Marian Hossa was a late scratch and his condition was later revealed to be an upper body injury. Hossa’s loss didn’t help the cause but the Bruins have been the superior club for most of the series. By my count in nine of 13 periods of hockey, including overtime, Boston has had the edge in play.

The Hossa injury caught everyone off guard. Joel Quenneville commented after Game 2 his team was healthy. Then Monday night following the loss he mentioned of being aware during the day that Hossa playing would be a game time decision. After Hossa took part in the pre-game skate it was decided he wouldn’t play.

What makes the incident sketchier is Ben Smith, who was inserted in the lineup as Hossa’s replacement, did not skate in the warm-ups. It seems that if there was any chance Hossa would be unable to start Smith should have skated with the team before the game.

It’s too early for Blackhawk fans to panic but the warning flags should be up. Monday night’s game wasn’t as close as the score would indicate. Some great work by Corey Crawford kept the Hawks in the contest. Once again Tuukka Rask was in fine form but he wasn’t severely tested. The Blackhawk forwards were kept out on the perimeter for the entire night.

Boston doesn’t score much and they don’t have to the way the Hawks offense and power play has been performing. What the Bruins do well is play a simple effective game night after night. They have been the more consistent club, it really hasn’t been close. When Boston does score their chances have come from prime goal scoring areas, places where the Hawks forwards can’t seem to find.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22620359/chicago-blackhawks-cant-solve-the-bruins-and-are-shutout-2-0-in-game-3#ixzz2WaIZdVvR

In Game 1 the Blackhawks third line outplayed their counterparts and was a significant factor in two goals. On Saturday night the Bruins newly formed third line made the difference. In what was described as a gut feeling by head coach Claude Julien, a different third line was rolled out for Game 2. Chris Kelly played in the middle flanked by Daniel Paille and Tyler Seguin as the trio accounted for the two Boston goals.

The Bruins were never dominated in the post season the way the Hawks handled them in the opening frame. 

Chicago was credited with 19 shots while Boston could only muster four shots on goal. In Game 1, Corey Crawford’s play in the first OT session led the Blackhawks to victory. Last night Tuukka Rask was great in period one and kept his team afloat. This could be considered a goalie win by Rask although the Hawks didn’t put forth a sustained challenge after the first period.

Maybe it was the added emotion of playing at home and a super adrenaline rush to begin the game but the Hawks looked tired as the night wore on. The Bruins chased the puck in the first frame and recorded 19 hits as that type of punishment could have helped to sap some energy from the home team.

One of the tradeoffs of playing puck possession hockey is Boston will have the opportunity to make a lot of hits. They are very good at finishing checks but it isn’t easy to pound away at an opponent for an entire match.

It also isn’t easy to play at such a fast pace and high level as the Hawks demonstrated to start Game 2. It took Boston almost 15 minutes to sustain any meaningful offensive zone time but they came out the better club to begin the second frame.
Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22603523/incredible-start-no-finish-as-the-chicago-blackhawks-drop-game-2-in-ot-2-1#ixzz2WOanZSAm ]]> http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/52121/feed/ 0 http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/52065/ http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/52065/#comments Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:44:59 +0000 Al Cimaglia http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?p=52065 CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -It remains to be seen if the Chicago Blackhawks are the best team in the NHL, but there should be little doubt they are the most exciting club to watch. In front of a crowd of 22,110, Chicago edged Boston 4-3 in triple overtime to take the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Hawks took the hard way in drawing three victories away from capturing the Cup as they trailed for the entire game. In the third extra period the winning goal was scored by Andrew Shaw who was the best player for the Blackhawks in Game 1.

The experience of Michal Rozsival showed as he sent a well-directed shot toward the Boston net while two Hawk forwards stood in front. The puck deflected off of Dave Bolland’s stick and then Shaw’s leg as it went past a stunned Tuukka Rask.

The argument could be made that the Bruins didn’t deserve to lose as they did play well. The Blackhawks got some lucky breaks at the end of regulation and during the overtime session. That is part of the game and the Bruins realize excuses can’t be made when up by two goals in the third period.

Luck always matters when it comes to playoff success and the Bruins know the same. The Penguins hit iron with about eight shots over their final two games as they were swept by Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals.

It was a wide open Milan Lucic who scored the Bruins first and second goals and put Boston up by two. The Hawks got caught puck watching and were out of position. Corey Crawford probably would like to have another chance on the second goal but he really couldn’t be faulted on either. When Patrice Bergeron scored at 6:09 of the third frame to give the Bruins a 3-1 lead it looked like they were well on their way to capture Game 1.

Brandon Saad deservedly scored the first goal for Chicago and was one of the most noticeable forwards throughout the night. Saad also came on in a player change just before Johnny Oduya tied the score at three. It was Saad who replaced Brandon Bollig and went to the front of the net to set a screen as the puck deflected in off the skate of Andrew Ference.

