Tag Archives: Chicago

Bears Fire Smith

Posted on by
Reply

11860458Yesterday morning as we all know by now, the Bears fired their head coach, Lovie Smith. Smith had been the head coach of the Bears for the last 9 seasons (one of the longest tenured coaches in the NFL before his firing). In his 9 seasons with the Bears, he led them to 3 division titles, 3 playoff victories, and 1 Super Bowl appearance. His overall record as the Bears head coach was 81-63.

Smith’s firing did not come as much of a surprise to most Bears fans, some of which who had been growing increasingly upset with Smith as the head coach. While there is no question that Lovie is one of the best defensive coaches in the league, it was his teams’ lack of offense that essentially got him fired. Only once in his 9 years with the Bears did their offense finish the season ranked in the teens or better, and that was ’06 when they ranked 16th in the league. This year, the year that they were supposed to have a deadly offense with the additions of Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, the Bears finished the season ranked 28th in total offense. That is simply unacceptable. Instead of scoring touchdowns on drives in which the Bears  started inside the opposing team’s 40 yard line, they regularly settled for field goals or were forced to punt.

I heard a statistic on the radio the other day that I found really interesting. Since Lovie took over as head coach of the Bears, he has hired and fired more assistant coaches/coordinators than any other coach in NFL history over a 9-year span. What this tells me is that Smith is obviously bad when it comes to picking out effective assistant coaches and coordinators. Not once in his tenure with the Bears did Smith hire a decent offensive coordinator. Ron Turner was awful, Mike Martz was better (but still bad), and Mike Tice was no better than Martz this year. When you are competing against teams in your division like the Packers and Lions who have good offenses, you cannot afford to continuously end up near the bottom of the league in total offense. That will get you nowhere.

A lot of fans who liked Lovie are saying that a 10-6 season should not have gotten him fired. While a 10-6 record is not a bad record by any means, you have to look at how the Bears started this season, as well as Smith’s history as the Bears head coach.

The Bears started this year 7-1. They were on their way to a top 2 seed in the NFC. Then, they lost 5 of their last 8 games and missed the playoffs. During their 7-1 start to the season, the Bears gained a ton of national attention for their defense and the amount of touchdowns that the defense was scoring. While this was all great for the Bears, it was also covering up their offensive struggles. The defense was putting up points almost every game, and the offense (and fans) became too relied upon that trend. When the defense finally came back down to earth and stopped scoring touchdowns every week, that is exactly when the Bears began losing games with regularity. The offense had zero consistency and had a tough time putting enough points to win games, even though the defense was still keeping them in the games by not allowing many points.

Denver's Mike McCoy.

Denver’s Mike McCoy.

So here we are today waiting to see who will take over as the next head coach of the Bears. Most analysts are saying that the Bears’ GM, Phil Emery, will be looking for an offensive head coach. A few names have been mentioned already as possible candidates. One name that sticks out to me is Mike McCoy, the current offensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos. The Broncos ranked 2nd in points-scored this year, and 4th in total yards. I personally think he could be the best option when it comes to guys who have never been head coaches. Some other names being tossed around are Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, Andy Reid, and Brian Billick. Of those 4, Bill Cowher would be my choice, however I think it is very unlikely that this will happen. Jon Gruden is a good coach, but I don’t see him and Cutler getting along too well. Andy Reid may be the best offensive-minded coach on the market, but it sounds like he is headed to Arizona. Brian Billick coached some teams in Baltimore that were very similar to the Bears that we have seen over the last 9 years, however, Billick took one of his teams to the Super Bowl and won it. I think he could work well with the Bears’ defense, but I don’t think he is the right choice.

It is going to be very interesting to see what the Bears do over the next couple weeks. I am hoping that they sign a more offensive head coach this time around and that they hang on to Rod Marinelli as their D-coordinator. Unfortunately for me, I have no say in what they do.

