It’s funny how things end up.

Young forwards Jimmy Hayes and Andrew Shaw were not expected to make an impact with the big club this season. Now, they are providing offense and looking like they aren’t rookies. Their contributions go beyond scoring goals.

It seems like Hayes and Shaw are highly responsible for the “new look” Hawks. The new look is supposed to be what General Manager Stan Bowman was going after this past summer. Better late than not all, as the Blackhawks appear to be pointed in the right direction. With the rookies in the lineup, the Hawks have been tougher to play against.

The Blackhawks are checking with some tenacity and playing better defense. They are scoring goals from near the net and playing hard in the corners. All of a sudden, the Hawks do seem more like a puck-possession team that can play at a quick pace. Against a tight-checking club like the Wild, the Hawks stayed patient and had the puck for most of the game.

It probably isn’t a coincidence this is all happening with Hayes and Shaw in the lineup. It seems the Hawks realized that the best way to make up for the lack of injured Patrick Sharp’s offense is to play better defense. Still, it’s too early to say the Hawks will be able to play as consistently as they did Thursday night, especially since the competition wasn’t the toughest.

The Wild are injured and they don’t have a lot of offense to begin with. They often struggle to score more than two goals a game. Their strength is usually goal tender Niklas Backstrom, but he was out ill. Back-up Josh Harding has been having a solid season, but Thursday night he wasn’t at his best. Harding was playing too casual and simply not sharp.

Ray Emery got the call for the Hawks and picked up his tenth win. Emery got the job done, but he wasn’t at his best either. Both of the Minnesota scores came off of juicy rebounds. Corey Crawford hasn’t been any better concerning rebound control.

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Next article will be posted on Sunday morning.

Hawks’ netminder Corey Crawford was sneaky good. Although Phoenix had only nine shots through two periods, many were very good scoring opportunities. To help the Hawks cause, the Coyotes missed the net on a few occasions when they should have dented the twine.

Marian Hossa returned from sick bay none the worse for wear. Hossa gave the Blackhawks an opening period lead and played well. After that, the more determined Blackhawks didn’t allow the Coyotes to capture any momentum.

Nevertheless, the Hawks did leave the door open for the Coyotes, as they held only a one goal advantage through 20 minutes. At that time, it felt like Chicago should have had a bigger lead based on their edge in play. The score was tied by Phoenix in the opening minutes of the second frame.

In the second period, the Hawks wouldn’t be denied. After Taylor Pyatt evened the score, Jonathan Toews notched his second goal of the season less than three minutes later.

Phoenix came back to tie the score aided by a Duncan Keith blowout and subsequent giveaway. Ray Whitney launched an accurate shot past Crawford and it appeared the Coyotes had found new life. But less than a minute later, Jamal Mayers redirected a Keith shot from the point to put the Hawks on top for good.

Aided by a one-sided retaliation penalty called on Hossa for slashing at the end of the second period, the Coyotes began the final stanza on the power play. The Hawks killed off the penalty and a few seconds later, Patrick Sharp was whistled for tripping. At this point the Blackhawks, were clinging to only a one-goal advantage.

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Hawks

On Thursday night, the Hawks tried to tempt fate as they began the contest with a less-than-enthusiastic effort. Joel Quenneville is an experienced head coach knows being off too long (the Hawks last played on Saturday) can work against the home team.

It was also reported Quenneville wasn’t happy with his teams’ morning skate. Coach Q. didn’t see the intensity and focus required for a game day. The Hawks fulfilled Quenneville’s suspicions and stumbled through the opening 7:29, finding themselves trailing the Jets 2-0. Quenneville was livid behind the bench and called a quick timeout. He scolded his troops and his tirade evidently woke the boys up. The Hawks scored the next four goals and clung to a 4-3 lead after two periods.

Another problem the Hawks were guilty of last year was getting outplayed in the third period. The Hawks didn’t score in the final frame Thursday night, but at least the Jets didn’t dent the net either. Both goal keepers looked shaky at times, but Ray Emery was strong enough to help his mates skated away with a hard-fought victory.

Maybe the best thing to say about this game is last season the Hawks probably would have lost in a similar situation.

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In his last playoff game with the Flyers, Carcillo had a problem with the officiating, so the left wing took it upon himself between periods to express his displeasure to the men in stripes. Carcillo did so off the ice near the official’s dressing room. That area is well known to be off limits to players, but it didn’t stop Carcillo.

Unfortunately Carcillo’s actions often have no limits. For those who believe you can’t take the spots off a leopard, it will only be a matter time until Carcillo implodes.

Carcillo’s Car Bomb moniker does fit. At times, Carcillo’s actions have destroyed the opportunity of victory for his teammates. His frequent brain cramps and subsequent penalties/suspensions can cost a club valuable points. Hawks fans are skeptical a player who embraces the nickname Car Bomb can ever be reliable.

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Al’s Shots

With a few players close to returning to action Brandon Saad was returned to the OHL.

He has a big future in the NHL as long as he doesn’t regress. Saad should be able to excel when playing against boys.

Crawford is questionable for tonight….My guess is he will play.

If not Alexander Salak could make his debut.

*Crawford must be fine…Salak sent down to Rockford. 10:15 AM CST

Ray Emery had come down with the flu.

But is on the ice this morning….Maybe he gets the start??

Hawks need to keep taking advanatge of their favorable home schedule.

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For a number a reasons the biggest question to be addressed is whether the Hawks want to become more of a north-south club that has a physical presence. In that case Bowman could look to add some grit to the bottom six forwards. He may also want to subtract a puck moving defenseman and look to add a stay at home crease clearer.

No matter if it is Patrick Sharp, Brian Campbell or Niklas Hjalmarsson mentioned in possible trade scenarios the discussion usually ends up in the same place. Fans want change but reality soon hits home. Most ultimately realize the Hawks are already a talented bunch and dealing any of the three players mentioned could create a hole which couldn’t be filled.

Currently in the NHL it is almost impossible to trade a player with a no movement clause. In my view the next CBA will more resemble that of baseball. A franchise will be able to absorb some of a high priced players’ salary when traded and not have the money count against their salary cap. It is really in everyone’s interest to make that change.

If the CBA is modified as I suggested, star players will find it easier to command big dollars. Also smaller market teams will be able to acquire big name players at a discount. The need for no trade and no movement clauses will also have to be tweaked as they have become a huge deterrent for a general manager.

Campbell is the player many Hawk fans feel should be traded so his mega contract can come off the books. Campbell is overpaid but he is a player which would be difficult to replace.

Although I ‘m not advocating Bowman should pursue a deal involving Campbell let’s take a look at the details involved. Campbell has a no movement clause built into his contract which runs through the 2015-2016 season.

Although I have not read the paperwork the clause probably looks something like this…

Once a year, upon request Campbell has to provide a list of eight teams he would agree to be traded to. From what I understand the number of teams could be only six but for this discussion let’s say it is eight clubs. Bowman would then have about six weeks to a complete a trade.

If Brian desires to stay in Chicago, which most likely is the case, he can make it almost impossible for Bowman to execute a trade. For example, Campbell would quash the notion of Panthers’ center, Stephen Weiss coming to the Hawks by not putting Florida on his list.

Realistically Campbell would fill his list of approved teams with some top clubs from the Western Conference. The Red Wings might have the cap space and need for Campbell but Bowman won’t trade a front line player to a Conference rival. The same could be said for the Canucks and Sharks.

Then Campbell and his agent would go over to the Eastern Conference and choose teams with little cap space and or no need for his services. So let’s pencil in the Bruins, Capitals, Flyers, and Penguins.

Ok, that’s seven clubs which have no need for Campbell, couldn’t afford him or are Conference rivals. That leaves one more team for Campbell and his agent to decide on…

Maybe it is a team like the Coyotes who won’t pay anyone $7 million per season. Possibly it is the struggling Blue Jackets that continually bleed red ink. Or maybe Campbell looks at a team from the East which has salary cap issues and chooses the NY Rangers as his eighth and final choice.

Campbell’s logic could be that in case the unlikely happens….He has chosen very good teams or those from big cities with a hockey history. So he passes on the Coyotes and Blue Jackets and sticks with the Rangers.

If my list is correct Bowman has only one slim chance to deal Campbell and that would be to NY. Unfortunately the Rangers probably wouldn’t give up one of their top two centers, Brandon Dubinsky or Derek Stepan. Most likely the Rangers want to build around those two and find a way to clear cap space to make a pitch for upcoming free agent Brad Richards. The Rangers could use Campbell to ignite their offense but Brad Richards is probably at the top of GM Glen Sather’s wish list.

So in all likelihood there isn’t going to be a feasible opportunity to trade Campbell, which is just fine by me. But there might be an opportunity to acquire a veteran center and the Rangers could be involved….In a way.

This player is a very good faceoff man and could kill penalties. He has been a winner at every level and has a Stanley Cup ring as well. He is a well respected, hard nose player who would provide some veteran leadership to the Blackhawks.

There is a NY Ranger center that might be looking for a new home soon.

Chris Drury has been injury plagued and missed many games last season. He is coming off knee surgery, will soon be 35 years old and might be considering retiring. But if at all possible Drury wants to keep playing because he has one year remaining on his $7 million contract.

The Rangers are in a tough spot and may have no choice but to buyout Drury’s contract. Then they could free up cap space to have a chance to acquire the talented Richards.

Richards has a strong relationship with Rangers bench boss John Tortorella. He seems like a natural fit for NY who desperately needs more offense. The Hawks aren’t going to trade Campbell for a Drury, but Bowman might be able to sign him soon to a modest contract.

At this point Drury would be more of a replacement for a John Madden than a second line scoring center. That is if his knee holds up. Madden is an upcoming UFA but he is 38 years old. Rumor has it he may retire.

If somehow Drury could stay healthy, he has the compete level and know how to be a valuable addition to the Blackhawks. The Hawks may look to add a couple of two way veteran players, that don’t play small and would accept their role.

Here are some of Tortorella’s quotes concerning Drury from an April 26, CBS Sports article…

“This is something, honestly, that we have to look at as far as where does he fit now. We are going young. With older guys, those are conversations that we have to have as we continue for the next few months.”

The Rangers’ bench boss adds…“Dru is getting older. That’s why he has this chronic knee. It’s certainly not my total decision but I have my thoughts.”

Tortorella has just signed a contract extension and his choice appears obvious. It seems likely the Rangers will buyout Drury to save approximately $3.3 million in cap space next season. Drury would still get paid $3.7 million from the Rangers and $1.6 million the following year.

So Drury won’t have to worrying about income. He also knows there isn’t going to be another large contract waiting for him.

There are risks in signing Drury. He is coming off knee surgery and has only a total of 15 goals the past two seasons.

Bowman could still try to swing a deal for a second line center by using Hjalmarsson or Sharp as trade bait. Or he may look to Dave Bolland or Michael Frolik to fill that hole and then add third and fourth line players with grit and know how. That is where Drury would fit in.

Sometimes the best trades are those which never take place. Bowman may not be in a rush to trade away a big name player and there are other ways to improve.

A healthy Drury, even at 35 years old could provide benefits to the Hawks. To sign Drury for around $1 million looks like a viable risk and he may relish the opportunity to win another Stanley Cup.