Marcus Kruger, Michael Frolik and Bollig as the fourth line had a fine game. It actually was much more than just a fine performance. The trio played meaningful minutes and caused problems for the Bruins. The fourth line was a big boost for the Hawks and an option Joel Quenneville went to often.
Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22582985/chicago-blackhawks-show-their-depth-capture-game-1-4-3-in-3-ot#ixzz2W6yU2aHG

When Patrick Sharp put the Hawks out in front in the early moments of the second period, it felt like the Red Wings may not be able to keep pace. Detroit was victimized on a slow line change and gave up an odd man break. The Chicago experience looked to be the difference as they finally capitalized on a Red Wing miscue.

After two periods the Blackhawks had only a slim one goal lead but it felt like the margin should be larger. The Wings defense was far from air tight as turnovers were a problem. The Hawks couldn’t finish, either by missing the net or by shooting at Howard’s chest, but in any case they just couldn’t extend the lead. The Chicago defense wasn’t air tight either and the power play wasn’t efficient so the game stayed close and the strong play of Corey Crawford was crucial.

In this series the Blackhawks put themselves in a vulnerable position by losing three games in row. Once falling behind three games to one any bad bounce, soft goal or questionable officiating is enough to end the season. The Hawks did that to themselves by not being able to play to put forth a consistent 60 minutes of hockey for the most part throughout the series. As the hockey gods would have it the Hawks almost pushed fate too far in Game 7.

The third period started and the Red Wings were dominant. Not sure why but the Hawks played with little focus and appeared like a club without playoff experience. There is no way to know what transpired during periods but the Hawks came out with an effort they certainly should want to forget. If it wasn’t for Crawford the Red Wings would have scored more than one goal in the opening five minutes.

Brent Seabrook and Johnny Oduya both had adventurous nights which featured more than a couple of turnovers. When the Wings scored they were both playing defense. Besides another Oduya misplay there was little support for Crawford and the Wings evened the game.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22456989/chicago-blackhawks-survive-with-2-1-ot-victory-move-on-to-face-la#ixzz2UnLn6OZM

In the opening 15 minutes, the Blackhawks kept the game simple and were very efficient. Detroit was chasing for much of the period as Chicago had the puck in the offensive zone. The Red Wings made the first big mistake of the game as Jakub Kindl took a rather careless interference penalty. It later resulted in Hossa jamming in a power play goal and a 1-0 lead.

The Red Wings looked to be overmatched but then put on a big push in the final five minutes of the opening frame. The Hawks seemed to be back on their heels and Detroit scored on a rebound to tie the score in the final minute.

The Blackhawks came out with a determined effort to begin the second period but it was Detroit who benefited from some good fortune.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22436479/chicago-blackhawks-even-the-series-with-hard-work-and-some-good-luck#ixzz2Ubb4L1De

We could say the Blackhawks rebounded with a convincing 4-1 victory over the Red Wings on Saturday night. The most accurate statement would be the Blackhawks reappeared with a convincing 4-1 victory.

The Wings still hold a 3-2 advantage in the series but as they return to Detroit they will be looking to recapture momentum.

In Game 5 the Blackhawks put forth the most complete effort of any of the 10 games played so far in the post season. The better players for Chicago had a say in the win and so did the supporting cast. The Hawks power play awoke from deep sleep with two goals, and the passing was greatly improved from recent efforts.

One of the most important factors was the Blackhawks defensemen played well as a unit. The biggest advantage the Hawks have over the Red Wings or any club left in the playoffs is the depth on their blue line. To a man they played solid defense and were able to shrug off the Detroit forecheck and pass the puck effectively.

The Blackhawks looked like a high tempo puck possession team in Game 5.

The Chicago defense starts their offense and that happens by using quick outlet passes. When those passes are crisp and accurate the forwards can use their speed and skill to generate scoring.

Even though the game was even on the scoreboard through the midpoint of the second period the Hawks had a lot of offensive zone time. It’s difficult to chase and eventually the team defense faded for the Red Wings.

The turning point in the game came in the middle frame when left wing Drew Miller hooked Jonathan Toews in the offensive zone. It wasn’t a good penalty as Toews wasn’t in a scoring position. Miller stopped moving his feet and hooked Toews, it was careless and costly. Andrew Shaw then provided a screen on Jimmy Howard as he tipped in a Duncan Keith shot to give the Hawks a power play goal, and the lead for good.

The United Center crowd erupted and the resolve started to fade in the Red Wings.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22425675/chicago-blackhawks-reappear-and-top-detroit-4-1-victory#ixzz2UPlxQsA8 ]]> http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51816/feed/ 0 http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51796/ http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51796/#comments Fri, 24 May 2013 15:14:36 +0000 Al Cimaglia http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?p=51796 CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -

The Detroit Red Wings took a commanding three games to one lead after defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 2-0.