Reinsdorf doesn’t want All-Star Game in Chicago

Posted on by
Reply

United_Center_InteriorThe last time that the NBA All-Star Game was held in Chicago was 1988 at the old stadium. Since then, the Bulls have won 6 titles, the old Chicago Stadium has been torn down, and the United Center has been built.

The United Center, which opened in 1994, has the second largest capacity in the league, only behind Detroit’s Palace of Auburn Hills. It is also regarded as one of the nicest arenas in all of basketball (or hockey for that matter). Yet, it still has not played host to an All-Star Game in basketball or hockey.

The other day, I was browsing the internet when I came across an article written last February that talks about the Bulls hosting an NBA All-Star Game. Certain teams have hosted the game more than once since the last time the Bulls played host. One of those teams, the Houston Rockets, will be hosting it for a third time this year. In the article, Jerry Reinsdorf (the Bulls owner) explains why the Bulls have not hosted the game in so long.

“They’d have to force me to take the All-Star Game.” That is Jerry Reinsdorf’s stance on this topic. He goes on to say, “They take over the building, your season-ticket holders have to be in a lottery to see if they get tickets and then they don’t get a good ticket. Really, no good can come out of it and all it can do is upset your fans.” Really, Jerry? All it can do is upset Bulls fans? Why would Bulls fans become upset if the Bulls were to host the All-Star Game for the first time in 24 years? Do you really think that watching the league’s best players all play in one game on the court of our favorite team would actually upset us? Come on.

I understand that the season ticket holders might not get to keep their specific seats for the All-Star Game, but that should not keep the game from coming to Chicago! The game will sell out regardless of who is sitting in which seats.

I had to go back and reread Reinsdorf’s comments when I first saw them simply because I could not believe what I was reading. How can an owner have that type of attitude and expect the fans to like him? I just don’t get it. It is a disgrace that no All-Star Game has been played at the United Center yet, and now we know why that is in the case of the Bulls.

Bears head into bye-week at 4-1

Posted on by
Reply

Coming off of two straight dominating performances against the Cowboys and Jaguars, the Bears head into their bye-week this weekend with a record of 4-1 on the year. It took a few games, but the Bears have begun playing like legitimate contenders.

Coming into this season, all the hype surrounding the Bears involved their new “explosive” offense with the additions of Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, and Michael Bush. While the offense has show some explosiveness through the first 5 games, I believe the real story for the Bears has been the play of their defense.

They were being called “old,” “broken,” “slow,” and so on. If you look at the Bears defensive roster, they are old. Their top four players, Urlacher (34), Peppers (32), Briggs (31), and Tillman (31), are all over the age of 30. Having your top defensive players all that old is not exactly the recipe four success. However, the Bears defense is off to one of its best starts in recent memory. Through the first 5 games, their DEFENSE has scored 5 touchdowns (4 from Tillman and Briggs combined), which is first in the whole league. They also lead the NFL in interceptions, with 13, and takeaways, with 17. Right now, they are playing and executing Lovie Smith’s style of defense perfectly. Odds are that they won’t continue to play at this same pace as the year progresses, but getting off to such a hot start is never a bad thing.

Offensively, the Bears have been pretty streaky. They were miserable against the Packers in Week 2, they somewhat struggled to get going against the Rams Week 3, and they only put up 3 points in the first half this past week against the lowly Jaguars. However, they looked great Week 1 against the Colts, Week 4 against the Cowboys, and during the second half against the Jaguars. Brandon Marshall is playing out of his mind right now, as he is on pace to set the franchise record for most receiving yards in a single season. The rookie, Alshon Jeffery, is showing signs of becoming a promising receiver as he ranks third among all rookies in receiving yards, and is tied for the rookie lead in TD receptions with 2. (Unfortunately, he injured his hand in the game against the Jaguars and could miss a game.) Jay Cutler has had an up and down season, much like the offense as a whole. Matt Forte has looked decent while healthy, and Michael Bush is proving to be the perfect backup to Forte.