It could be a whole lot easier than trying to trade Campbell.

On this holiday weekend let’s remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice and their families who have to live on without them.

Judging from Bowman’s remarks it seems almost a certainty Frolik will be in a Hawk uniform come October. Frolik is an upcoming restricted free agent (RFA) who is not arbitration eligible.

The more pertinent issue is what position Frolik will be required to play. If Frolik accepts the assignment to be Marian Hossa’s pivot man the rest of the roster could take shape more easily.

If, for whatever reason Frolik is resigned as a winger not a fulltime center Bowman will have more work to do.

Two things need to change regarding Hossa as a Blackhawk. First he must stay healthy and play in closer to 80 games rather than 60. Next his offensive production must increase. Hossa is better than a 25 goal performer.

A challenge for Bowman is in trying to get full value out of Hossa.

Frolik is a lefty center which is what Hossa prefers. It is too early to tell if Frolik will help increase Hossa’s production. But there is little doubt Bowman needs to establish a center to compliment Hossa. Frolik probably can be reasonably resigned, he is not arbitration eligible. If Frolik is the key to more scoring from Hossa, then Bowman can focus on other needs.

Bowman’s second ready made option at center for Hossa is Dave Bolland.

Hossa and Bolland did play together last season with mixed reviews. Bolland is right handed, plus Hossa doesn’t seem like the easiest player to mesh with. I wouldn’t sell Bolland short, his offense could improve if not required to focus primarily on defense. But using Bolland with Hossa may create another hole.

If Frolik is used at wing the shopping list for Bowman will change. So the direction the Hawks go to fill holes on their top two lines will depend on Frolik’s role with the team.

Maybe Joel Quenneville opts to play Hossa and Bolland together more as a shut down line. The way Bolland, Marty Havlat and Andrew Ladd were used a few years ago. Somehow I don’t see Hossa relishing that role.

What will happen with Brouwer, Crawford, Kopecky and Stalberg?

Viktor Stalberg is an upcoming RFA who is arbitration eligible. But really Stalberg doesn’t have much bargaining power. His biggest asset is possible untapped potential. Although Stalberg has lessons to learn he can skate and is trying to be more physical.

Stalberg doesn’t play well enough along the walls to keep a spot as a complimentary top six forward. Stalberg has a little of Kris Versteeg in him, as too many plays end with him last touching the puck.

For about $1 million or less the Hawks may take a chance on resigning Stalberg. Then they will have to figure out where he can fit in.

Tomas Kopecky is an upcoming unrestricted free agent (UFA). Because of his point production he could be looking to earn close to $2 million next year, which would be a nice raise.

Kopecky fills a need because he isn’t afraid to set a screen. He also will bounce up after getting smashed. Although not a finisher, Kopecky has a nice shot.

On the downside Kopecky isn’t a strong defensive player. He takes some bad penalties because he chases due to being out of position. Kopecky doesn’t play quick enough, plus his skating isn’t great. So realistically, Kopecky is not a top six forward on the Blackhawks.

Kopecky stats are inflated because he often played with Hossa and was also used on the power play. My take is the Hawks would be a stronger team with Kopecky playing fourth line minutes rather than receiving top six ice time.

The decision on his Blackhawk future will depend if Bowman wants to allocate close to $1.5-$2 million for a fourth line screen setter. The Hawks may want to focus on more size, speed and physicality. Kopecky might be overpriced for a fourth line role.

It’s 50/50 at best whether Kopecky will return.

Troy Brouwer is an upcoming RFA who is arbitration eligible and possibly could attract an offer sheet. Brouwer will want his salary to move close to the $2 million range from the $1,025,000 he earned last season.

Maybe it was posturing, but in interviews Bowman didn’t seem as positive about Brouwer as he did other players.

Where I sit the Hawks can’t afford to lose Brouwer because they will not be able to replace him for less money. That isn’t the only reason, Brouwer hits and can score which is a rare commodity.

Even though he had a prolonged slump to finish the year Brouwer still recorded 17 goals. He was also the biggest victim of Joel Quenneville’s line shuffling. Brouwer played on every line and never could settle in.

The Hawks gave up on another proven AHL scorer, who couldn’t find a set role with the Hawks. Rene Bourque is a different player than Brouwer, but both were top goal scorers in the AHL. Bourque found his niche in Calgary and he became a valuable top six forward. My take is the same could happen for Brouwer.

As Chris Block recently cited, only three players had as many or more hits than Brouwer and recorded a higher goal total.

Cal Clutterbuck and Tuomo Ruttu each had 19 goals and Brouwer is a better player than both. The other big hitter who can score is Dustin Brown, who Brouwer is not better than at this point. But Brouwer is almost two years younger and maybe his best days are still to come. Brouwer doesn’t have to be Brown like to be an effective Blackhawk.

Brouwer’s production fell off in the last part of the season. But it is extremely difficult to pound away every game and continue to score. There are very few players which can be really physical and score goals. Brown is an elite category.

Bowman continues to pooh pooh the possibility of any Hawks receiving an offer sheet this summer.

At first blush, Corey Crawford probably won’t. After all Antti Niemi won the Cup and didn’t receive an offer sheet. But not so fast…Niemi was arbitration eligible and Crawford is not. This summer the appetite for young goalies who won’t break the bank could be different.

There are a couple of teams which might not be able to pursue Ilya Bryzaglov or Tomas Vokoun because of cap restraints. The Capitals and Flyers appear to need a goalie badly and don’t have a ton of cap space.

It doesn’t make any sense to wait on the Crawford negotiations, but that is what Bowman said he plans on doing. For whatever reason, Bowman intends to sit down with Crawford during the weekend of the NHL Entry Draft. The Draft will be held on June 24 -25, if not signed Crawford could negotiate with other clubs beginning on June 28.

My guess is Crawford’s camp could be looking to drag their feet and hope for an offer sheet. After all that strategy worked well for Niklas Hjalmarsson.

Crawford could find a taker in the $3 million range. A playoff bound team like Washington or Philadelphia, who can’t afford a big name UFA keeper, could be very interested in Crawford. Top young goalies have recently been signed for around the same amount.

Crawford doesn’t have a lengthy NHL resume, but that may not prevent another franchise from tendering an offer sheet. One thing for sure, Bowman can’t take the chance.

The Hawks are in a better cap position this summer than last. But I don’t think they planned on a new contract for Crawford being valued at $3 million or over.

If Crawford doesn’t attract an offer sheet, Brouwer may throw a money wrench into Bowman’s summer.

There might be a franchise which believes Brouwer is worth a second round draft choice and tender an offer sheet for over $2 million per season.

For example, a club could tender a three year $ 7.0 million offer sheet to Brouwer and the Hawks may not be able to match. Actually the Hawks most likely will look to pay Brouwer less than $2 million per season, even if for only one year.

Although one can argue Brouwer isn’t worth over $2 million per season, power forwards are not easy to find.

The two biggest deals before the trade deadline involved Chris Stewart and James Neal, both power forwards. I am not putting Brouwer in their class but the Hawks can’t replace him without going out into the open market. Let’s not consider Kyle Beach, who doesn’t appear ready and would be over a $1 million cap hit. Anyone the Hawks acquire to fill Brouwer’s role most likely will require a $2 million cap space commitment.

It seems like the Hawks could be caught because other teams may value Brouwer’s grit and scoring touch. My thinking four months ago was Brouwer should be resigned and I feel the same way today. But now his price could be higher.

Considering the lack of big, physical goal scorers around the league Brouwer has some bargaining power.

The biggest fear for some Blackhawk fans is Bowman will overvalue his own draft choices and show less interest in others. Brouwer and Crawford were not Bowman selections.

Comments from Bowman may indicate Brouwer is not a top priority. The Hawks could be undervaluing Brouwer, which might not be the case with other franchises.

Every comment from Bowman indicates Crawford is definitely in the Hawks’ future plans. The question is whether Crawford will be signed before another club makes him part of their future.

Last summer the Hawks young manager had an unenviable task. This summer Bowman has to consider every possibility and not be caught off guard.

Otherwise Bowman’s job in the next few months could once again be very difficult.

My take was the Hawks were going to lose Game 4. But once they gained a single victory Vancouver regressed and the Hawks became the more complete team. But the good Canucks did resurface in the third period of Game 6. If not for some great saves by Corey Crawford during the third frame and in overtime the Canucks would be already heading to the second round.

Game 7’s are great theater but it often seems the final score isn’t close. There is no telling who has the edge this evening, although home ice is an advantage. But who knows…Maybe the Hawks can perform better on actual ice rather than the slow, uneven playing surface of the United Center. The ice at the UC for Game 6 appeared to be really bad. In any event the beleaguered Alain Vigneault will have the last line change which could matter.

This is not a potential loser’s lament, but in many ways the Blackhawks have already won.

After backing into the playoffs the season would have ended with a thud if the Hawks were swept. Probably the same could have been said if the Canucks won in five games. Now the Blackhawk Cup winning image has been somewhat restored and there are great benefits to this extended playoff stint.

This is a young team with many players with little or no playoff experience. Playing in three elimination games is a priceless. This series has also served as a valuable audition for players which might be in the Hawks’ future plans.

The Blackhawks needed a pleasant surprise and they got one named Ben Smith. I’m not sure why Smith wasn’t called up sooner…It’s probably best to just feel fortunate he was here for the playoffs

Smith is a smart player who plays both sides of the puck well. He has the guts and brains to get into position to score goals. Smith plays bigger than his size and has some nice hands.

Michael Frolik looks like a keeper, especially if he is playing wing. Frolik has made a commitment to play good defense. He blocked four shots on Sunday which led all forwards.

It’s been a nice trend lately as the Hawks have had many more blocks than the Canucks. In Game 6 the Hawks recorded 31 blocks compared to 12 for Vancouver.

Viktor Stalberg has tried to adapt his game and is still a work in progress. If Stalberg knew how to find goal scoring areas as well as Smith he could become a productive player.

Nick Leddy keeps my blood pressure elevated. But there is no denying Leddy has kept mistakes at a minimum although playing more minutes.

Leddy could muscle up in the next five months and be much stronger next season. He could begin the season in Rockford playing 25 minutes a game, but my guess is that path won’t be followed. Leddy can skate and has what can’t be taught….Very good vision and instinct.

For one of the few times Leddy looked a bit frantic in Sunday’s overtime but he didn’t make a costly mistake. Leddy was a steal in the Barker deal and should have a long, successful NHL career.

I’m not sure about Marcus Kruger, although I have nothing negative to say. If anyone is still wondering….A great way to look foolish is to become too opinionated on a young player too quickly.

Kruger shows good hockey sense and for now that’s enough. He has been put in a tough spot and for the most part doesn’t appear overwhelmed.

Chris Campoli has been a great addition and seems to be improving with every game. Look for the Hawks to make re-signing Campoli a priority.

This series has shown Crawford can play on the big stage. Crawford has been consistent all season and has saved the day when needed. He has outplayed a few other big name goalies during the post season.

Game 7

If Crawford plays as well as he did in Game 6 the Hawks have a great opportunity to make history.

