The following is an exclusive article from MayorsManor.com:

Fans in Los Angeles probably remember Kelly Hrudey as the blue bandana wearing goalie from the ’93 Stanley Cup Finals. Yet, north of the border he’s been a member of the legendary Hockey Night in Canada crew for over a decade now, both on television and satellite radio. Thus, the man loves to talk about hockey!

In fact, Hrudey’s plans for his post-NHL career were so well known towards the the end of his playing days, GM Dean Lombardi (then with the Sharks) once asked him “Why do I want to sign a 35-year old goalie who wants to be a broadcaster?”

In the interview below, we lean on his experience between he pipes to get some perspective on several goaltending related issues going on around the league, as well as some predictions for the Western and Eastern Conference standings.

MM: Roberto Luongo recently relinquished the captaincy in Vancouver.  What do you think about goaltenders wearing the ’C'?

KH: I still think it could work. Maybe he wasn’t the right guy for it.  From what I understand, he’s very good with the media.  However, he’s not one of the guys who is really hoping to have to do it either.  He just does it out of necessity because I think he recognizes the importance.  There are people that are more interested in it. 

For instance, I loved doing the media when I was a player (shocking!).  So, the role of being captain, wouldn’t have been a bother to me.  As an example, I used to do pre-tape a couple of hours before games if anybody wanted.  I always felt that couldn’t throw me off because if I was so poorly prepared that I couldn’t do a five minute interview with our TV group, then I had bigger problems.

But, I understand some players don’t – a guy like Paul Kariya just didn’t like media the day of the game.  And I get that, if that’s how he wants to prepare.  If it happens in some other city with a different goaltender, I think it can work.

Is there a goalie in the league right now who you think can handle it?

Marty Turco.  He’s incredibly bright, really thoughtful, engaging.  I could just list off about 30 qualities the guy has and why he would be a really good candidate.

What about on the ice - Chicago just replaced Antti Niemi, who won them a Cup a few months ago, with Turco…was that a good move?

Well, I think it’s a necessary move, simply because of their cap issues.  If there wasn’t a salary cap, that wouldn’t have happened at all.  They would have been more than happy to keep Niemi.  But, unfortunately, he had arbitration rights and he used them.  That’s where it took them.  But, Marty is so steady.  I think this is going to be a real good fit for both he and the organization.

How about Niemi landing in San Jose - is that going to help keep them near the top of the Western Conference?

With the team they have, that’s the type of goaltending they need. They just need steady goaltending in San Jose. They’re so strong. They keep getting younger, bringing in great talent. So, their organization is just top notch, from top to bottom. I’ve had this discussion now with several GMs across the league, ‘What do you really need in the net now?’ Do you need a marquee guy like Luongo or Kiprusoff or the other top guys, where you pay them big money? Or, do you just need steady (goaltending) and at a better price point, so you can build your forwards and your defense up. I think I’m actually leaning towards the latter. Just build a great team around it and make sure your goaltender is real steady and that he doesn’t blow games for you.

Back to the media for a minute, Dan Ellis (Tampa Bay Lightning goalie) got himself into some hot water this summer on twitter. What are your thoughts about professional athletes using social media, considering the backlash that can come with it?

Well, first of all, I didn’t find what he said to be offensive at all. I think he was just stating a fact. I wish Dan would reconsider (coming back to twitter) because he’s one of those great athletes out there that is really clever with it. I thought he used it extremely well. There is a slippery slope involved, of course. But, just because there is one minor incident…I wish he’d go back and do it again because he’s a good guy. I think he sent a lot of really important things and he had a real good connection with the fans. For others like him, I hope they don’t feel like ‘Oh boy, I better stop now.’

This is the way of the future. When you want that interaction between the players and the fans, as soon as they something that you might not agree with, that’s no reason to jump all over the guy.

I tend to believe that if he would have made the comment during the season, when there are more hockey stories going on, it might not have snowballed into such a big deal…

He said he worries more now about money than he ever has. Well, as a fan out there, isn’t that a responsible comment? Would they prefer that he said he’s near bankruptcy? In fact, I would entirely agree with him. I’m really worried and concerned about money all the time. I don’t care if you make $32k or $70mil a year, if you tell me that you worry about money, then I think you’re responsible.

Another controversy this summer was the Canadiens trading Jaroslav Halak to St. Louis.  Did Montreal make the right choice by keeping Carey Price?