The bottom line here is that this may be the best all-around team that the Bears have put together in quite some time. With the Packers and Lions severely struggling right now, the Bears seem to have all the stars aligning. Odds are that Minnesota won’t keep playing the way they have, and if you look at the remainder of the Bears schedule, they really only have 2 tough match-ups remaining; Week 10 at home against the Texans, and Week 11 at the 49ers. Until the Lions and Packers start to look legitimate again, I am not going to count those 3 games as “tough” ones.

Maybe I am just another optimistic Bears fan, but I don’t see the Bears losing more than maybe 2-3 more games the rest of the way. The path to the NFC North Division Championship seems to be as good as it is going to get for the Bears, but the season is still a long way from being over.

Now what for the Blackhawks?

Posted on by
Reply

Today was a huge day in the hockey world. Both Ryan Suter AND Zach Parise signed huge contacts with the Minnesota Wild. Each contract is for 13 years at approximately $98 million apiece. Prior to today, the Blackhawks had been linked to both Suter and Parise as a potential destination. Unfortunately for us Hawks fans, that obviously didn’t happen. So the question now becomes, what should the Hawks do next?

It was no secret that the Hawks wanted to improve their defense this offseason. They made a strong push for Ryan Suter, but that did not pan out. The next best available free agent defenseman is Matt Carle, who played his last 4 seasons in Philadelphia. It would be huge if the Hawks could bring him into the organization, however it does not appear that will happen. After Carle, the caliber of free agent defenseman remaining really weakens. My guess is that if the Hawks do add another defenseman, it will be through a trade.

Aside from defenseman, the two biggest free agent forwards remaining are Shane Doan and Alex Semin. Shane Doan has been the captain of the Phoenix Coyotes for a number of years now (I don’t know the exact number). He has averaged in the mid 50’s for points throughout his 16-year career, tallying 50 last season. Despite his age (35), he still has a lot to offer. He is a born leader and a positive influence on and off the ice. Aside from his ability to lead and tally points, Doan is a physical presence on the ice. Last season, he registered 205 hits. The hit leader for the Blackhawks, Brent Seabrook, had 198. If the Hawks can sign Doan, they will be adding both an offensive and physical player to their lineup, both of which would really strengthen their team.

Alex Semin is one of the most talented players in the NHL. He has the ability to score 40 goals in a season, as he did just a couple of years ago. The drawback with Semin is his attitude/personality. Apparently, he is not the greatest teammate in the league, nor is he the best player to coach. With the Hawks having had some friction in the locker room and amongst the coaching staff the past couple of years, they really don’t want to bring in a possible problem-maker in Semin. However, if they could find a way to make it work with Semin, he would be a huge addition to the Hawks’ roster.

Unfortunately, neither Doan nor Semin are centers. Arguably the Hawks biggest need is a number 2 center. There are a handful of free agent centers still available, but none of them are standouts. If the Hawks are going to add a good center to their roster, it will most likely be through a trade. I don’t know who they might try and trade for, but my guess is that they will attempt to trade for a number 2 center.

As for Rick Nash, the only way the Hawks will get him is by trading Kane, and I doubt that will happen. They are more likely to sign Doan or Semin than they are to acquire Rick Nash.

According to hockeybuzz.com, the Hawks have shown some interest in goaltender Jonathan Bernier of the L.A. Kings. This is something to keep your eye on moving forward. Although it is unlikely, the Hawks would like to upgrade at goalie.

Clearly, it is not easy to predict what might happen in the near future for the Hawks, but there is nothing wrong with speculating.

Thanks for reading.

Blackhawks Win Game 2 in Dramatic Fashion

Posted on by
Reply

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

Posted on by
Reply

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

Posted on by
3

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.

Blackhawks Win In Shootout; Secure 6 Seed

Posted on by
Reply

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

Posted on by
Reply

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

Posted on by
Reply

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?