For Luongo to shed his demons he has to beat the Hawks and help his team advance through the playoffs. There wasn’t much doubt in my mind Luongo would start tonight.

Bobby Lu is signed through the 2021-2022 campaign and was paid $10 million this past season. Because of the size and term of his contract Luongo can’t be traded. He has to be the main tender for the Canucks.

The Hawks must commit to getting to the Vancouver net. The Canuck defensemen played shorthanded in the last game and they must be pressured tonight. The Hawks need to continue to exploit the area between the face off circles and capitalize on scoring chances.

My key for a Blackhawk win is Jonathan Toews.

I’m thinking Joel Quenneville will play Toews with Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp for a good portion of the game. That line will probably have to produce at even strength for the Hawks to advance.

As important as scoring is how well Toews and company perform defensively.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Toews is often matched against the Sedins. Vigneault had Ryan Kesler’s line playing against Dave Bolland on Sunday in the late going. AV has the last line change and he may look to keep Kesler on Bolland and free up the Sedins.

The Hawk Captain has been hasn’t been able to light the lamp and is a minus four in the series. His crew will need to provide some offense and be defensively responsible as well.

With this surge the Blackhawks have made up for a less than sparkling regular season. We will find out soon whether it’s a historic comeback or just a nice story.

Al’s Shots

As reported by XM Home Ice yesterday and later confirmed by the Blackhawk Media Department…

Bryan Bickell underwent surgery to repair a tendon which was severed in Game 2.

Bickell will be out of action for six to eight weeks and is expected to make a complete recovery. The surgery was done by the Hawks’ hand surgeon and was anticipated since the injury occurred.

Bickell wanted to play as long as possible and yesterday was when the surgery needed to be performed. Bickell’s loss will be felt as he was playing well with Bolland and Frolik. Those three formed the most consistent line for the Blackhawks.

Who will Coach Q. play in Bickell’s place?

Troy Brouwer?

Tomas Kopecky made the trip to BC and might be ready to return to action.

One thing for sure….

Quenneville needs to ice the best team which shouldn’t include 59 seconds of John Scott. In Game 6, Scott played only three shifts. His lone appearance in the third period was for eight seconds.

A couple of years ago assistant coach Mike Haviland made a comment about Bolland which caught my attention.

Haviland called Bolland the life-blood of the team.

Bolland is a hockey players hockey player…. Not a lot of flash. But Bolland has a high degree of skill. He plays with an edge and is an intelligent player.

Bolland will be part of the Hawks in the future. The only negative on Bolland is he has had back problems and has trouble winning faceoffs. Those issues could be related.

No matter if Bolland is the second or third line center he could add to the offense.

It’s hard to quantify what the Marian Hossa keep in, prior to the Smith game winner, meant in terms of dollars to Rocky Wirtz.

Hossa showed his elite status and his supreme effort could lead to another playoff series. If so Hossa will have paid for a good chunk of his $8 million salary.

The Canucks’ GM Mike Gillis was upset by the Bickell check to the jaw of Kevin Bieksa.

Maybe Gillis should direct his frustration at himself and every other GM, who decided a killing zone behind the net would make sense.

It seems the last place a hit to the head should be permitted is in the area behind each net. Defensemen especially are most vulnerable there.

Let’s hope for another good game… One decided by the players not the officials.

On Tuesday evening some will say Vancouver had a soft effort and the Hawks took advantage of a less than focused Canuck squad. But what matters most is the final score.

Joel Quenneville finally had the opportunity to ice three lines which could score. Dave Bolland returned and had a career high four point game. The Canuck defense was exposed as the Hawks made the most of their opportunities.

Maybe it is the diehard fan coming out, but there might have been more to the Hawks offensive explosion than new line combinations.

Bolland wasn’t the only player to resurface at the United Center for Game 4. The old Bobby Lu made an appearance as well. For the first time, Roberto Luongo looked like the goalie Hawk fans are accustomed to seeing in the playoffs.

Luongo didn’t appear as big in his net. He was going down early and was also too passive. If Luongo can stay in a funk the Hawks could stretch this series to the limit.

If only Marian Hossa could catch fire and stain the score sheet in the same as way as Michael Frolik. A top performance from Hossa could provide another boost.

My optimism would be higher if the Hawks could get healthy for Game 5.

A return for both Tomas Kopecky and Seabrook is hard to predict because they probably have concussions. So it could be a question of how long the Hawks can ride the emotion they brought last night and continue to grind away at the Canucks. But if somehow Seabrook could return on Thursday night the chances of playing a Game 6 would improve greatly.

The Hawks took a couple of overly aggressive penalties in the opening frame and got away with it. On Thursday night the Hawks need to keep a cool head, the Canuck power play is too good.

Al’s Shots

Bolland showed last night he has the hands and vision to score goals. Bolland is very cool around the net and when he has no choice but to shoot he does score goals.

It seems odd in a way, but last night was the only time Bolland has scored four points in one game. Maybe not so surprising…

In the past Bolland has fallen into the trap of thinking pass first. He has also been burdened with heavy defensive responsibility. It would be interesting to see how many goals Bolland could score if he focused more on offense. Last night his defensive performance was strong as well.

Bryan Bickell scored a beautiful goal last night. Maybe Bickell will start driving the net more often. If he does he will score more goals.

Both Bickell and Troy Brouwer were credited with a game high eight hits.

Luongo appears to call the shots as far as when he is coming out of a game. I would have pulled him when the Hawks took a 4-1 lead. Not that Luongo should be blamed for the loss…But why not give him a breather?

Luongo came on the ice to begin the final period although trailing 5-1. Maybe he wanted a chance for a strong finish but he wasn’t getting much help. If appeared Bobby Lu tweaked something during the game as he was slow to get up. So it was a curious decision to allow him to stay in so long.

John Scott did his “job” last night, as much as he could.

The big problem for Scott is the NHL appears committed to eliminating players like him.

Effectively the Hawks could be hung with the last year of Scott’s contract. The NHL is going to take way Scott’s opportunity to earn a living as an enforcer.

How many times this season has Scott been given 10 minute misconducts before he has thrown one punch?

The NHL has a rule already written and I will summarize…

If a player threatens, gestures or verbally causes an issue with another player he can be given a misconduct penalty. This rule gives the ref an opportunity to prevent the escalation of a situation although nothing requiring a roughing or fighting penalty has occurred.

So Scott can be stopped before he throws one punch. That is why the pure enforcer in hockey will soon be a thing of the past.

It is also the reason Scott was given two, ten minute misconducts in the third period.

Ok, but……

If the refs would have had the cojones they could have justified giving Kevin Bieksa an instigator penalty late in the game.

Bieksa didn’t like the hard, clean checks Viktor Stalberg delivered and realized he could get even with a player which doesn’t fight. Bieksa took advantage of the situation. Scott was serving his second misconduct penalty, so he pummeled Stalberg.

By the letter of the rule, there was really no other way to view the confrontation other than Bieksa being the instigator.

The quandary for the officials, which probably caused them to back off, is the fight occurred in the last five minutes of the game. By the way it was a lopsided game which was more of a reason to call an instigator penalty.

But because it was in the final five minutes of the third period, Bieksa could have been suspended for Game 5 if issued an instigator penalty.

NHL officiating falls short too often….

The refs were hell-bent on Scott not causing a big rumble….I get it.

But where’s the consistency?

Bieksa was the obvious aggressor. Even the CBC announcers commented he tackled Stalberg before he started swinging.

The NHL could have suspended Bieksa for Game 5. Maybe that would have helped make up for the non suspension to Raffi Torres.

One mistake does lead to another…

In any event, much of the nonsense in the third period would have been avoided if the NHL could more consistent.

As brought up in the past, this has been a crazy season. The best thing the Hawks had going for them is there are many other Western Conference teams which at any point could be less than average. So in that regard the Blackhawks were not alone. But make no mistake the Hawks could match any club when it comes to being inconsistent.

The third line du jour was eaten alive by the Red Wings but Joel Quenneville kept trotting the same matchups out all game. Not to place all the blame on Coach Q. because he is playing with a short stack.  With Dave Bolland and Troy Brouwer on the shelf, Quenneville is almost pulling names out of a hat.

Especially with the injuries no matter what Quenneville does he is groping to fill roles. The Hawks had nobody which could fill the void from losing Patrick Sharp or Bolland and the same can be said for Brouwer.

The poor play didn’t stop with the bottom six forwards. The turnovers and sloppy efforts came from some of the top unit players as well. Detroit was guilty of mental mistakes and turnovers on Friday night and on Sunday the Hawks took their turn.

Marian Hossa and Duncan Keith and others weren’t careful with the puck, they left the Red Wings many opportunities. Sound puck management was lacking which shouldn’t come as a shock.  The Red Wings were able to keep things simple and once again the Hawks couldn’t.

The Wings came out on top even though the Blackhawks received every officiating break.

Keith must have had multiple get out of jail cards. He slashed a players’ stick and it sailed into the crowd…No call.

Keith high sticked Tomas Holmstrom and drew blood….No call

The Hawks got the benefit of a bad icing call late in the game and also got the last power play opportunity of the day. But none of it mattered.

The Blackhawks finished the campaign with 127 man games lost which was 93 fewer than the previous season. The losses were felt more this time because there wasn’t the ability to absorb injuries. Really bad luck comes in with close to 300 man games lost, Colorado was victimized with close to 450 man games lost.

So excessive injuries weren’t really an issue in Chicago but rather the inability to play well when players were out of the lineup.

Unfortunately the table was set on Sunday for the Hawks to finish as high as fifth. Playing the Ducks wouldn’t have been an easy task. But now the Hawks will play the most consistent team in the Western Conference.

Anyone who believes the Canucks are fearful of playing the Blackhawks should reconsider.

Without Bolland and Brouwer this is a great matchup for Vancouver. Past history won’t put fear into the Canucks but rather will keep them respectful of the inconsistent Blackhawks.

Corey Crawford didn’t have a great game. He could have been better on couple of Red Wing goals.

For the Hawks to have any chance against the Canucks, Crawford will have to be all world. In addition Bolland and Brouwer need to be back in action soon.

Otherwise the Hawks are on borrowed time.

This has been a frustrating season for Blackhawk faithful. At this point it shouldn’t shock anyone if the Hawks lost their remaining four games. Then again winning out is also a possibility. Basically fans need to hang on tight, hope for the best and not be surprised by any outcome. 

As odd as it sounds the Blackhawks best chance at winning a playoff round may come from facing the Red Wings. The Hawks play well against the Wings as both teams play a similar styles. If the Hawks are healthy, it could boil down to goal keeping. If that were the case I’ll take Corey Crawford. 

For the playoffs, playing without Patrick Sharp and Dave Bolland would be huge because they can’t be replaced. If Bolland is unable to return the Hawks will likely not last very long. 

Without Sharp and Bolland the Hawks have become a one line team which will have to rely on the power play. There is a distinct probability referees will let the boys play come the playoffs, actually it is already happening. Allowing more interference hurts a finesse team’s offense and also means less power play opportunities. The Hawks will need to find a way to score at even strength. 