The Red Wings have gotten very good goaltending and to a man have performed their system with precision. Detroit is not the mirror image of last year’s Stanley Cup winners the Los Angeles Kings but they are playing with the same relentless team defense. Many times the club that is playing consistently well is the recipient of some good fortune as well. Good luck or not, the Wings deserve to be where they are at, one win away from playing in the Conference Championship.

Many are shocked the Blackhawks are one loss away from elimination. After defeating the Wild in five games, my thinking was the Blackhawks won but didn’t show their best. After Game 1 versus Detroit, in which the Hawks played well it appeared as if they were dialed in and ready to play effective hockey. As it turns out the Red Wings were a tired club and didn’t put up much of a fight over the final 30 minutes of Game 1.

What has happened since is Detroit has been better coached and at all levels, have taken the Hawks out of their comfort zone. To a man the Red Wings have done their jobs and have been the more consistent team.

This season the Chicago offense relied on quick accurate passes from their defensemen to start the charge. It wasn’t as in the past where long stretch passes were needed to create good scoring chances. GM Stan Bowman did a nice job of building depth on the blue line and from one through six the Blackhawks had the best passing defense in the NHL. Now the Hawks offense is back to looking for long stretch passes to spring forwards, because the Wings have caused a change.

Detroit’s aggressive forecheck has made the Chicago passing become below average. The Blackhawks offense starts with their defense and Mike Babcock knew the same. He has his group aggressively forechecking and disrupting the Hawk defensemen. Every line for Detroit has been able to attack Chicago defenders and cause them to pass poorly and look hesitant. This means the Hawks can’t use their speed and the game tempo isn’t what they prefer.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22415736/detroit-wins-2-0-and-shakes-the-chicago-blackhawks-will-to-win#ixzz2UDuGo0Io

It is a challenge to not make criticizing the officiating a regular part of writing Blackhawks columns. There isn’t another professional sport that changes the way games are officiated in the postseason more than the NHL. Teams play all season to qualify for a chance to win the Stanley Cup but come every spring certain infractions aren’t called nearly as often.

That is part of dealing with the NHL, the rule book sometimes appears to be written in water colors and officiating is anything but consistent. That said officiating can’t be used as a reason for a loss and it shouldn’t be following Monday night’s contest.

In my view Andrew Shaw standing in the goal crease, which is allowed, did not hinder Howard from making a save. That is the only factor which should define a goaltender interference call and subsequent waive off of a goal.

Unless absolutely sure, a referee shouldn’t waive off a goal and make a call based on what he thought happened. The overall consequence of last night’s no-goal call, which would have tied the game at two early in the third period, can be debated. The Hawks were starting to roll and there is no telling what the final outcome would have been if the goal counted, but the Wings still deserved the victory.

The best teams survive bad calls and unlucky breaks and find a way to win and Monday night the Hawks didn’t have enough. A short time following the debated no-goal call, Detroit scored their third goal and subsequently the Hawks had no answers.

As of now, the Red Wings look more focused, better coached and able to play a more complete game than the Blackhawks. So let’s put the Shaw goaltender interference penalty on the back burner. The Hawks came out and tried to take control in the opening frame. The Red Wings held strong and scored twice within 31-seconds in the middle frame to take a big two goal lead into the final period.
Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22308195/as-frustration-sets-in-chicago-blackhawks-fall-again-to-detroit-3-1#ixzz2TwQcAB8B

Pick a reason but the 4-1 Saturday matinee result indicated a total regression by Chicago and a top performance from Detroit.

For those who believe a playoff series doesn’t get competitive until the home club loses, get ready and buckle up.

It looked like the Blackhawks would have a chance in Game 2 even though they were outplayed in the first frame. The Red Wings threw their best punch and the Hawks were still able to score and take the lead. As was later evident, one couldn’t mistake a nifty play by Patrick Sharp which led to an odd man break and a Patrick Kane goal as a sign of good things to come. Corey Crawford kept the game close for awhile but in the end the Red Wings not only won by a convincing margin, they also made a statement.

The Wings stifled the Hawks offense and wouldn’t allow the Chicago attack to control the pace of the game. As the game wore on the Blackhawks were the team with no answers as frustration and some bad penalties came about. The Hawks were held to only 20 shots on home ice and the Wings had twice as many scoring chances through two periods. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say this was the Hawks worst performance at the United Center all season.

How could the Blackhawks go from so good to so bad?

It is impossible to say exactly but here are some observations. The Red Wings best players were far better than their Chicago counterparts. The Blackhawks defense, especially Niklas Hjalmarsson played as if they didn’t like the early start time. A player that is supposed to be a pain to play against Dave Bolland, committed stupid penalties and didn’t contribute much at all.

