Blackhawks Seek Win As Canucks Rest and Wait
Al Cimaglia | Apr 26, 2010 | Comments 24
If the Hawks can win one of the next two games they will face the Vancouver Canucks. Fortunately the Blackhawks will have home ice advantage in that case. But it would be best for Chicago to end their series tonight and get almost as much rest as their next opponent.
The playoff battle which many thought would be over the quickest will go seven games. The Red Wings will look to regroup and win in Phoenix. It may take a bit more than regrouping as Jimmy Howard will have to be better and the Wings will have to limit their turnovers.
The San Jose Sharks are enjoying a break after disposing of the Avalanche in six games.
Tonight the Blackhawks will try to keep the momentum from Game 5 and jump on the Predators early and often.
Nashville loyalists aren’t happy with the final outcome from Saturday and are not thrilled with Marian Hossa avoiding suspension. It is easy to get emotional but the Predators have only their lack of effective play at the most crucial time in the game to blame.
If they lose the series Nashville will go down infamy.
They are the only team during the playoffs to allow an opponent to tie the score in the last minute of play while shorthanded. It was also interesting three of the same Predators were on the ice for the last two Chicago scores.
Shea Weber, Jason Arnott and Martin Erat will replay those costly moments over and over this summer if Nashville can’t rebound.
The Preds are looking for their boisterous fans to help make the difference tonight. The Bridgestone Arena was sold out (17,113) for Game 4, and should be packed tonight.
Simply put this contest will hinge upon which team can play the most consistent hockey.
The Hawks have to avoid penalties….Doesn’t Nashville have to score at least one power play goal in this series?
Not to put the cart before the horse but it is important for Chicago to close out the Predators tonight.
The Canucks high powered offense will be a problem to deal with and allowing them to rest longer probably won’t slow them down.
If the Hawks defensive zone coverage doesn’t improve tonight, and in the next series if they do advance they are on borrowed time most likely anyway.
The good news for Hawk fans is they haven’t seen the best from their favorite team.
Maybe, just maybe the best is yet to come.
Al’s Shots
In my Sirius/XM Ice Cap interview on Sunday, Patrik Hornqvist’s injury woes were discussed.
I said he is a big loss for Nashville because of his size and ability to play in high traffic areas.
A more accurate statement would have been Hornqvist plays bigger than his size. He is only about six feet tall.
Regardless he is the Predator player who does score on the power play and his loss has made a difference. We will see if he will return tonight.
On Saturday Corey Crawford was recalled from Rockford.
The Ice Hogs season ended Friday night and Stan Bowman wasted no time getting Crawford to Chicago.
If Antti Niemi would suffer an injury during a game, he would be replaced by Cristobal Huet.
But if the man from France was invisible as in his last start in Columbus, don’t think for a second Crawford wouldn’t be used if Niemi was seriously injured.
I would have thought Kyle Beach and a few others would have been called up from Rockford to serve as ‘black aces’, but not as of yet. The Hawks are probably going to do so if they advance.
Beach scored two goals in the Ice Hogs Friday night loss.
There are no lineup changes expected for tonight.
But Joel Quenneville will quickly change linemates if things aren’t going to plan.
Below is the Ice Cap audio link with Terry and Norm from last night.
We discussed the Hossa non-suspension, Game 5 and Game 6, and the high expectations for the Hawks.
Attachment: cimaglia 25th.mp3 (17873k bytes) Open
Double click on OPEN only.
Stream this audio by clicking on the blue play button below:
blackhawkswin@comcast.net
Filed Under: Chicago Blackhawks • Featured • NHL
The kerfuffle over Hossa’s hit on Hamhuis seems to ignore several things. As TSN’s Bob McKenzie pointed out on the “NHL Live!” TV/radio show today, this was the type of hockey play “which happens all the time”. Furthermore, McKenzie observed there was no hit to the head, nor injury and therefore no basis for the referee to impose a game misconduct.
Former players and “NHL On The Fly” TV commentators Larry Murphy and Bill Berg agreed that the call was the right call, and the penalty was the right penalty. Berg further underlined that Hamhuis was in possession of the puck (unlike Campbell’s case) and should have tried to protect himself in that situation.
The NHL’s own statement is sufficiently clear:
“I have made the decision that this play does not warrant supplemental discipline after considering all of the facts, including reviewing the video and speaking with Mr. Hossa. This play is distinguishable from recent incidents by a number of factors, including the degree of contact involved; the fact that the consequences of the play do not appear to be as severe; that this was a hockey play involving a race for the puck; that Mr. Hossa is not a repeat offender; and that the call of a major penalty by the referee was significant and appropriate.”