Jonathan Toews can’t play every shift although Joel Quenneville might see if it is possible, the same with Duncan Keith. In reality the Hawks lose any matchup advantage they might have had if Bolland is still on the shelf. 

Inconsistency is the motto here and is illustrated by the Hawks record in the last five games. 

Mike Smith will never be confused with a standout goal keeper but he was good enough on Sunday. The Hawks shouldn’t have been taken back by the defensive shell the Lightning stayed in for almost the entire game. But the Blackhawks still couldn’t penetrate or get traffic to the net. Getting a lot of shots on goal is fine, but the Hawks didn’t make it very hard for Smith. Also taking so many obvious penalties is not the best way to achieve success. 

Give the Bolts credit they came into the United Center with little rest and still stifled the Hawks’ attack. Head coach Guy Boucher will be a hero as long as the Bolts stay playoff bound. Winning sells more than anything but the Lightning has become a very boring team to watch.

Speaking of styles of play, the Blackhawk brain trust probably has figured out by now changes are needed, playoffs or not. The Hawks have to adjust their style of play, or the bottom of the roster has to be thoroughly remodeled. My thinking is both will happen.  

This team has too many round pegs in square holes and a head coach that piles on the minutes to the core group. Now Quenneville has little choice, but he has been overworking the same players for the entire season. 

On many nights the bottom six forwards don’t play very much and when they do their purpose is scattered. Utilizing only a handful of forwards and relying heavily on four defenders isn’t a recipe for lasting success. 

My suspicion is the Hawks may sneak into the playoffs with 96 points because they should have the tie breaker over the Dallas Stars. If they need 97 points they could be in deep trouble. 

Beating Detroit in both games over the weekend doesn’t seem likely and the Blues will be ready on Wednesday night. So getting at least one point versus the Canadiens will be very important. 

Tonight the excuse of playing a trap team or one with a big group of defenders doesn’t apply. If the Hawks are not able to snag at least one point in Montreal they may not have the confidence to achieve a winning record in the final three games. 

Half of this team is battle tested and many players are not, inconisitency should not come as a surprise. 

Here is the audio link for last night’s Sirius/ XM Ice Cap interview with Jamie Shalley. 

Hawk fans, it is what it is…

11-04-04 Uncle AL – ICE CAP

The San Jose Sharks might regret not taking advantage of a shorthanded Hawks’ squad on Monday night. Maybe the Sharks took the victory for granted after taking a late first period lead. Regardless, the Blackhawks more than made up for a slow start and dominated the Sharks in the middle frame. 

The Hawks were able to get the puck deep on the Sharks and outworked San Jose along the wall. The Achilles’ heel for the Sharks is their defense. Normally Antti Niemi has been able to stem the tide. But the other night Niemi’s five hole was open and the Hawks shooters were dead on target. Give all the credit to the Blackhawks who had to take advantage of home ice and were able to skate away with two points. 

Not tough enough? 

Much has been made of the lack of physicality of Hawk defensemen. The Chicago blueliners thrive because of what they can add to the offense, they aren’t known for clearing the crease. Sometimes  Hawk defenders don’t have the size to win battles in front of their goal. It would be nice to have a couple of bigger defensemen because they are targets throughout the season. Since the rule changes defenders take a lot of physical punishment. 

Although the defense is not comprised of bangers the Hawks aren’t a soft team these days. When they play their game the Blackhawks win the majority of one on one battles. Physicality can be measured in different ways and as a group the Hawk forwards are tough to play against. 

One part of the Blackhawks’ game which exhibits physicality is their play along the boards. 

I don’t know of a better forward along the wall than Jonathan Toews. Patrick Sharp is very good also, and pound for pound Patrick Kane more than holds his own. In fact all of the forwards know how to use their stick and position their bodies to win puck battles. 

Ever since Joel Quenneville became head coach the Hawks have proved to be a tough team to play against along the walls. Sometimes the problem is the Hawks don’t get pucks in deep enough, but that wasn’t the case in the second period versus the Sharks. 

The Sharks weren’t as determined and lost most of the puck battles. The end result was the Hawks were able to control the play and the Sharks couldn’t keep up. San Jose took penalties and was dominated in every phase of the game.  

San Jose couldn’t do much in the final forty minutes, including winning faceoffs. The Sharks are third in the NHL in faceoff win percentage but the Hawks were still better at the dot. 

The best players on San Jose disappeared. The Hawks showed that strong structured play can be successful despite key injuries. The San Jose defense looked slow and couldn’t match the intensity of the Blackhawks. 

Being a successful puck possession team requires two elements. 

The puck must be controlled with good passing and by chipping it into correct areas on the ice and then retrieved. This next fact is as important as the first. …

When there is a turnover, one on one battles must be won to get the biscuit back as quickly as possible. It is in that way the pace can be pushed and opponents can be dominated. 

Interestingly, Niemi and the Sharks bounced back on Tuesday night and rallied to beat the Stars in Dallas. The talented and underrated Loui Eriksson will most likely be out of the Stars’ lineup for awhile. Eriksson apparently suffered a concussion against San Jose. 

Guessing and projecting….  

Last year, to achieve a playoff berth in the Western Conference 95 points was required. Detroit finished fourth last season with a total of 102 points. 

Currently the Blackhawks have accumulated 84 points through 70 games. My feeling is it will take at least 96 points to secure a playoff berth which means the Hawks need to capture 12 points in their final 12 games. 

To finish fourth in the Western Conference my guess, and I mean my guess, is it will take around 103 points. The Hawks would need to play at a brisk pace to capture 19 points in 12 games, but it is possible. It would be more likely with a healthy Dave Bolland and Brian Campbell. 

To follow up on a recent point made about injuries….Last season the Blackhawks’ man game lost total stood at 220, curently it is 87. 

Now let’s take a look at the remaining games.  

The Hawks take to the road to play the Stars and Coyotes and then return home to face the Panthers and Ducks. The four games will cover a stretch from March 15 until March 26. Now the Hawks may have caught their only favorable scheduling break considering the injuries to Bolland and Campbell.

Over the past two seasons the Hawks have had a great record in the second half of back to back games. But if they continue to play predominately with only five defensemen, it wouldn’t hurt to have days off between games. 

Maybe with continued solid play and some luck the Hawks will capture six out of a eight upcoming points. At least that should be the goal because the schedule will then turn more challenging. 

A winning record in the four upcoming games is extremely important. The month ends with a bang as the Blackhawks take to the road to face the Red Wings and Bruins. 

April begins with a road game versus Columbus. The Hawks will then return to the United Center to face the Lightning. 

Next the Hawks play back to back games. They go on the road to play the Habs and then come home to face the Blues. The regular season concludes with a home and home versus the Red Wings. 

The road to the playoffs won’t be an easy one.  

There are some difficult road opponents and there won’t be any breathers after March 28. The Blackhawks will finish up the 2010-2011 campaign by playing eight games in 14 days. Getting everyone healthy and staying that way will be more important than ever. 

Taking into consideration the entire season the Blackhawks couldn’t have had a less favorable schedule.  The NHL can only do so much because the United Center is a very busy place. But the schedule makers didn’t do the defending Stanley Cup winner any favors. 

After a short summer the first two months featured a very congestion schedule. The Hawks began the year at a playoff like pace and the end of the season is not any better. 

But there is no whining in the NHL and nobody feels sorry for the Champs.

More often than not professional athletes have a strong will to win. They may not to do what is necessary to be successful on a consistent basis but a lack of effort isn’t usually the problem. Playing with an effective effort can be an issue but once again that doesn’t mean players aren’t trying to win.  

As the Blackhawks scratch and claw for every point the same annoying thesis from some fans and those in the media keeps surfacing. After a Hawks’ loss the post game commentary and call in rants often spout in the same direction. Common opinion for some is when the Hawks lose it is because they don’t try hard enough or weren’t prepared to play. 

The reality is the main reason this club continues to be in the playoff hunt is because of a strong will to win. In many games the Blackhawks’ lineup isn’t better than opponents. This is especially true against the top tier playoff teams, like the Capitals and the Sharks.  

There were games this season the Hawks weren’t as prepared as they should have been and the result was a loss. The first period against the Florida Panthers was a poor start and created a hole which led to a costly defeat. But not being ready to play will happen to every team at some point throughout a long grueling campaign. 

What irritates me the most is after a loss when the finger is pointed at a lack of effort as the reason for failure. In essence some believe the Hawks are as complete a team as any in the league, and they have enough talent to defeat every opponent if the will to win surfaces. I don’t believe that opinion is close to being correct. 

When everything is working correctly the Hawks can beat anyone. They have enough high end talent to out skill opponents and when they play effective team hockey good things happen. But that type of performance hasn’t happened often enough to put this team into a secure playoff slot. The Hawks are not as consistent as last year because this team isn’t nearly as talented as the Cup winning squad. 

This group is still as good as or better than many teams but the Hawks don’t have enough talent to win when they don’t play an effective game. Every player has to be pulling on the rope in the correct way. For the most part the reason for losses has little to do with a lack of will to win.  

Another fallacy is the Hawks have struggled primarily due to an abundance of injuries. It is true the Hawks haven’t had a complete lineup available for many games, but let’s put things into context. 

Injuries are always a factor in the NHL. But compared to last year, the Hawks will finish this season with about half as many man games lost due to injury. Sure the injuries matter more for this campaign because the team isn’t as deep. But it is lame to blame the Hawks struggles on injuries. Comparatively speaking the injury bug hasn’t bitten very often in Chicago. 

Going into Saturday’s game the Colorado Avalanche had suffered 342 man games lost due to injury. That staggering total is the highest in the Western Conference and third highest in the NHL. I don’t have the current total for the Blackhawks but it is less than 100 man games lost. 

The problem here is the Hawks can’t cope with key injuries as well as other teams. The Penguins have been able to play great hockey without their two best players. Pittsburgh has been able to plug in AHL players and still be successful. The Penguins know their system and play it to a tee regardless of injuries. So far the same can’t be said for the Blackhawks.  

So if it isn’t necessarily injuries or a lack of effort….Why hasn’t the Hawks surged to the top of the Western Conference? 

One big reason is although the season is almost over this team is still searching for the correct mix. 

Marian Hossa and Dave Bolland became linemates some 50 games into the season…Maybe a little late to establish sufficient chemistry.  The third and fourth lines weren’t formed until recently and still aren’t etched in stone. The top four defensemen have been overplayed especially Duncan Keith and the pairings always seem to be changing. Overall there is some significant wear surfacing in most of the better players who have played the most minutes. 

The other day a friend mentioned an old saying which bears repeating. In hockey goal keeping is always 80% of the game until it goes bad then it is 100%. 

Corey Crawford has been great this season, allowing two goals or less in the majority of his starts. But the difference of allowing one more goal, three instead of two per game, is enough to significantly reduce the chances of a Blackhawk victory. 

For the Hawks to qualify for the post season Crawford needs to be very good every game. Anything less and this team isn’t going to be playing in the post season.  

The NHL season is a war of attrition and the tank is almost empty for some players.   

As people complain about the latest loss saying…Keith should have been able to clear the crease and not have allowed Caps forward Mike Knuble to put in the game winner….I say not so fast. 