Well…wow (pause)…that is one where I think we’re going to just wait and see.  I wouldn’t want to jump on that right away because when you look at it, that’s quite a decision to end up moving Halak considering how well he played.  But, Carey Price, I think a lot of people would agree, has a lot of potential.  I think a lot of people think he has a better upside.  I’m really rooting for him.  He’s a good guy and it’s a hard position to be in when the fans have already turned on you after only two exhibition games.  I’m hoping he can find the mental strength to get through it and it doesn’t crush him.

The Kings could soon be faced with a similar situation, where they have two NHL caliber goalies this year.  How do you see things shaking out between Bernier and Quick as the year wears on?

What a great scenario.  They have a guy who played extremely well last year and they have an up and coming guy, who it looks as though he’s going to be a superstar.  They couldn’t be positioned better.

Coach Terry Murray has gone out of his way to say there isn’t a goaltending controversy.  You’ve been through it though.  At some point, does it start to wear on either guy?

I’ll address Quick first.  That isn’t wearing on you because it’s just the nature of team sports.  You have to be the ultimate teammate, but competitor.  Your play has to speak for itself.  Ultimately, if you retain your job, that’s just because you’re simply better.  Secondly, if the other guy surpasses you, that’s just the nature of sports.  Nothing is handed to you.  So, you have to accept that.

In terms of Bernier, I think he’s shown that he was willing to have an attitude adjustment and improve, to get to where he needs to be.  Now, he’s finally put himself in a position where he’s within striking distance of being a number one guy.  That’s cool.

Craig Anderson seemed to fade a bit down the stretch last year and Colorado stumbled into the post season.  Is he enough to help get the Avs back into the playoffs this year?

I think he is.  He really came back extremely well in the playoffs.  He was just unbelievable and was the only reason they had any life whatsoever against San Jose.

How about Jimmy Howard in Detroit?

I don’t think he’s going to have a sophomore slump.  But, it will be pretty hard to top the season he had last year.  He blew everybody away. I think it’s safe to say he exceeded expectations by a lot.  All he needs to do this year is be really steady, really consistent – steal a few games.  But, I don’t think he’s going to have to be as spectacular as last year.  He was playing behind a really tired team last season and they should be a lot fresher this year.

Nearly everybody is in agreement on the teams at the top of the Western Conference coming into the season.  Most of the debate is around the bubble teams.  Who do you see sliding into the 6, 7 and 8 slots?

I’m going to go with Nashville again, simply because that organization continues to re-tool effectively.  I thought they were going to upset Chicago in the first round last year and it was very close to that happening.  Their goaltender is rock solid too.  I think St. Louis is going to jump back into the playoff picture, they’re poised to do it.  I thought they slipped a little last year and that’s not unexpected for teams that vault into the playoffs the season before unexpectedly.  So, I look for them to come back.  After that, everything is just up in the air to me.  Those are the two I think that will get in.  Who goes away, I’m not sure either.

Do the Edmonton rookies have enough to elevate them out of the cellar – say, above Minnesota?

I prefer that Edmonton continues to stay in last place.  I think that would be the best thing for their organization.  If they had one more killer draft, like they’ve had lately, I think that would put them in a great position.  Very much like what Pittsburgh did for a few years and what LA has been doing.

Who are your bubble teams in the Eastern Conference?

Buffalo is bubble team because I don’t know where they’re going to get their scoring from.  But, their goaltending is remarkable.  Philadelphia is still a bubble team to me, even though they had a great run last year.  New Jersey too.  I still don’t see them as being a top team.  I like a lot of their game, but I don’t see them at the top.

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The Hawks dominated the Blues and took a commanding 6-1 lead. But the boys from St. Louis continued to tune up the Hawks and battle back to come within one goal of gaining a point. 

Antti Niemi wasn’t perfect but he was good enough, and on many occasions wasn’t well supported by his teammates. Fortunately Niemi withstood the last period flourish by St. Louis. 

If the Blues did tie the score they would have had 4:30 of power play time remaining for the OT and could have come away with a victory.  The Hawks avoided a devastating possibility by hanging on in regulation. 

The Blackhawks showed if fully engaged they can beat any team but when careless and not interested they are no better than an average club. 

On a positive note, Chicago survived their 19^th back-to-back contest in winning fashion. 

No other team has had more back-to-back games and a reason the Hawks are competing for a conference title is because they have an outstanding record in those contests. 