In any case, Hamhuis left the ice under his own power and was by all reports uninjured; and the Predators missed an exceptional opportunity to close out the game with the man advantage.
When all is said and done, a lot of hits that would normally be punished in the regular season will go unpunished, such as Shea Weber’s vicious cross-check to the body of Jonathan Toews, and many more.
Such is the nature of the contest when crunch time comes.
Whoever wins tonight, and whoever wins the series, it has been an entertaining and fiercely fought combat between two fine hockey teams.
Vancouver seems bent on revenge already; that is another example of the Law of the Hockey Jungle manifesting itself.
hey dave, are you still picking the preds in 7?
Vito>you’ll remember I didn’t ‘pick’ the Preds…my evaluation was based on the Hawks’ play at the time, and their losses of Campbell and Johnsson.
If the Blackhawks don’t win tonight, the possibility of the Preds winning Game Seven is a very real one.
As we’ve seen, Nashville is far from a pushover…so it’s critical for Chicago to close their opponents out tonight.
you’re correct dave and my bad on you picking the preds sorry about that. i agree with you on the preds winning in 7 but it also comes down to the hawks playing with full effort
No worries, Vito my friend…the Hawks need to get this done. There are a few bodies who could use some time off. And not on the golf course.
We’ll see if the Blackhawks bring it tonight.
I guess I’ll be accused of bias but I thought even the 5 minute penalty was overkill. It looked to me like the push was so Hossa can move away from Hamhuis. Otherwise he could have just slammed him into the wall. But, he opted to play hockey (and play the puck).
My point was and still is…If he deserved a major…then he deserved a game miscondct…but if Campbell was the ref he wouldn’t have received the major.
The more I watch the replay the more I tend to agree with Shruew…Which is scary in itself…
“The more I watch the replay the more I tend to agree with Shruew…Which is scary in itself…”
LOL!
To all that can’t access the audio clip…I will look into it further and repost later.
Get a Mac. It works just fine …
odd…sometimes it redirects people to an RCN site which is my other email…which happens to be down now.
When I try it..it works fine…
My oldest son has a Mac..he is a believer too.
Smart man, that son of yours, Al!
Al, I have a PC and I did manage to access the clip by reloading the page.
An excellent broadcast from you and the guys at XM; and I hope everyone has a listen.
Agreed, I enjoy them very much.
PS just to turn the page on the Hossa-Hamhuis incident…Barry Trotz’ comment today:
“It was a good call by the league. I’m more worried about stopping the Hossa-Kopecky-Sharp line than I am about any verdict. Marian’s a stand-up guy, it was unfortunate, but it’s fortunate that Dan is fine. That’s really all I have to say about that.”
In spite of all the gamesmanship leading up to the verdict, Trotz is one great coach and one classy individual.
NOW I know who Barry Trotz reminds me of! A young Edward G. Robinson, looking ever sinister with that facial hair!
Al, I was able to download the audio on my ancient PC laptop with no problem.
“you dirty rat” … ”Alright, you wise guys”
LOL, indeed he does!
I am glad u guys enjoy the podcasts…
Phil Gallof did some tweaking with the site and all should be fine concerning audio clips….Thanks, Phil
As far as Trotz goes and the entire Nashville front office….They are top rate as they find a way to be competitive on a limited budget year after year.
They certainly have my respect for the job they do. This team has had our number in recent years, due in no small measure to Trotz and management.
Well, folks…the Hawks get the job done.
Against a very tenacious opponent.
Patrick Sharp’s summary: “Whenever you can win a playoff series, especially against a team like Nashville, it feels good. I don’t know who said it was going to be an easy series or we were going to get upset. It was two teams that played hard going back to the regular season. It was a very tough series. I give them a lot of credit. It could have really gone either way.”
Dave,
He’s got that right!
The Blackhawks have demonstrated a will to win that is at times seemingly improbable. The momentum swings in Game 6 last year vs. Vancouver. The Game 4 overtime win vs. Vancouver after tying the game late rivalled Game 5 vs. Nashville (although last Saturday’s game was even more improbable than last year’s win).
It will be very interesting to see how the boys respond this go-round with the Canucks. Vancouver has been waiting twelve months for this rematch. They got it.
And now we’ll see who gets it…