The Hawks didn’t lose yesterday because of one play. Actually the Capitals were the better team for almost the entire game. 

On Sunday the Hawks were fortunate to come away with a point. Keith played 30 hard minutes once again. It took all the effort he could muster to get off the ice following the game. 

Realistically the Hawks didn’t have a good chance of winning versus the Capitals without Bolland and with a hampered Brian Campbell. Any fan who believes differently isn’t chugging Blackhawk Kool-Aid they are bathing in it. 

Tonight another top tier team skates into the United Center. 

The Sharks know what will be needed to defeat the Hawks. Their big forwards will pound Duncan Keith and company and look to strike when the opportunity arises. 

Crawford will have to be great and the Hawk’s power play will have to be effective to gain two points. Hopefully all the forwards will play well so Joel Quenneville can spread out the minutes. Having only one line rolling won’t cut it against strong opponents. Maybe Campbell will be able to play more than a handful of minutes, otherwise more pressure will be heaped onto rookie Nick Leddy.

If everything lines up tonight the Hawks could come away with a hard fought victory. But if the Hawks lose please don’t blame injuries or a lack of will to win. Currently the Sharks, like the Capitals have proven to be better teams. 

Strong effort only matters so much.

This season, only the Atlanta Thrashers (64) and the Ottawa Senators (63) have had more goals scored against them in the third period than the Blackhawks (61). The Hawks have played one less games than the Senators and three fewer than the Thrashers. 

In Vancouver the Hawks should have been content with picking up at least on point after going into the final frame deadlocked.  With playoff hopes flickering from game to game, coming away with at least one precious point should have been the prime consideration inside of five minutes of regulation time. 

If there is any team in the NHL which needs to understand clock management it’s the Blackhawks. But the Hawks are still trying to sort things out.  

Patrick Kane is asked to do too much at times, but at critical moments he doesn’t practice “safe hockey”. Kane and all other Blackhawks’ need to know when it’s time to not to take any chances. 

Friday night, Kane raced up the ice and crossed the Vancouver blueline with 4:11 left in regulation and the score tied at three. Positioned in front of Kane were four Canucks, planted like a picket fence. Instead of practicing Hockey 101 and putting the puck into a corner, Kane tried to make an improbable pass to Bryan Bickell. The pass failed and the puck was launched out of the zone. The Sedins’ did the rest and the result was at least one blown point and a heart breaking loss. 

The Canucks were fortunate as they scored a fluky winning goal. But especially on the road, with little time remaining, playoff implications in the balance, because the opponents’ best players were on the ice….. 

Kane and every other Blackhawk should know better. 

But this is still a group which tries to do too much at times and sometimes doesn’t do enough. Against the very best teams there is little margin for error. 

The defeat was a bitter one because the Hawks can’t play much better. Against many opponents the Hawks would have won, but to beat the very best everything has to be precise. 

Winning only 37% of the faceoffs versus the Canucks did not help the cause. Especially considering Dave Bolland was matched against the Sedins’, as he won only five of 22 faceoffs for a dismal 23%. Outside of faceoff trouble Bolland played a strong game. But the Twins’ don’t need anything made easier for them. 

Marty Turco was ok….Although no matter how well Turco performs he often allows a goal he should have saved. At this point, it doesn’t seem likely Turco can play much better than against the Canucks. No matter what your opinion of Turco’s performance, the play of Roberto Luongo was stronger. 

Often the difference between a third or fourth liner and a top six forward is the ability to score goals. Tomas Kopecky doesn’t have the “finish” of a goal scorer. He gets into prime scoring position but for a variety of reasons doesn’t convert. Kopecky could have scored two or three goals. A true goal score would have potted at least one against Luongo. 

The Hawks fourth line had a great first shift and another good one late in the game, but for the most part they were outplayed. That group had little offensive zone time. If the third pairing is playing at the same time as the fourth line… Watch out. 

The Canucks won the special team battle as they potted two power play goals. The Hawks 5 on 3 power play attempts have been awful the last few years. That was the case again. The Hawks get caught playing out on the perimeter when they have a two man advantage and that won’t work against Luongo. In general the Hawks shot the puck up on Bobby Lu….which made it easier of for him to control rebounds.

Give the Blackhawks credit, many clubs would have folded but they kept coming back. 

The officiating was brutal and the Blackhawks could have deserved better in Vancouver.  

The NHL is quick to point out they were the first major sport to embrace video replay. It has always seemed odd to me that every “no goal” call is not reviewable in Toronto. If the technology is there why not use it on the most important plays. If it extends the game time …..So what? The game is played in far less time than it was years ago. 

Whenever a goal is taken off the board or a play surrounding a scoring sequence is in question it should be reviewed. Troy Brouwer’s goalie interference should have been looked at in Toronto and so should the blown offside call on Christian Erhoff’s score. 

Concerning a goal……. What makes a questionable goal tender interference call or a wrongly whistled offside, any different from a high sticking review? Both involve a score change. If reviewing more plays increases the average time of every game by five minutes, it would be a good trade off. Maybe the end result would be more responsibility shown by officials on the ice. 

A blown call could mean millions in lost revenue. In my view it is silly to limit the reviews to include only the following. …

*In the National Hockey League, goals may only be reviewed in the following situations:

• puck crossing the goal line completely
• puck in the net prior to end of period
• puck in the net prior to goal frame being dislodged
• puck being directed into the net by hand or foot
• puck in the net after deflecting directly off an official
• puck deflected into the goal by the high stick by an attacking player

*source Wikipedia.

Now it’s on to Calgary where the Hawks need the best from Corey Crawford. The Flames are playing inspired hockey and will be a difficult challenge on home ice. Hopefully the tough loss in Vancouver will inspire the Hawks to have a top effort tonight. 

Maybe at last a lesson has been learned and poor clock management will no longer be an issue. 

Al’s Shots 

According to a Chris Kuc tweet….Yesterday, Brouwer was working with the No. 1 power play unit replacing Marian Hossa. 

Hossa isn’t doing much in the way of scoring goals. He isn’t creating scoring chances either. 

Maybe Hossa can do something he hasn’t done much of all season…..Force the opposition to take penalties. 

If the light bulb hasn’t gone off in Hossa and Kane’s head it should have by now. 

Teams are successfully defending these two by keeping them on the perimeter. 

Kane at times goes to the slot, because he has Jonathan Toews to feed him the puck. 

Hossa lugs the puck….He needs to play more north and south. Even if Hossa doesn’t score he could create a power play opportunity. 

There probably isn’t a stat for only the amount of offensive zone time compared to penalties drawn. If there was, Hossa would be near the bottom in that category. 

Having a very good power play doesn’t matter as much if power play opportunities aren’t being generated.

Crawford has been great allowing two goals or less in 18 of 26 starts. On two occasions Saturday he stopped the Wings on prime scoring chances and the Hawks scored a goal soon there after. Crawford made at least six huge saves, probably more. He was solid in his crease and rebounded nicely after allowing a soft goal in the opening period. 

Tomas Kopecky has learned he is best near the net. As long as Kopecky puts away the 35-40 foot slap shots and drives hard to the net he can score goals. Considering the power play time Kopecky receives as well being on the same line with Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp he should be a twenty goal scorer. On Saturday afternoon Kopecky notched his ninth and tenth goals of the campaign. 

Dave Bolland and his linemates continue to impress. They are standing tall by shutting down the opponent’s best scorers and also are able to pot a few goals of their own. Fernando Pisani has been steady and Bryan Bickel chipped in with five hits versus the Wings. 

Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and the rest of the Hawks’ defense played well. Nick Leddy and Jordan Hendry are a bit scattered at times but for the most part they are doing a good job. 

Considering Mike Babcock had the last line change, Hendry and Leddy couldn’t be shielded from top end skill players. Their confidence will grow and they should continue to improve. Since Hendry has been paired with Leddy the Hawks are playing at a quicker pace throughout each game. 

The Hawks penalty killing was better and their power play is still clicking. The Hawks outshot the Wings through two periods 27-17. The backchecking from the Hawks was strong and needs to continue.

The Troy Brower goal came as a result of a puck possession clinic by Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. 

At the end of the game Toews was not on the bench, no details were available concerning an injury. The unofficial word after the game was Toews was not badly injured. 

On the downside Jack Skille continues to make some foolish plays. Skille did have five hits although I can only remember a couple. But he needs to have better puck management. 

Skille has lessons to learn but Viktor Stalberg wears the dunce cap for this game. Actually Stalberg hasn’t been very sharp in awhile. Too many plays end with Stalberg. Sooner or later the lack of basic hockey sense will cost his team. 

Stalberg seems to be trying to do too much. He’s like a quarterback that gets locked in on one receiver. Stalberg forces too many passes and doesn’t put himself or his teammates in a position to succeed.   

The Hawks fourth line suffers because of Stalberg and to a lesser extent Skille. When playing a very good team, like the Flyers, their mistakes will turn into goals against. 

My guess is for tomorrow’s game Joel Quenneville will change a winning lineup. John Scott will likely replace Stalberg against the skilful and chippy Flyers. 

The Flyers lost to the Devils on Saturday afternoon. Losing at home won’t sit well with Philly. Maybe they got caught looking ahead to Sunday’s game at the UC. 

The Flyers will be a handful for the Hawks. Hopefully Quenneville will stick with Crawford in a back-to-back situation.

Al’s Shots 

It wasn’t very long ago free agent players didn’t want to play in Chicago. Those that did usually were paid a bad team premium. Many times players who chase the money don’t have the strongest will to win. 

If given the choice many top players will go where they can win, being part of a rebuilding process isn’t as attractive. But Evgeni Nabokov doesn’t deserve that choice. 

So I can empathize with Islander fans with Nabokov’s decision to not report to Long Island. It isn’t Nabokov’s decision will be the difference in the Islanders making the playoffs this season. Islanders fans will be rewarded eventually and another low first round draft pick will come in handy. 

The Nabokov situation is more a case of a lack of respect shown towards the Islanders and the NHL. To make matters a little worse, Nabokov is represented by one of the top hockey agents, Don Meehan. Unfortunately Meehan has changed his story from earlier in the week when he said Nabokov would report to whomever claimed him.

Nabokov’s decision runs contrary to the spirit of the waiver process. 

Let’s first add a little context. 

Nabokov was a very good goalie but we aren’t talking about Glenn Hall or Billy Smith. He has never won a Stanley Cup and hasn’t been a great playoff goalie. Nabokov had a dismal performance in the Olympics and wasn’t setting the world on fire in the KHL. 

No disrespect to the Islanders, but at this point any job in the NHL should be an opportunity for Nabokov. If not he shouldn’t have decided to return for this season. 

I have a solution to end the Nabokov circus, although it is probably too easy as there’s always a lawyer or two lurking. If only Gary Bettman had the ability and the willingness to make a tough stand. 

My solution is for every game Nabokov misses because he fails to report for duty he should be suspended for two games.  The suspension would not go into effect this year, but rather next season or whenever Nabokov signs again in the NHL. The Islanders wouldn’t be harmed by the suspension but Nabokov’s future value would certainly shrink. 