In the initial game the Hawks have achieved a 7-9-3 record. In back end contests Chicago was an outstanding 15-1-3. The stat along with a 6-1 record in OT is big reason for this team’s success. 

The Blues usually go out and try to rough up the Hawks and for the most part that strategy has worked. Once down by a few goals their intent was more blatant and the Hawks were lucky no one was seriously injured. The officiating was suspect and shouldn’t be relied on anyway. 

Marian Hossa left the game after absorbing a late hit early in the opening frame by Brad Winchester who was then wrestled to the ice by Brent Seabrook. Supposedly, Hossa is not seriously injured and possibly may have been hurt on another play because he did start the second period. 

Rules are rules, no matter how illogical, as Seabrook received a two minute instigator, five for fighting and a ten minute misconduct. 

The officials missed the Winchester late hit so the Blues were awarded a two minute power play and the Hawks lost their second best defenseman for 17 minutes of game time. 

Afterwards there wasn’t any aggressive push back by the Hawks except for Dustin Byfuglien.  

It may not matter for the playoffs and it isn’t like the Hawks shy away from contact but things have to change for next season. 

There are no secrets in the NHL and other teams besides the Blues, especially in the Central Division will look to rough up the Hawks. 

Seabrook is the last player which should be fighting because he has had two concussions this season.He did what was needed and grabbed Winchester, who is a tough guy.

But not once after that scrum did anyone engage Winchester, Cam Janssen or any other Blue, no matter how many whacks they took at Niemi. 

What was probably worse than not going after the Blues muscle was no one hit their skill players except for Byfuglien. 

Niklas Hjalmarsson may one day become a more physical player but the only Hawk regular on defense who clears the crease with a purpose is Seabrook. The Chicago defense must stand its ground.  

Brian Campbell will be missed but if Byfuglien can play with an edge the Hawks will benefit from the added physicality on the blueline in the post season.

Kyle Beach might be on the roster next year but the Hawks need to find a tough, inexpensive Matt Walker replacement. If not the skill players could be injured more often and the wins will not come as easily. 

Maybe Jonathan Toews, Seabrook, Kim Johnsson, and a possibly at least one or two other Hawks would have still suffered concussions no matter who was on the roster. It could have just been a case of bad luck. But for next season Stan Bowman may not want to take that chance. He may have no choice but to add toughness.

The Hawks defenders didn’t wilt in last year’s playoffs. But they will have to defend their turf in a better way than they did the other night against the Blues.

For now the Hawks need to regroup and focus on the Colorado Avalanche who are strides better than the Blues.  With a similar sporadic effort the Hawks will lose to Colorado.

It’s not easy to retain focus when having a five goal lead especially after playing the night before. But unfortunately the Hawks can’t afford a slip if they want to finish first in the Western Conference. 

The Sharks beat the Canucks last night while Roberto Luongo rested. San Jose finishes up with another home game on Saturday against the Coyotes. In essence the Sharks have something to play for while the Coyotes are set in their playoff slot. 

As for the Hawks opponent tonight, Colorado is most likely locked in for the playoffs but still will be competing hard for a win.

The Red Wings are deadlocked with the Predators and Kings for the fifth seed. Detroit has a game in hand on both and will play the Blue Jackets in Columbus this evening. 

The next two games will be another test of the Hawks determination. 

Al’s Shots 

I am not sure of the exact nature of the Nick Boynton injury. 

He looks like he suffered more than a black eye in last week’s fight with Janssen. 

Boynton could have provided some physicality the other night. He did participate in the pregame warm-up but was not used in the game. 

The curious whereabouts of Kim Johnsson are still….? 

It was mentioned on the Blackhawks website the other day that he actually suffered a concussion. 

From what I hear Johnsson hasn’t been seen at the United Center since being injured. 

There were physical defensemen available at the trade deadline and Hawk management made their choices. 

Unfortunately neither Johnsson nor Boynton has contributed much do to injuries. 

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In Dallas the Hawks played an effective game for the majority of the contest. Their desperation was apparent.

When turnovers, bad penalties or defensive lapses occurred Antti Niemi stood tall. Unless Niemi is not feeling up to it, Joel Quenneville most likely will start him this evening versus the Blues. 

