over 7 minutes left in the first period, Brent Seabrook took a hooking penalty to put the Devils on the powerplay.

The first minute and a half of the powerplay was played pretty well by the Blackhawks. They did a decent job of clogging up the passing lanes and were able to clear the puck a couple of times. However, with only about 10 seconds remaining on the Devils powerplay, Dave Bolland attempted to clear the puck down to the Devils’ end of the ice. The puck ended up hitting the linesman right in front of the Chicago bench and deflected towards center ice where it was picked up by the Devils. The Blackhawks, however, were anticipating the puck going all the way down into the New Jersey end, and therefore attempted to make a line-change. When the puck was picked up at center ice by the Devils, they caught the Hawks in the middle of their line-change, which lead to an odd-man rush and eventually the first goal of the game by New Jersey.

After that goal, the Blackhawks responded pretty well by dominating the rest of the first period, and pretty much the rest of regulation time. They were out shooting, out hustling, and simply out playing the Devils from the end of the first period on. It wasn’t until about half way through the third period that the Blackhawks finally beat Martin Brodeur for a goal.

After gaining control of the puck following a face-off, Dave Bolland made a great pass to a wide open Brent Seabrook who hammered home a slap shot from a few feet inside the blue line. This tied the game at 1 a piece. The Hawks would get a handful of scoring chances following that goal, but Martin Brodeur continued to show why he is arguably the best goaltender of all time.

The game would move into overtime, where the Hawks had to kill off just under a minute and a half of a Devils powerplay. The Blackhawks did end up successfully killing the penalty without allowing any real good scoring chances.

In the shootout, Patrick Sharp scored the Hawks’ lone goal, and Patrick Elias and Travis Zajac tallied for the Devils giving them the 2-1 victory and 2 more points in the standings. The Blackhawks earned 1 point in tonight’s game.

For the most part, the Hawks looked pretty good tonight. Their team defense was above average, Corey Crawford made some big saves when he had to, and they out-shot the Devils 38-22.  It was really nice to see Crawford have a good bounce-back game after being pulled early from the game Sunday night against Nashville.

Now, it’s time for me to rant.

The NHL needs to eliminate shootouts. It’s a terrible way to lose a game. You play a full, tough, 65 minutes (including the 5 minute overtime), and then have to lose in what is basically a showcase of individual talent. Shootouts come down to which team has the best snipers and “trick-shot” players. It’s no longer a team game. In place of the shootout, the NHL should add on a 5 minute, 3 on 3 overtime period after the 4 on 4 overtime is over. If no one has scored after both the 4 on 4 and 3 on 3 overtimes, add another 5 minute, 3 on 3 overtime. I know that all pro sports are trying to minimize the lengths of their games from start to finish as much as possible, but the shootout needs to go.

With that said, I am pleased with the effort shown by the Blackhawks tonight. Unfortunately, they came face-to-face with one of the best goalies of all time playing at the top of his game. The Blackhawks remain in the number 6 spot in the standings with 93 points, 3 points behind Nashville, and 6 points ahead of Dallas. New Jersey also sits in the 6 spot in the East, 4 points behind Philadelphia, and 4 points ahead of Ottawa.

Thanks for reading.