For example, if Nabokov misses 35 games this season he would be ineligible to play in the NHL until he served a 70 game suspension. If Nabokov did not report in prompt fashion, this type of ruling would probably end any hope by him of continuing his NHL career . 

Gary Bettman probably couldn’t be as heavy handed without clashing with the player’s union although Nabokov isn’t helping anyone. But Bettman should want to send a strong message. Nabokov doesn’t have the right to completely control his own destiny this season. 

Both owners and players eventually will lose if the integrity of the sport is adversely affected. At that point Islander fans won’t be alone in feeling disappointment.

Chicago won the one on one battles, protected the puck, and made the most of their opportunities. When there was a miscue, Corey Crawford was solid and never allowed the Predators an opportunity to capture momentum. 

Can the Hawks make winning in this fashion a habit? 

“Consistency is probably the best measuring stick for progress.” 

That was a Joel Quenneville answer from a post game interview….In response to a question about the progress of Bryan Bickell and Jack Skille. 

Quenneville’s response could be applied to not only Bickell and Skille, but to the entire squad. In the last few weeks the Hawks had been playing better. But in their last three games they have shown the consistency they have been lacking.  

By now we know what the win a game-lose a game Hawks look like. The question which will be answered from here on out is if the Hawks can be consistently successful. Only time will tell if they will stick with a defense first mind set. It takes a lot of work and everyone must buy into their roles. 

Goals will happen because of controlling the puck through winning one on one battles. The recent games haven’t been exhilarating to watch but results count most. There is still a lot of wood to chop and a playoff birth isn’t a foregone conclusion just yet. But there is reason for optimism. 

The Blackhawks can head into the Christmas break with a smile. We will find out Sunday if they can bring the same effective effort against the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

Al’s Shots  

The improved play of Dave Bolland and Niklas Hjalmarsson is a big part of the Hawks recent success. 

Recently Brian Campbell has been getting the most minutes on the blueline…Well deserved. Campbell has been doing a fine job since returning from injury. 

Fernando Pisani seems to work well with Bolland. 

Jake Dowell continues to impress but…

Last night Dowell won 60% of his draws in the first frame but wasn’t very good afterward…only 43% to the good for the entire game. 

Ryan Johnson only took five faceoffs but was strong at the dot once again. Johnson won 60% of his faceoffs and has been a nice addition to the team. 

I was surprised Dowell kept taking faceoffs in the third period when paired with Johnson on the PK unit. Maybe Q. will be using Johnson in the future when Dowell isn’t as successful. 

Jonathan Toews had another fine outing and won 60% of his faceoffs. 

When it comes to consistent efforts the captain leads the Hawks. 

I don’t know if Skille will ever score enough goals to be considered a top six forward. What has become evident is the less than frantic Skille is a much better player. 

Versus the Preds, Skille scored two goals but I doubt if he would have converted either opportunity back in October. 

A couple of months ago, the Skille in constant overdrive wouldn’t have waited to get into proper shooting position like he did on his first score. Instead he would have either shot at a bad angle, or just charged the net. His second goal can be attributed to him knowing his situation and being confident. Skille was in the slot and shot through the defenseman’s legs and startled a screened Anders Lindback. 

Skille is making fine progress…Now he will have to find consistency. 

Bickell is no longer surprising anyone with his great wrist shot. There aren’t any secrets in the NHL. Goalies are aware he is going to shoot as often as possible. 

Bickell is scoring because his shot is top notch. His quick release and accuracy makes it difficult on opposing goal keepers. 

It’s amazing how many in the national media continue to cite weak goal keeping as a problem for the Blackhawks. In case they want to know… 

So far Crawford has been better than good. 

Their comments are probably because many considered Marty Turco to be the Hawks only hope. 

Turco had problems winning in Dallas too, but a shoddy defense was usually given as a reason for his shortcomings. 

Maybe that was part of the problem, but Kari Lehtonen has a 2.55 GAA and .917 save percentage this year. The Dallas blueline isn’t loaded with All-Stars this season either. 

Maybe Marc Crawford has had an influence by instilling better team defense. 

Or maybe Turco’s best days are in the past. 

Below is an audio clip of a pregame interview on XM radio with Jamie Shalley.

10-12-22 UNCLE AL – ICE CAP 

We talked about the new version Blackhawks. There were also comments about Bickell, Skille, Johnson, Scott and others. 

Take a minute to read this joke sent to me by a very young 70 year old woman. Hopefully it will help relieve the stress of the season. 

A Little Christmas Story

When four of Santa’s elves got sick, the trainee elves did not
produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began

to feel the Pre-Christmas pressure.

Then Mrs. Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit,

which stressed Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three

of them were about to give birth and two others had jumped

the fence and were out, Heaven knows where.

Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards
cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were

scattered.

Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider

and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard,

he discovered the elves had drunk all the cider and hidden

the liquor. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the

cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces
all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and

found the mice had eaten all the straw off the end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang, and an irritated Santa marched

to the door, yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with

a great big Christmas tree.  The angel said very cheerfully,

‘Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn’t this a lovely day?

I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to
stick it?’ 

And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the
Christmas tree.

Not a lot of people know this…

Please Stay Safe and Have a Merry Christmas…..Al

If Morin wasn’t one of the 12 best forwards in Chicago, the Hawks would be wise to send him back to Rockford and save a year on his entry level deal. For me it wouldn’t be a difficult decision. 

Morin can help the big club and should play in Chicago. Whether Morin skates on the first line or fourth line wouldn’t matter as long as he could contribute. Where I sit there is little doubt Morin would make a meaningful contribution and would help the Hawks gain a playoff birth. Before Morin can secure a lineup spot Stan Bowman may have to make a trade.

I wrote awhile ago the best Blackhawk defensive prospect might still be in college. That wasn’t my opinion but came from a NHL coach. Today it was announced, former first round selection Dylan Olsen has been chosen to represent Canada at the World Junior tournament. Congratulations go out to Dylan. 

Most likely Blackhawk prospects Nick Leddy and Morin will be selected to represent the US World Junior team. 

Another big game tonight…actually at this point they all are big games. 

It was mentioned Marian Hossa could be back to face the Av’s. I don’t see how that could be possible as Hossa has just begun to skate. If Hossa progresses maybe he can return this weekend. Dave Bolland will return tonight. 

Stan Bowman was interviewed today on NHL Live. There was not a single question about Morin. The only players discussed were Corey Crawford and Marty Turco.  Bowman mentioned Crawford has been groomed to be a NHL starter and he isn’t surprised at his progress. To no surprise Crawford will start in goal tonight.

Below is an Ice Cap audio link of an interview with Jamie Shalley from last night. 

We talked about the problems for Marty Turco and the rest of the team. Corey Crawford’s role as a starter and the emergence of Morin were also discussed.

ICE CAP-10-12-14-Uncle AL

Until proven otherwise the Hawks are no more than a .500 team which pretends to be somewhat interested. Or maybe they are a much better club which doesn’t bring enough effort on many occasions. Either way they need to change.  

On Friday night the bad Blackhawks showed up and were embarrassed in Calgary. The good Hawks showed up the next day and put a beat down on the Canucks. Many Hawk loyalists are confused by the scattered performances. Include me in the group.

The Bad…. 

Against the Flames the Blackhawks appeared uninterested for most of the contest. The Hawks did manage to do something amazing as they were credited with only three hits versus Calgary.  

Each club has a set of off ice officials who are responsible for keeping the stats for each game. There is some subjectivity involved and the home team seems to get the benefit of the doubt at times. Even if the Calgary crew missed a few Hawk hits they didn’t miss many. 

To be credited with no hits for a NHL contest would be similar to a baseball team never hitting a foul ball during an entire nine inning game. 

Last season the Hawks were outhit in many games. The club without the puck is the one doing most of the hitting, so a puck possession team will often get outhit. But on Friday night the Hawks were the club doing most of the chasing. To only be credited with three hits is an indication of how little effort the Hawks exhibited against the Flames. 

Instead of battling hard and pressing the slower than average Calgary defense the Hawks withered away. There was no fight and no determination. The frequent turnovers and careless penalties led to a lopsided loss and indicated a lousy effort. 

The only thing which could have saved the Hawks would have been a stellar effort by Marty Turco. The bad Turco showed up in Calgary as well, so the Flames skated away with two points and the Hawks crawled out of town.

The Good…. 

Fast forward some 24 hours and the good Blackhawks made an appearance in Vancouver. 

Against the Canucks, barely a minute had gone by and the Hawks already equaled their hit total from the night before. The Hawks won board battles and protected the puck all game. The Canucks chased and took some dumb penalties, a couple of which didn’t appear to be deserved. 

Although the Hawks only scored one power play goal the Canucks couldn’t gain any traction. By taking eight penalties the Canucks kept their potent offense handcuffed. They had no answers for the revitalized Hawks. The Hawks pressure made the remodeled Vancouver defense appear slow. 

Turco’s style might be more exciting to watch than Corey Crawford. But sometimes a controlled, efficient goal tender produces more consistent results. The Hawks only slipped a few times but Crawford was strong and didn’t allow the Canucks even a glimmer of hope. 

Turco and Crawford would both benefit from more of a shared workload. Crawford has had six starts and it would be nice if he could end up with close to 30 for the regular season. Crawford is a RFA come July 1 and with more work his potential could be better understood. 

So far Crawford has been very good…..Can Crawford be as consistent if his workload increased? It would be great to find out. 

For now Turco is the man but Crawford has shown his time to shine could come this season. As far as the rest of the road trip goes, Crawford should get another start….Maybe in Anaheim. 

Vancouver head coach, Alain Vigneault was upset about the Hawks playing their first power play unit after the game was decided.  

Maybe Vigneault should be worried more about his own job than what Joel Quenneville does. Actually Quenneville did use his third and forth line players during the power play in the latter stages of the game. On the 5-3 power play which was the focus of Vigneault’s comments, Viktor Stalberg and Nick Boynton were on the ice. Neither are normally used on the power play. 

From ESPN Chicago.com.- 

“We basically embarrassed ourselves tonight in front of our fans, and they did everything they could tonight to rub it in our face. [Leading] 6-0 and they throw their No. 1 power-play unit when it’s 5-on-3,” Vigneault said after the game. “They have every right to do that. They did it. They were pushing it, and they did.”   

Actually the Hawks did not score on the power play at all during that time which makes the comments from Vigneault even sillier. The Canucks often fall into a similar trap against the Hawks. They get behind and get frustrated as their head coach has not been able to solve that problem. 

If I’m the head coach and my team is getting boarded, high sticked and slashed I’m going to try to score on the resulting power play. 

After the Hawks took a 4-0 lead the Canucks took five penalties. One infraction was for tripping and another was for hooking. The other three penalties were for boarding, slashing and high sticking. Vigneault should tend to his own knitting. 

Reality has set in as the season rolls along. 

I am often asked who Stan Bowman can trade to make his club better. 

Bowman has done a good job since being promoted. But I doubt if he or his father has been given absolute authority. 

When possible trades for the Blackhawks are brought up the same three players are usually mentioned. 

There is Dave Bolland, who has a contract which runs through the 2013-2014 season. No franchise is going to bet about $10 million that Bolland can stay healthy. He isn’t going anywhere. 