Last but not least, Chicago’s leader Jonathan Toews had a tough afternoon and he too had one of his more disappointing performances of the season. Toews was manhandled by Detroit and was controlled by center Henrik Zetterberg. Toews was credited with three shots on goal but was held scoreless again and his frustration is beginning to show. Toews looks weary and a step slow at times. He also had a sub-par game in the faceoff circle.
Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22291655/series-on-as-detroit-red-wings-top-chicago-blackhawks-4-1-next-move-is-quennevilles#ixzz2TktGpQfP ]]> http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51642/feed/ 7 http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51570/ http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51570/#comments Thu, 16 May 2013 16:34:36 +0000 Al Cimaglia http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?p=51570 CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -The Chicago Blackhawks captured Game 1 versus Detroit with 60-minutes of effective hockey. In what was their most dominant playoff performance, the Blackhawks defeated the Red Wings 4-1. The score would have been more lopsided if not for a strong game by Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard. His play kept the contest close until the midpoint of the third period as the relentless effort by the Hawks proved to be too much.The Blackhawks did not come out as they did in the series opener versus Minnesota where they did just enough to win. On Wednesday night they were a more determined group that kept to the script and played a fast-paced puck possession game. It is a blessing to have time off between a series but a six-day break can sometimes cause a team to grow stale. The Blackhawks proved to be dialed in from the opening puck drop as being the more rested team worked to their advantage.

A fear Joel Quenneville must have had coming into this series was Detroit would be able to steal Game 1. Following the game, Red Wing head coach Mike Babcock mentioned he thought his club could get the jump on the Hawks in the opener. What proved to be correct is the Wings ran out of gas as the game wore on and the Hawks got better. The shot totals were indicative of the better club as Chicago outshot Detroit 36-14 over the final two periods.

Beyond the imbalance of shots on goal there were many more scoring chances generated by the Blackhawks. After the opening period the Red Wings were forced to chase the puck. The Hawks were led by their better players and had a lot of offensive zone time. They were able to stay on the attack and take advantage of some poor defensive coverage by the Red Wings.

Once again Patrick Kane was not credited with a goal and neither was Jonathan Toews. Both players were very noticeable, especially Kane who in the second period had the puck on his stick for much of the time. Toews continues to work hard and get to the net. He also made a slick pass to Marian Hossa for the first goal of the game.

Hossa had another fine outing as he continues to find the puck and deliver accurate strikes toward the net. The duo of Johnny Oduya and Michal Rozsival had another top performance as well. Rozsival finished a +2 and Oduya scored a big goal in the final frame to get the Hawks the lead and they never looked back.
Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22270697/chicago-blackhawks-start-series-with-complete-effort-and-skate-past-detroit-red-wings-4-1#ixzz2TTRylolG

The Blackhawks will move onto the next round after defeating Minnesota 5-1 in Game 5 at the United Center.

In many ways the Blackhawks couldn’t have asked for a move favorable matchup. On Thursday night they were not only the better team, but the more determined as was the case as the series went on. Chicago’s big names played well, the supporting cast was working hard as usual and Corey Crawford made sure the contest was never in much doubt.

Crawford led the Blackhawks once again as the Wild seemed to come out with a more reckless approach. Maybe Minnesota wanted to take their chances with a wide open style of game. Crawford made difficult saves in the opening period as the Wild applied pressure. Once the Blackhawks took the lead with a very sharp Crawford in net, the outcome never seemed to be in doubt.

When the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010 it was the opinion of most around the league they had the top third line in hockey. That team could actually claim to have the best bottom six forwards in the league as well.

This year the Hawks third line has been very effective since the beginning of the season. Bryan Bickell, Andrew Shaw and Viktor Stalberg comprise one of the best third lines in the league. They are fast, strong along the boards and can score.

Last night Shaw and another hard worker who plays on the fourth line Marcus Kruger recorded goals. Marian Hossa played with determination and was the best Chicago forward scoring twice.

In the playoffs top players can be equalized and the supporting cast is often the difference. The Blackhawks third line as well as their third pairing on defense of Johnny Oduya and Michal Rozsival played at a high level versus the Wild.

Minnesota relies on a few top players to carry the load and when they don’t produce trouble follows.

Compared to other playoff participants the Wild were not a strong 5 on 5 team. The chances for Minnesota to defeat the Hawks decreased a great deal when they went 0-17 on the power play. To make matters worse their star on offense Zach Parise was held to only a single point in the series. Having a healthy Niklas Backstrom in net would have mattered some, but not enough.

There really isn’t a secret formula to beat the Blackhawks. Minnesota tried to play a more physical game but even so they had no answers for Crawford. Goal tending is ultra important always and especially so in the playoffs. The much maligned Crawford is currently at the top of the goal tending standings this post season.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22217723/chicago-blackhawks-eliminate-minnesota-wild-with-a-5-1-victory-in-game-5#ixzz2SuZqjUmH

To win a Stanley Cup a team needs some luck, not to sustain key injuries and to benefit from favorable matchups. So far the Blackhawks can check off those requirements. Another important factor for playoff success is to be able to win a short series or two. The Hawks can take a big step forward on that front with an elimination game victory on Thursday night at the United Center.