St.Louis has been a thorn in the Hawks side all season and are currently playing very good hockey. They have won five of the last six games but were eliminated from the playoffs because Colorado won last night. The Blues will be playing to impress their new head coach and to ruin the Hawks chances of winning the Conference crown. 

If the Hawks would not have suffered injuries and performed better in March they might have been on cruise control by now. Regardless they are still in a great position to get the top seed and only have to worry about themselves. 

Al’s Shots 

The empty lower bowl seats in Dallas are an ominous omen. 

The Stars like many other teams will have to spend money not to lose more. They need a face lift, but have ownership issues. Tough spot and they ae not alone. 

While on defense Dustin Byfuglien has performed well overall, although he still makes some turnovers which could lead to big trouble. At this stage Hawk fans have to hope the good outweighs the bad. 

I would be surprised if Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook aren’t paired together the majority of the time in the playoffs. 

It’s a great time for the fourth line players to get hot. 

The Hawks made some mistakes last night but they were swarming and their defensive coverage was very good for the most part. 

Finally the nature of Kim Johnsson injury has been made public. He has a concussion. 

I don’t expect Johnsson back anytime soon. 

In the last meeting with the Blues, Nick Boynton suffered an injury. It is rumored he may have broken his jaw in a fight with Cam Janssen. 

Janssen was given a game misconduct because he hit Boynton while he was down on the ice. 

There was a time when a player never hit an opponent once he was down. 

Although winning the game is paramount, it will be interesting to see if given the opportunity the Hawks try to get back at Janssen. 

In the beginning of the year I thought Niemi would get close to 30 starts. 

Tonight will be start 33 and there is no time to rest. 

Quenneville will have to hope his stamina is fine for the playoffs. 

Although the Hawks will have more wins if they finished tied with the Sharks they have three tough opponents left to deal with. 

The hope for Chicago is they win tonight and Colorado plays as if they have nothing to gain on Friday, which they probably won’t. 

Detroit could have a lot of incentive for the last game of the season. If they win out they could move up to the fifth seed. 

Not much better than a meaningful Blackhawk-Red Wing match-up but there is a lot of work to do first. 

***This afternoon, Bryan Bickell was recalled from Rockford. 

Possibly Troy Brouwer could be still out or there could be another injury.

The Hawks didn’t hold a morning skate today.

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Patrick Kane is the most talented offensive player. Duncan Keith could be the best Blackhawk player period. But the life blood of the team is Jonathan Toews, and it is no wonder the power play has gone south since he has been out. 

Toews gives the team another option down low because he can draw the defense and distribute the puck. He is also not afraid to get dirty in front of the net and can pot a rebound or two now and then. Lastly, the captain can win faceoffs against the opposition’s best. All in all Toews can’t be replaced. 

On Friday night in Colorado the Hawks played well enough for most of the time to win the game, as was the case in Phoenix. The Hawks did not put away the Av’s although they were badly outplaying them.  When the losing team stays within two goals they can come back and mount a challenge and that is what Colorado did. 

The Chicago power play is looking desperate. 

The second Colorado goal was a trifecta of mistakes. First a player can’t be allowed to skate 170 feet and then go wide and still be able to get a shot on goal. Dustin Byfuglien may have been tired but he can’t allow a shot to be taken even if he has to take a penalty. Antti Niemi was frozen back in his net and really needed to make that stop, he was tentative. Cam Barker was covering the slot area which is correct, except there wasn’t another Avalanche player pictured in the Hawk zone even after the puck went into the net.  Barker could have helped a tired Byfuglien seal off David Jones. 

Brian Campbell chasing a puck below the faceoff circle in the Av’s zone in a deadlocked contest while on a man advantage is a tell tale sign of some urgency. What isn’t very smart is when every other Hawk player is below the faceoff circles at the same time and the remaining defenseman pinches in and doesn’t control the puck. Duncan Keith makes mistakes too, and that is why the Av’s took the lead. 

The Hawks scorers are not looking like snipers of late as they continue to miss prime chances. In reality the Hawk sharp shooters are not in the elite category of NHL goal scorers to begin with. Their number one goal scorer, Marian Hossa was watching the Colorado contest in street clothes.  I keep dwelling on it but the Hawks have not replaced their leading scorer of lat year, Marty Havlat, until Hossa returns. 

It appeared the officiating on Friday night was circa 1990’s. 

As written about a few weeks ago, interference penalties appear to have gone the way of dial up internet. That’s fine with me as long as every referee is on the same page. 