Brian Campbell has a no trade clause and earns over $7 million a year, with a contract running through the 2015-2016 season. His hefty contract plus the uncertainty surrounding the next CBA makes him untradeable. My belief is the Hawks wouldn’t make the playoffs if Campbell was dealt. Although overpaid, Campbell is a necessary component for the team’s success. 

Then there is Patrick Sharp. He was taken off the trade table this summer and there is no reason to believe anything has changed. Sharp is very popular, not only with teammates but fans as well. The organization won’t upset the apple cart by trading a very popular player during the season. 

Although every date will be sold out this year, fans must actually attend each game to provide the most revenue for the franchise. The Hawks still lost money last season even though they won the Cup. Every penny for parking, beer, $7 hot dogs and $15 hamburgers matters. Things can change as the Penguins just had their three year sellout streak broken. 

It makes little sense to trade Sharp for players which can fill in on the third and fourth line. The Rockford roster is full of grinders and they are often available around the league. 

If a Jordan Staal for Sharp deal was on the table, I would think about it. 

But….Even though they earn close to the same money and Staal is a lefty center that could fit nicely with Marian Hossa…I wouldn’t pull the trigger. 

Staal is signed for a year longer than Sharp, whose contract expires after next season. Staal is a fine young player but he is often injured. Being injury prone is a big problem with Staal. 

Sharp won’t be traded during this season and he has a good chance of staying in Chicago for a long time. 

For now Bowman is somewhat handcuffed. 

The Hawks do need a crease clearing defenseman that can also play effectively on the penalty kill. The need for a crease clearer was also there last season but Brent Sopel did fill the void on the PK unit. The Hawks do need to find another defender. 

If Jordan Hendry can’t play ahead of Jassen Cullimore, maybe he shouldn’t be here. Hendry might have some trade value. As it is now his only purpose is as an insurance policy but that may be enough of a reason to hang onto him. I think Hendry would get claimed if placed on waivers. 

Cullimore is a big guy who plays with the same physicality as a small man. Cullimore can block shots at times, but he isn’t quick and loses positional battles in front of the net. The PK unit needs improvement and he isn’t the answer. 

Some of the reason for the recent shake up on defense is probably because Boynton looks bad when paired with Cullimore. Boynton can still skate and does get the job done, with limited expectations. But playing him with Cullimore isn’t the best option. 

Next the Hawks need to find a wing which can somewhat replace Andrew Ladd’s contributions on the third line. Troy Brouwer could be that player. But in half of the games this season he has been missing in action. 

Jake Dowell and Fernando Pisani have been steady and have contributed. 

Jack Skille is still a work in progress as is Stalberg. But it is too early to give up on either as their real potential is still a mystery. 

A bigger problem is with the play of Tomas Kopecky and the signing of John Scott. 

The tether between Hossa and Kopecky should be cut. Kopecky is not a goal scorer. 

There are probably a lot of Hawks that would have at least 10 points in 22 games while playing the majority of time with Hossa. I can’t justify all the ice time Kopecky has been given. 

A bigger issue than not being an offensive threat is that Kopecky is a defensive liability. So are Skille, Stalberg and others but they can use a lack of NHL experience as a reason.  At this point Kopecky has no excuse for being a -11, the poorest plus minus on the team. 

It’s time for Kopecky to prove he is a top six forward rather than a role player. For my money he has little value as a third or fourth line grinder because his defense is poor. 

I give Kopecky credit for not shying away from contact as he takes more physical abuse than anyone on the team. Kopecky is a UFA on July 1 and is a $1.2 million cap hit. Maybe he has some trade value and Hossa will have to accept change. 

If Scott could play at all he would have been in the lineup against the Ducks. 

The Ducks fight more than any team in the Western Conference. They also dress a true heavy weight, George Parros, who can actually play and is used during the third period of close games. The Canucks have a couple of chippy players who deserve to be put in their place, but once again Scott wasn’t dressed. 

The realization has set in the team is better off without big John. Now the front office needs to own up to their mistake in judgment and waive Scott so his cap space could be better utilized. At the every least the Ice Hogs may sell a few more tickets. 

Normally Scott’s salary of $512,500 wouldn’t be a big issue. But the Hawks could sure use the cap space to acquire a player which would make the team better. 

I have no idea how Scott was able to negotiate a two year contract. His agent should win an award. What’s done is done but now is not the time to ignore a mistake. 

This team can use some help and Scott is not going to provide any. With Scott gone and another move the Hawks could be in position to acquire players which can fill a void. 

Depending on how the standings look closer to the trade deadline there could be opportunities for Bowman. 

Sopel would improve the third pairing. Everything I have heard indicates Sopel won’t be with Atlanta next season. He could be available at the trade deadline as his contract is up after this year. Bringing back a player or two from last year wouldn’t be a bad idea. 

Another former Hawk, John Madden, could also help. He is on a one year contract and might be moved before the trade deadline. The Hawks could use another center that can win faceoffs and help out the penalty killing unit. 

The likelihood of Sopel or Madden returning this season is far greater than the Hawks trading Bolland, Campbell or Sharp. 

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

As has been the case for this season, the Hawks will continue throughout the month of November playing on an every other day pace. This time the schedule will feature seven road games, with only two to contests to be played at the United Center. The Circus road trip is coming soon and the Hawks have already squandered opportunities to accumulate points on home ice. 

Although it is only the second month of the season the next four games are huge for the Blackhawks. 

None of the upcoming opponents, the Predators, Ducks, Oilers and Flames are to be taken lightly. But only Anaheim is currently playing very good hockey. The Ducks have won seven of their last 10 and have only lost once in regulation on home ice. The remaining games in November should all be very difficult. To conclude the month the Hawks will face the Canucks, Sharks, Ducks, Kings all on the road, and then finally the Blues at the UC. 

The Hawks conducted their quarterly meetings the other day, a bit early but that was probably wise. Joel Quennville’s recent comments indicate he is looking for more balance throughout the lineup. Coach Q. also mentioned some of the leadership responsibilities should be distributed amongst a few players. 

When things aren’t going well Jonathan Toews probably isn’t too pleasant to be around. The fire always burns hot in the young captain and he probably puts too much pressure on himself, especially when the team isn’t meeting expectations. As a group, the Hawks are physically and mentally tired, and the schedule doesn’t loosen up for awhile. So everyone has to dig deep within. 

The next group of games could be the final audition for some young players. Possibly, Stan Bowman will have to go out and acquire another veteran or two but cap space contraints will be an issue. For now the Hawks have a team in place which will have to find a way to win consistently. 

The finger shouldn’t be pointed at the young guys still learning. But someone among the bottom six forwards would be most likely to be moved if changes were to be made. 

I wonder if Rocky Wirtz really accepts the hand the schedule makers have dealt the Blackhawks? 

Between last year and this season no team will play more back-to-back games than the Hawks. If Wirtz has the ability to open up more dates at the United Center he has to do it. 

This weekend the Hawks will play on consecutive nights for the fifth time in six weeks.  Chicago will still have 13 back-to-back games left. The schedule can’t be used as an excuse for the inconsistent performances but this has been a brutal pace. The heavy workload so early in the year hasn’t helped a group which needs time to hit its stride. 

Unfortunately there isn’t as much time to turn things around as it seems. If the rest of the November is as bad as the first part of the season the Hawks will have to dig out of a big hole in an effort to gain a post season birth. 

Looking for balance…. 

Here are the lines which were used at practice on Friday. 

Brouwer-Toews-Sharp
Kane-Bolland-Hossa
Stalberg-Pisani-Kopecky
Bickell-Dowell-Skille

My take is Quenneville was looking to instill more defensive responsibility in a couple of players. He also wants to even out the workload for his beleaguered group. Coach Q. will be closely watching which younger players best seize the opportunity.

By pairing Sharp with Toews and Brouwer a message has been sent to the Hawk sniper. Sharp will have to be more engaged in playing along the boards.

Sharp is smart enough to seize an offensive opportunity but his defensive play has suffered in the last few weeks. By playing Sharp at wing, Quenneville is probably hoping he can find an effective game in all three zones.

Putting Bolland in as the second line center is rather curious…But why not? The Hawks have been anything but a model of consistency.

Bolland is a gritty winner who can play in all three zones. I’m just hoping his ribs were the only cause of his physical problems and his back wasn’t also an issue. If healthy, Bolland can shore up the defense.

Hossa playing with Kane could be interesting to watch especially because the game is played with only one puck. One thing Hossa usually does consistently well is back check. Of late, Kane hasn’t been terrible but like other Hawks he has to play both sides of the puck equally as well.

No matter what the combinations turn out to be the Hawks won’t improve unless they make a commitment to go the net. There are reasons this team has played so poorly in five on five situations.

There is no better time to put fancy play aside and look to simply get pucks on net to create scoring chances. The Hawks have not been able to pot rebounds on a regular basis and that also has to change.

The bottom six forward could be the key for the Hawks success as they should be dialed into playing a more simple game. The biggest issue for Quenneville concerning the third and fourth lines might be if they are defensively responsible. If they can be trusted, the bottom six forwards could see more ice time.

Simply put the top six forwards could get about 20 minutes each of playing time. Quenneville could look to distribute the rest of the ice time equally among the third and fourth lines. He could also look to play the more effective group for around 14 minutes and the other line for 8-10 minutes.

In either case Quenneville has options and has given some younger players a chance to prove they belong. It is difficult to have a strong opinion as to a designated third or fourth line.

Of the bottom six forwards, the veteran Pisani has been the most consistent. Stalberg has shown the most offensive potential and Dowell has been reliable in all three zones. But nothing is set in stone for this group.

Keith and Seabrook will be split up tonight once again. Although Keith was benched for a few shifts against the Coyotes, the ice time was equally distributed among the top four defenders. At least more so than has been the case in the past.

Most likely Keith will play at least 24-26 minutes tonight, if he performs better. But the goal appears to be to spread out the ice time more evenly. As long as Boynton and Cullimore/Hendry can continue to chip in with around 14 minutes of playing time some pressure can be taken off of the top four.

Tonight the Hawks face a team which always gives them trouble. Nashville has cooled off of late, but records don’t matter when these two hook up.

Marty Turco will be back in net and hopefully his strong play continues. Recently Pekka Rinne hasn’t been very good, surrendering 18 goals in the last five games. No mater who is in net for the Predators, Turco needs to be better for the Hawks to win.

The Hawks won’t have an easy time in Nashville but the Predators are vulnerable. They have some key injuries and have played about as inconsistently as the Hawks. Tonight won’t be easy but tomorrow’s game against the red hot Ducks will be just as difficult if not more so.

On Sunday night the Hawks will have to deal with another back-to-back game and the pressure is mounting to win on home ice. The big Duck forwards usually give the Hawks problems.

That brings up another area of concern for Quenneville. The defense has allowed opposing forwards to bother Turco way too often. Most likely Crawford will get the start on Sunday, but the same holds true. The Hawk defensemen have to box out the forwards and play more physical.

One could point to injuries and a difficult schedule as reasons for the sluggish start. Excuses, reasons or whatever else aside, there is no better time to start winning than this weekend.