The Hawks haven’t been able to play a complete effective game versus Minnesota yet but the Wild can’t catch a break. Now they are down to their third string goaltender as Josh Harding was injured and left after the opening period.

The inexperienced Darcy Kuemper let in a soft goal on the first shot he faced to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead. That was more than enough cushion and after the goal the Xcel Energy Center crowd was very quiet.

The Wild tried to mount challenges but the Hawks controlled them with some tight checking and Corey Crawford was on his game from start to finish. Kuemper settled in but gave up another weak goal to Bryan Bickell in the third period but the Wild were done before then.

For many, Crawford was the biggest question mark coming into the playoffs despite having a great regular season. He continues to be the most consistent player for Chicago. In two if not three games thus far, Crawford has been the best player on either side. The play of the Blackhawks third line has also shined and third pairing defenders Michal Rozsival and Johnny Oduya both have done a fine job.

Patrick Kane as well as Patrick Sharp have had a good series and have been noticeable in every game. Sharp was rewarded with two goals on Tuesday night. Kane has done well to create offense but the other top six forwards haven’t had much of an impact. Possibly the Wild should be given more credit, but the Hawks first line needs to score or this will be a difficult postseason.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22194060/chicago-blackhawks-do-what-it-takes-to-defeat-minnesota-wild-3-0#ixzz2SijElCiE ]]> http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51456/feed/ 0 http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51387/ http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51387/#comments Mon, 06 May 2013 20:53:57 +0000 Al Cimaglia http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?p=51387 CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -

On Sunday afternoon the Blackhawks fell to the Wild 3-2 in overtime.

Duncan Keith summed things up in a straight forward manner following Game 3. Keith commented Minnesota was the hungrier team and they deserved to win the game. Keith’s remarks were spot on and now the Wild can even the best of seven series on Tuesday night.

The Hawks took the lead at 13:26 of the opening period and until then had a great start to the game. It’s hard to know exactly what happened afterward but the Wild did show their desperation and executed an effective plan. Minnesota didn’t do anything mysterious but they were able to use an aggressive forecheck and some physicality to control much of the action.

Although Corey Crawford would probably like to have a another chance to save the Jason Zucker shot that beat him short side in overtime he still played a great game. The Crawford haters always seem to be lurking but if he keeps playing as he has thus far there should be little criticism. Crawford has outplayed his counterpart Josh Harding in every match but that alone isn’t always enough to win.

Maybe collectively players thought Game 3 was in the bag after scoring first, as many players seemed to check out afterwards. There were surges here and there but the Blackhawks couldn’t dominant the action for stretches until late in the third period.

It’s not the end of the world to lose to a desperate Wild team on their home ice but it was a missed opportunity to all but secure a round one victory. Blackhawk faithful can discount this outcome as long as a rebound effort is coming in Game 4. It shouldn’t be overlooked, this is an injured Wild squad and they could get a few players back before long which should help their chances.

Read more: http://t.co/zxImaGEXb4

The third and fourth lines set the tone to begin the contest and it was Michael Frolik who notched the Hawks first two goals. The big names came through later to add to the offense and Corey Crawford was there to make big stops when his teammates stumbled.

Frolik has finally found a spot to flourish and as a fourth line player and penalty killer has shined this season. Frolik has been a hard worker on every shift and also has to be considered a true playoff performer. In 13 games in the postseason, all with Chicago, Frolik has tallied six goals. Friday night Frolik’s second of the contest came while being shorthanded. It was the first time the Wild surrendered a goal this season while being a man down.

Joel Quenneville had mentioned more than once his squad needed to come out with a better start. The Hawks bench boss wasn’t thrilled with the pace of Game 1, especially the opening period. His group responded and played at a quick tempo and kept the game simple. They were able to play faster because of more accurate passing.

The Hawks got pucks behind the Wild defense and played a north side game led by the bottom six forwards. They not only possessed the puck a great deal of the time in period one but they created scoring chances and tested Josh Harding.

The Hawks dented the twine only once in the opening stanza but fired a total of 31 shot attempts. Minnesota blocked 10, the Hawks missed the net four times and 17 shots hit the target. The game was close on the scoreboard but the Hawks were the dominant team and executed the type of start Quenneville had in mind. 