On Friday night it went beyond anything seen this season and it was very similar to before the lockout. The refs swallowed their whistles for the entire third period. Once nothing was whistled in regulation time it was not surprising no infractions were called in OT. 

The problem with putting the whistles away is it takes a lot of guts to take them back out if something flagrant happens late in the game or in OT. Patrick Sharp was tackled on an obvious goal scoring opportunity with about 2:00 left in OT and there was no call. That makes a mockery of the game. 

Maybe the league is going to revamp their on ice decision making once again. The NHL rule book seldom changes but the interpretation of infraction is constantly switching gears ….like no other major sport. 

One last word about the OT loss, Niemi made some very good saves and was also solid in the shootout. The problem is still with his lack of rebound control and he won’t be a positive difference until he fixes that flaw. The Colorado first score was an example. By the way, after the first four shooters have gone the shootout is even more of a crap shoot…or a mockery of the game. Last time mockery will be used. It still makes little sense a game decided by the contrived shootout method is worth as many points as a regulation win. 

This week and beyond…. 

The Hawks come home to play four games in seven days.  That’s better than playing every other day for a week straight on the road, but it’s still a tough schedule. The main problem is there is no time to get good practices in as the off days have to be used primarily for rest and recovery. So if they get on a roll great and if not…. Well if the Hawks don’t capture at least six of the next eight points they will add more pressure for  the upcoming circus road trip. 

Then again it could be better to get out of town for an extended period as expectations for this team are out of whack. I can’t wait to hear the reaction if the first powerplay fails tonight. Fans have the right to voice their disapproval but remember this is a young team and there is no need to constantly add more pressure. 

This week the Hawks will play the Kings and Av’s who always give them problems, followed by the desperate Maple Leafs and the best team in the Western Conference the Sharks. It won’t be easy especially considering the injuries. Although Jonathan Toews and Ben Eager will be back sometime this week, if not by Monday, Dave Bolland could be out for awhile. 

From what I heard a few weeks ago Bolland’s back problem is sort of a mystery. There didn’t appear to be anything wrong as to require immediate surgery but in the same regard he was in a lot of pain. There was no mention of a possible back problem last year as the Hawks inked Bolland to a generous contract this summer. 

Bolland has only played a few games thus far when he hasn’t looked bothered. It is very hard to tell on TV but in person it is really noticeable. He doesn’t stop, start and turn as quickly and overall is slower. 

A back injury for a hockey player can be very serious and they tend to linger.  

Unless there is an automatic fix indicated, surgery is the last resort. Your local orthopedic surgeon may not make a huge point of the fact most back operations leave the patient no better off than before the surgery. Also a good percentage of those having back surgery require another operation within five to seven years. 

If Bolland’s back condition could have been treated with rest and therapy it would seem the Hawks would have already implemented that process. Maybe Bolland will be able to come back without surgery and return to normal. If not…there are no promises made on back operations. Former Blackhawk winger Eric Daze comes to mind and hopefully Bolland doesn’t face the same fate. Not many hockey players return to their prior form after back surgery. 

Rumors, overstatements and poppycock… 

The three most desperate teams in the NHL are the Leafs, Thrashers and Hurricanes. The Blackhawks are a natural target when trying to create a trade story these days and the internet helps fuel the rumor process. 

Brian Burke has been very defensive since the summer in shielding his best player, Tomas Kaberle from trade rumors. There are a couple of reasons why in my opinion. 

First, Kaberle has a no trade clause and Burke needs to keep him happy and in the loop. Secondly and most important, Kaberle gives Burke his only real chance of replacing some of the draft picks he coughed up for Phil Kessel. He may trade his star before next season but it would have to be a perfect deal for Burke. 

I have not checked this for accuracy but it I was told the majority of Kessel’s goals have come against non- playoff teams. According to the story I heard that was a big reason why the Bruins didn’t re-sign him as well as his reluctance to go into high traffic areas. Now we will see how Kessel fares on a team which does not look playoff bound. 

The Thrashers are in a corner, they have one elite player and often a half empty arena.  If Ilya Kovalchuk chooses to not re-sign there they will have to start a rebuilding project. They have had injuries and need to choose a course.  If Kovalchuk loses interest in their chances for success he could opt to leave.  They are caught.  Atlanta has to either shuffle the deck to try to make the playoffs this season and draw some fans back, or start looking toward the draft and next year possibly without their star player. 

The Hurricanes are in a pickle as they have just re-signed their head coach to a multi year extension. They have had major injury concerns and are also bleeding red ink. Their attendance is not too good and they can’t afford to trade Eric  Staal as fans will lose more interest. 

The best long term plan for the Thrashers and Canes could be to re-build and not think about the playoffs for awhile. The problem which faces them and others is a longer range plan doesn’t equate into more ticket sales in the near future.

The Leafs have all the money in the world to spend and are only limited by the salary cap. Burke seems to have led with his chin in some ways, like Dale Tallon did after the lock out. The huge difference is although Tallon overpaid and picked the wrong free agents he never gave up draft picks.  Burke has pushed the time table up for the Leafs to make the playoffs to this year and so far that looks like a big mistake 

As far as trade gossip goes I’m not hearing anything worth writing about, but if Bolland is going to be out there could be a move made sooner than later. 

If the Kris Versteeg at center experiment works that could solve a lot of problems. I have my doubts. Versteeg has the offensive tools, but faceoffs and defensive coverage could stop him from being an NHL center. Patrick Sharp is much better at wing than center.  Although he plays there if asked, I have heard Sharp would rather stay a winger. Maybe the Hawks would have to make a trade to get a more offensive pivot if Bolland is out for a long time. 

Bryan Little of the Thrashers could fill a need and add some offense. He is signed only through this season and is a $900,000 salary cap hit. 

As far as Kaberle to the Hawks for Campbell or others I doubt it.  That possibility doesn’t work on many levels. An interesting video clip posted the other day on Kukla’s Korner talks how Kaberle is not on the market and the Hawks haven’t expressed an interest. 

The clip also references the topic written about here the other day concerning players backing off on hits.  htttp://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/hotstove_hockey_talk/   

Al’s Shots  

Fortunately Andrew Ladd only suffered a broken nose when kicked the other night. Too close…..Another inch or two and Ladd ‘s face could have been split wide open. 

The Hawks have not been able to sustain the swarming attack they had last year but they have been missing Adam Burish and Ben Eager. 

Eager could be back tonight and combined with Colin Fraser, who has been playing really well, could provide the Hawks with a lot of sustained energy. 

Even with injuries the Hawks have controlled most of the play in their games. This is illustrated by the fact they have allowed the least amount shots against in the NHL. 

The Hawks have allowed 22.7 shots against, 4.5 shots less than the next closest team. 

That is an amazing stat and also indicates an issue with the suspect goal tending.

The Hawks have given up the least amount of goals in the Western Conference but….. 

Neither Cristobal Huet nor Antti Niemi has a save percentage over .900, which isn’t great. 

It is time for one to take the net in three of the next four games and make a statement. 

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As written about before, the advertised high powered Hawk offense hasn’t been seen in almost every game this year. It stands to reason in part because last season’s leading scorer Marty Havlat is gone and his replacement Marian Hossa hasn’t played. Couple those facts with other injuries and this team looks out of balance at times and their effort has been scattered. 

When you spend a couple of days on the golf course it can be difficult to restart the competitiveness. Unfortunately last night was the game the Hawks had the best chance of winning as the Coyotes played on the road the previous night.   

The good news is they get a chance for redemption immediately as they skate into Avalanche country tonight. 

Al’s Shots 

I know Kris Versteeg scored a goal and was named the third star, but he still makes too many basic mistakes. It’s a shame because he and Kane are the most creative players on the team. Score a goal and cause one to be scored is not a good formula. 

Dave Bolland is still looking sluggish. 

Cam Barker played only four shifts in the middle frame and six in the last period. 

Brent Sopel saw only 8.42 of ice time. 

Duncan Keith played 28:53…which is too much even considering the time off. 

I don’t know what the plan is for Jordan Hendry…. playing wing mostly, and being on the ice for only 4:38. 

Andrew Ebbett’s star appears to have faded quickly….He played just three shifts in the third period and was on the ice for only 8:15. 

Last but not least …Cristobal Huet,  who couldn’t have let in a much softer goal to open the contest.  It’s almost impossible to win when your goalies save percentage is about 85% for the game. 

Quenneville didn’t wait long to shuffle the deck a bit. 

Bryan Bickell has been brought up from Rockford. 

If the Hawks slip early tonight….keep a close eye on who is not playing, as coach Q. has to make a point or two soon. 

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