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22161121/chicago-blackhawks-capture-game-2-with-better-effort-in-5-2-win#ixzz2SL5UrkQF ]]> http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51312/feed/ 0 http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51283/ http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51283/#comments Wed, 01 May 2013 17:29:28 +0000 Al Cimaglia http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?p=51283 CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -Tuesday night’s 2-1 overtime victory by the Chicago Blackhawks over the Minnesota Wild is one of 16 conquests needed to hoist the Stanley Cup. Although it was only one win, the importance of the outcome can’t be overstated.If the Wild came away with a Game 1 victory without their starting goaltender, one of their best forwards and a top four defender defenseman who played sparingly, it would have been a huge confidence builder. Fortunately for the Blackhawks they still have a chance to retain home ice advantage. With a more complete performance on Friday this could still be a short series for the Hawks, but the Wild deserve a great deal of respect.If the Wild came through with an overtime tally this would have been a playoff victory remembered by their fans forever.Minnesota’s starting goalie Niklas Backstrom was hurt in pregame warm-ups. Backstrom had to be helped off the ice after suffering a lower body injury, possibly to his hip. Ironically Josh Harding, who last started a game on January 30 versus Chicago, was pressed into action. In that start, Harding was pulled after surrendering two goals on four shots.

Harding was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis before the season began. After his late January performance, Harding left the team for about two months while he adjusted to his medication. Harding’s effort Tuesday night was top rate and under the circumstances could be called outstanding. To be able to play in the NHL with MS is a remarkable accomplishment.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22129689/chicago-blackhawks-dodge-big-bullet-take-game-1-in-ot-win-over-minnesota-wild#ixzz2S3yIsQo0

Saturday’s Blackhawk lineup featured seven players called up from Rockford and recently signed center Drew LeBlanc. Carter Hutton got the start in goal and did an adequate job. Really all of the young players gave a good accounting of themselves.

Hard luck forward Ben Smith notched the only Hawks goal which broke up the shutout in the third period. Jeremy Morin and Jimmy Hayes were credited with the assists. Rookie defenseman Ryan Stanton had two blocked shots and played a nice game finishing a +1.

The focus now will be getting past the Minnesota Wild in Round 1 of the playoffs.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22099759/after-3-1-loss-to-the-blues-all-focus-is-on-the-minnesota-wild#ixzz2Rluzdurd

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22095164/chicago-blackhawks-beat-edmonton-4-1-capture-presidents-trophy#ixzz2RfygDHut ]]> http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51114/feed/ 0 http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51094/ http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/51094/#comments Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:16:50 +0000 Al Cimaglia http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?p=51094 CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -The Chicago Blackhawks put their game faces on toward the end of the opening period and dispatched the Edmonton Oilers 4-1. With the victory, Chicago clinched the Presidents’ Trophy for the best record in the league for the first time since 1991.This means the Hawks will have home ice throughout the postseason. The award guarantees nothing else, as six past winners have lost in the first round of the playoffs. It should also be noted seven past Presidents’ winners, slightly over 25% have gone on to capture the Stanley Cup.Blackhawks faithful should enjoy the accomplishment and not fear players will be so overwhelmed by their success they will take their opening round opponent lightly. If the Hawks don’t make a long playoff run it won’t be because they are too enamored with regular season success.As is often the case, not everything about a Blackhawk victory went according to script.

Ray Emery returned to action but had to leave the ice for good due to an injury at the 13:49 mark of period one. Emery’s condition is listed as a lower body injury. It could be likely the same problem that plagued him last week. Maybe Emery is suffering from a hip ailment or a groin pull, or it could be something else.

What is apparent is Emery is injured and the playoffs are almost here so it may be time for stubborn Hawk fans to embrace Corey Crawford. Emery wasn’t going to be the playoff starter but he was a nice 1A option for Joel Quenneville to lean on in the postseason. Possibly Emery will be fine with a little more rest but for now, Crawford appears to be the man as the playoffs are set to begin next week.

Crawford played really well Wednesday night and made an NHL save of the year candidate stop on Jordan Eberle. The Edmonton center had Crawford all to himself, but from close range was thwarted by a breath taking glove save.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22076048/chicago-blackhawks-beat-edmonton-4-1-capture-presidents-trophy#ixzz2RUZdbpv4

On the bright side, Crawford played better than in recent starts and Ray Emery was dressed as his backup. Last week Emery had been out with a lower body injury and it appears now he could get a start or two over the final three regular season games. Crawford held his team in the game as this one could have gotten ugly.

On the downside the Blackhawks chased the Canucks for most of the game but were still outhit by a wide margin 37-23.

Usually the Hawks are going to be outhit as they don’t have many physical forwards. The defense is not made up of big hitters either, so as a team the Hawks don’t bring that type of smash mouth hockey. This club is constructed to possess the puck and thus create scoring chances.

That’s what was missing on Monday night.

The Hawks weren’t skating and controlling the pace of play. The Canucks went out of their way to throw as many body checks as possible over the first two frames. To combat the physicality the Blackhawks needed to skate and pass the puck quickly and they did neither. If they did the Canucks, who were so focused on hitting could have been caught out of position.

The Canucks are a very good skating team and can play a sound defensive structure. They also have more than one line that can score goals and their defense contributes to the offense.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22053293/chicago-blackhawks-get-hit-and-beaten-without-the-correct-effort-in-vancouver#ixzz2RJF3GO5o

The Blackhawks are a better team than the Coyotes but bad goals and mental mistakes have a way of evening things up. On Friday night versus Nashville, the Hawks got away with a less than focused performance but Phoenix still has playoff aspirations. They stayed alert throughout and in the end snatched an important two points.

Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith played the way he did when defeating the Blackhawks during last season’s playoffs. Smith was very good and also had Lady Luck on his side. The Hawks had Smith down and out a few times but couldn’t hit the net or shoot the puck directly at him.

The Coyotes deserved the victory and most important the Blackhawks didn’t appear to suffer any injuries. If Phoenix does sneak into the playoffs they would likely face Chicago in the first round. The Hawks would have revenge on their minds and as long as they’re relatively healthy, they should be able to turn the tide on the Coyotes this season.

Injuries are always a big factor in playoff success but as important or more so is having a top performance from a goaltender. Maybe Corey Crawford has let his guard down a little the last couple of games but he could play better. Crawford did rally as the game went on Saturday night but his two outings this weekend were far from his best. Crawford can shine in shootouts when on top of his game but he was committing too soon versus the Coyotes.

This week Joel Quenneville could be caught between trying to give Crawford some time off and wanting to get him sharp. It appeared Saturday’s game would be a chance to give Rockford IceHogs call-up Carter Hutton a start in goal. It doesn’t seem as likely Hutton would start on the road versus the Canucks on Monday, but he might now.

Quenneville could have the luxury of falling back on Ray Emery if Crawford stumbles. At the moment Emery is suffering from some sort of a lower body injury and it is not known when he will be ready to return. There is no need to panic because Crawford hasn’t stayed in a slump for long this season.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22034455/phoenix-coyotes-edge-chicago-blackhawks-in-3-2-shootout#ixzz2R8NRDQ00

The Blackhawks chalked up their seventh consecutive win with a 5-4 overtime victory versus Nashville. With the win the Hawks swept the season series against the Predators. Nashville is a banged up group who has now dropped eight games in a row. Corey Crawford wasn’t at his best and the same can be said for his teammates. 

After clinching the Western Conference crown while being idle during the past week the Hawks didn’t bring a complete effort. A natural let down coming off a few days off and after locking up first place in the Conference is not surprising. The Predators appeared hungrier at times as the Hawks couldn’t extend a lead past one goal. 

The Blackhawks seemed to turn their effort on and off but in the end Marian Hossa scored a power play goal in the extra frame to seal the victory. For the first time in many, many games the Hawks scored two power play goals in three attempts and that was the best part of Friday night’s victory. 

The Blackhawks will want to go into the playoffs on a high note and stay healthy. 

Unless they slump badly in the next week the Presidents’ Trophy for the best record in the league should be theirs. Staying healthy could be more of a challenge with the final five regular season games coming over the next eight days. 

Currently Patrick Sharp is out nursing a shoulder injury and may not return until later next week. Ray Emery is also out with a lower body injury and won’t be available for tonight’s game against Phoenix. There is no need to rush either player back. Goal keeper Carter Hutton has been recalled form Rockford and could start versus the Coyotes. 

Phoenix is hanging on by their finger nails, their playoff chances are slim. The Blackhawks may have to battle some fatigue as the Coyotes were in Chicago last night resting. 

The Hawks only need to capture five points over the next five games to clinch the Presidents’ Trophy, so their biggest opponent may be disinterest.

Al’s Shot’s

Is the NHL adding five more outdoor games a good idea?

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22030585/two-more-points-for-chicago-blackhawks-may-have-come-with-a-stiff-price#ixzz2R2aJLnUp

The Chicago Blackhawks captured two points with a 5-2 win over Dallas Monday night and increased their point total to 70, an NHL high. It was the Hawks sixth consecutive victory as Dallas lost for the first time in six games.

The Hawks let the Stars back in the contest when they evened the score at two, early in the third frame. The Stars hope for an upset was quickly dashed with an Andrew Shaw goal 1:24 later. For the most part, Dallas didn’t look like a playoff club and took some careless penalties. Maybe more credit should be given to the Blackhawks who are making most teams look bad lately.

The one sore point is the Chicago power play which hasn’t been generating enough scoring chances and went 0-4 on Monday night. Fortunately the penalty killing unit has been on fire with a 26 out of 27 success rate. The penalty killing unit ranks fifth in the NHL and has been very solid for the entire season. That along with fine overall team defense has made up for the shoddy power play. Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa have been extra good, actually most everything is going well except for the power play.

Joel Quenneville is trying many different combinations and setups to get the power play to click but nothing has worked. Despite being loaded with scoring talent, even without the injured Patrick Sharp, the Blackhawks power play ranks 21st in the NHL.

Many times close games boil down to special teams, and Quenneville will be hoping power play woes won’t cause a playoff series loss. The Hawks are playing so well in other areas, they may be able to make a long playoff run despite a poor power play. There is another factor that may come into play in the postseason if the power play stays powerless.

Teams will be looking to play as rough as possible when facing the Blackhawks. Many times, more physical play is tolerated by referees during the postseason. To take it one step further, probably no other sports tweaks their rules during the playoffs more than the NHL.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/21990129/chicago-blackhawks-continue-to-roll-with-a-5-2-win-over-dallas#ixzz2QfHI7ELY

Corey Crawford pitched a shutout and his teammates were dialed in to a winning effort as the Chicago Blackhawks defeated St. Louis 2-0.

The big, bad Blues came out and played as physical as possible in the opening period. The hit total was heavily slanted toward St. Louis but they couldn’t instill their will over the Hawks.

With another very impressive performance, the Blackhawks are now four points ahead of Pittsburgh in the pursuit of the Presidents’ Trophy. As remarkable, or maybe more so is Chicago has allowed six fewer goals than Boston, a total of 85, and that’s the best in the NHL. The last time the Blackhawks finished with the top record in the league was in the 1990-1991 season. Led by goalie Ed Belfour during the 1994-1995 campaign, the Hawks finished with the fewest goals against.

Although the Blackhawks didn’t capture the Stanley Cup after winning either award, this season could be different.

Over the last 41 games the Blackhawks haven’t been consistently winning by using mirrors. Anyone who doesn’t consider them among the best teams in hockey is ignoring facts. Winning awards during the regular season does not automatically lead to a Cup but the Hawks have shown they are a versatile group.

St. Louis head coach Ken Hitchcock knows down deep down that if the Blackhawks played their best hockey and the Blues did the same his group would fall in a seven game series. Hitchcock is able to talk hockey better than almost any coach and his remarks after the game are telling.

“I think it’s a fine line the whole season at this time. Everybody’s on the fine line,” Hitchcock said. “You need something positive to happen, somebody to step up and get us to the next level,” Hitchcock said, according to ChicagoBlackhawks.com.

As it stands today, almost every head coach in the NHL should feel exactly as Hitchcock does.

If the Hawks don’t suffer serious injuries and don’t beat themselves no Western Conference opponent will defeat them during the postseason. They would all need something positive to happen, which might be the same as saying they would need to get lucky. As Hitchcock mentioned, to beat Chicago players would have to step up to another level.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/21979902/chicago-blackhawks-defeat-the-big-bad-blues-2-0#ixzz2QYDPKOQI

With eight games remaining in the regular season, the Blackhawks have clinched the Central Division crown with a 3-2 shootout victory over Detroit.

Friday’s game was unusual for the Hawks as they played like a team that didn’t care enough about winning over the opening 40 minutes of play. Fortunately for the Blackhawks, Corey Crawford returned to action from a three game hiatus and looked sharp. He was able to keep the game close until his teammates got determined.

On a night when Red Wing goalie Jimmy Howard was good but also lucky, it looked like the Hawks were going to fall short. Whether it was a combination of a lack of focus, poor officiating or bad United Center ice, the Hawks looked sloppy. In the NHL a poor job from the men in stripes is almost as constant as death and taxes, but the better teams find a way to survive. The UC ice is another factor, but that can’t be used as a reason to lose.

It isn’t easy to defeat an opponent in four consecutive games, and similar can be said for a goal tender to do same. This year is different for the Blackhawks as they swept the four game season series from Detroit, and Crawford has played in each victory.

Trailing 2-1 going into the third period the Hawks found their groove. Possibly the Wings playing on Thursday night may have helped the Chicago cause.

The Hawks team defense was good for the most part, and there were some fine contributions from Viktor Stalberg and Michael Frolik. Rookie Brandon Saad capped the night off by scoring the final shootout goal as the Hawks captured their 31st win of the campaign.

Crawford had a fine outing and played really well in the shootout. Those hoping for a goalie controversy will have to wait.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/21969195/blackhawks-clinch-central-division-after-3-2-shootout-win-over-detroit#ixzz2QMvFio7W

Patrick Sharp returned after missing 14 games with a shoulder injury. Sharp looked good and was credited with five shots on goal. Sharp’s five shots were the most by any player in the game except for Jonathan Toews who matched the same total.

Without Sharp, the Chicago power play has gone cold and even with him in the lineup the Hawks were 0-2 with the man advantage. What has saved the day is some outstanding penalty killing. The PK unit has gone on a long successful run dating back to a March 16 game versus Dallas.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/21930528/ray-emery-posts-another-shutout-in-efficient-win-over-the-wild#ixzz2Q4b4FdJt