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

This year Marty Turco and Corey Crawford for the most part have come to the rescue, but last night their efforts were poor. Even if the goal tending would have been top notch the Hawks probably would have come up short. 

Sometimes the best way for a team to realize they are putting forth the wrong kind of effort is to get the results they deserve. 

Getting outplayed but still winning can make a head coach’s s job all the more difficult. Bad performances are more difficult to correct when the pain of a loss isn’t realized.

If the Hawks are going to rely on great goal tending to bail them out while getting badly outshot in almost all close games it will be a very long season

On the opening Oiler score Turco’s allowed a very soft goal and the second Edmonton tally wasn’t too good either.

Let’s call a spade a spade, about half the Hawk scoring has come from two players and now one is out hurt. Patrick Sharp struck again last night and Marian Hossa will be out of action for about two weeks.

If the Hawks offense is going to rely on only a couple of players to score they will struggle.

Last night was another example of just one line being able to consistently generate scoring chances. When Jonathan Toews, Viktor Stalberg and Sharp were on the ice the Hawks were threatening to score. But the Hawks haven’t had a balanced attack all season.

The problems for the Hawks start with their defense.

Nick Boynton had a few good games early on but now he is more of a liability than a defensive force.

The third Oiler score happened because Boynton wasn’t able to control a puck at the Edmonton blueline. Boynton had more miscues throughout the game.

The fourth goal was unlucky for the Blackhawks. The referee was in the wrong spot and deflected a Keith clearing pass directly to the Oilers.

Many believe luck evens out over time and that might have been the case last night for the Hawks.

Give the young Oilers their credit, they weren’t overwhelmed by the big city. The National anthem can help set the tone for the game but only if the Hawks win the opening period and that was hardly the case.

Tonight the Hawks will travel up to Minnesota to play the Wild. A couple of weeks ago the Wild were not firing on all cylinders and their head coach skated them for about 90 minutes on a Sunday. Since then they have only lost once.

The congested Hawks schedule doesn’t allow for much practice.

Quenneville will have to take away playing time as a deterrent for bad performances. Ultimately the motivation has to come from within so the correct effort can take place on a consistent basis.   

Al’s Shots 

This is my speculation and is not rumored based.

Early this week, after receiving two days off from practice Dave Bolland was given another day off.

Unless it was a personal matter, Bolland would not have gotten another day off unless he had an injury issue. There was a chance of a personal issue so I didn’t bring it up…wasn’t sure about an injury.

Yesterday morning Bolland didn’t take part in the morning skate on a game day.

Bolland played only 9:45 versus the Oilers and didn’t have a shift in the last frame.

My bet is he is hurt and might be nursing a nagging or more chronic injury….Which isn’t good, especially if it is Bolland’s back. He doesn’t seem to be moving well on the ice and has struggled this season.

Hossa has an upper body injury. He doesn’t have a head injury because Quenneville has said Hossa will still be able to skate.

By pegging Hossa’s return time at about two weeks or so…

My guess is Hossa might have some inflammation in his surgically repaired shoulder.

Maybe it is his other shoulder or a wrist injury or something else….

But if it is the same surgically repaired shoulder flaring up this early in the season…??

I thought rookie Ben Smith played pretty well last night, although he was a -2.

It isn’t easy to turn up with a -5 on the evening but Tomas Kopecky managed to have that distinction last night.

To say Kopecky wasn’t very good would be kind.

Niklas Hjalmarsson hasn’t played well all season, and last night was no exception.

Nick Boynton has crashed back down to earth.

The Hawks are counting on Jassen Cullimore to be something beyond his pay grade.

Troy Brouwer and Bryan Bickell have been invisible.

On a positive note Jack Skille is using his speed and had 6 shots on goal.

As important, Skille was not in the minus column last night.

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

Word going around to NHL general managers is Dave Bolland, Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews are the only Blackhawks which will not be available.

The select group of seven does not include three Hawk players which have been shopped freely in the last few days, Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd and Kris Versteeg.

Brian Campbell, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi also are not untouchables.

With every passing day the chances of Hjalmarsson and Niemi signing extensions is more unlikely. Both restricted free agents may become the target of an offer sheet. Campbell’s contract makes it improbable for him to be dealt and Huet has garnered almost no trade interest.

This information comes from a credible source not affiliated with the Blackhawks who has been accurate in the past. The list of untouchables does not come from someone who is working their own agenda.

There are many teams which appear involved in serious trade talks. The next five days will be an important challenge for Stan Bowman. To say he is operating at somewhat of a disadvantage would be an understatement. That’s probably why almost every Hawk player has been made available.

Al’s Shots

My list of seven players would have been the same. Although closely behind those untouchables would be Hjalmarsson, Byfuglien, Niemi and Campbell in that order.

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

In every game of the series San Jose played as if they hoped to win while Chicago confidently marched on until they secured a victory. Having a deep skillful club is a great advantage. But playing like a team which wouldn’t be denied was the Blackhawks greatest asset. 

The home ice start was again sluggish for Chicago and once again San Jose had its best moments early in the game.  

For most of the opening frame the Hawks were held to one shot on goal. Chicago did wake up in the final four minutes of the period as both teams were credited with seven shots for the opening 20.  The Sharks led in the most important category and enjoyed a one goal lead. 

After the first stanza San Jose’s afternoon had only one bright spot.  

When Duncan Keith’s seven teeth got in the way of a Patrick Marleau clearing attempt the Sharks made the most of an odd man break. While a man down, Marleau fired a one timer past Antti Niemi and the Sharks went up by two goals.

There is no tougher athlete than a hockey a player.

After losing his smile, Keith missed only about four shifts and was back on the ice. The best defenseman in the NHL still logged 29:02 of ice time.

The Hawks did suffer another injury to a key player.  Andrew Ladd left the game in the opening period with an upper body injury and did not return. According to post game comments it appears Ladd will be ready for the Finals.

By the middle frame the Sharks had a nice lead and the Hawks had two important players hurt. It appeared the 22,224 in attendance would go away unhappy and San Jose would live to fight another day. It seemed that way to me too, but the Blackhawks are a resilient bunch.

Most clubs would not have been able to come back but a confident Hawks team stuck to their plan. Joel Quenneville started switching line combinations and his crew began to take control.   

At the 10 minute mark of the second period the Sharks had taken 11 shots on goal and the Hawks were credited with 12. San Jose managed only four more strikes in the second period and finished the game with a meager 18 shots on goal. 

Unfortunately for San Jose they regressed, as has been the case all series. Once the Hawks tied the score it was only a matter of how, not if they would win. 

Dustin Byfuglien scored another game winner, his fourth of the post season off a Patrick Kane feed. The big guy is becoming a modern day Blackhawk legend.

There are clubs which score prettier goals more often, but no team provides better theater than the Hawks.

Long suffering Blackhawks fans can rejoice because winning the Stanley Cup is a distinct possibility.  The Hawks elimination game performance versus the Sharks indicates this group has come of age.

Al’s Shots 

The Blackhawks won’t be the only team with a few new faces next year.

The chances of both Evgeni Nabokov and Marleau re-signing with the Sharks is about the same as a January in Chicago without snow. 

All Hawk fans should be rooting for the Canadiens this evening.  

Although the Habs have shown they can beat anyone my guess is the Flyers will offer the Hawks a stiffer challenge. In any regard having the two beat on each other for another couple of games won’t hurt Chicago’s chances.

Philly is built with size, speed and toughness and as long as their goal tending stays strong they will provide a big test for the Hawks.

If the Flyers win tonight or on Wednesday the Finals will begin Saturday at the UC.

Six days off would be a nice break for the Hawks, probably not too long.

Keith minus a lot of teeth and his partner Brent Seabrook were great on Sunday.

The two combined for 12 of the Hawks 19 blocked shots, Keith had five and Seabrook seven.

Hawks fans are grateful for instant replay as the refs missed again on Seabrook’s goal.

On the game tying score Dave Bolland faked a shot and Nabokov bit. The Sharks keeper should have stopped Bolland’s goal although it was a nice shot.

Bolland has shown the rest of the hockey world what the Blackhawk organization already knew.  

When Bolland signed a five year contact this past summer many thought the Hawks overpaid once again.

In realty the Chicago coaching staff and front office correctly identified a key core member.

As long as Bolland’s back holds up Rocky Wirtz’s money is well spent.

During the post season Bolland has limited Henrik Sedin’s contributions and really did a great job on Joe Thornton.

The worse part for Thornton in dealing with Bolland wasn’t only being held to one assist. Jumbo was also a minus five for the series.

Thornton finished the post season with 12 points but was a -11.

In four games….How many Sharks did Ben Eager destroy with clean punishing body checks….6, 8, 10…..more?

Eager helped lead the resurgence on Sunday with some big hits.

Quenneville saw the big guy was on a roll and played him with Patrick Sharp and also with Bolland.

Eager helped cause havoc on Bolland’s game tying goal.

Kris Versteeg was a +3 and had another fine outing playing well in all three zones.

The Hawks defense was solid although Brian Campbell didn’t have his best game.

Lastly, Niemi outplayed his counterpart again. Just another day at the office for Antti.

If he can do the same in the Cup Finals there will be a parade in Chicago soon.

Below are audio clips from a Sirius/XM Ice Cap Interview on Sunday evening with Terry Mercury and Norm Rumack. 

The interview was a little longer so it is in two parts.

Part 1….. Al Cimaglia 05_23 part 1.mp3 (11261k bytes) Open

Part 2….. Al Cimaglia 05_23 part 2.mp3 (9949k bytes) Open

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Give full marks to the San Jose Sharks coaching staff as they adjusted by splitting their top three forwards up and found a way to control much of the pace and create chances. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau certainly didn’t disappear. They might have been the two best players on the ice.

As soon as I write about how the Sharks have faded in each game of the series, it was the Hawks which couldn’t maintain the same level of play. Chicago’s best period was the first. The Blackhawks were outplayed in the third, especially after they scored the go ahead goal.

One fact is certain the Hawks took advantage of opportunities. The Sharks didn’t make many blunders but when they did they got burned.

The opening Hawks tally by Patrick Sharp was on a power play created by a Logan Couture needless slash to Antti Niemi. Chicago caught a big break on their second goal when Jonathan Toews blocked a shot and it deflected directly to Dave Bolland waiting near center ice. No Sharks could catch Bolland as in he skated in a on a break away, and he beat Evgeni Nabokov with a great move.

The Sharks had the better chances late in regulation and in the OT but Antti Niemi was up to the challenge. Niemi wasn’t at his best as his rebound control wasn’t very good at times. But when called upon, in the most pressure packed moments, Niemi made a number of key saves.

The Dustin Byfuglien game winner was a combination of the Hawks finally applying some prolonged pressure in the Sharks zone and mistakes by San Jose.

On the final goal of the game the Sharks got caught chasing the Hawks and left the slot area wide open. Bolland was a step quicker than Scott Nichol and both Shark defenders as well as Dany Heatley were caught flat footed. Bolland made a nice pass to a wide open Byfuglien and the Hawks are now one win away from advancing to the Stanley Cup finals.

Nabokov appeared off guard and not ready for Bolland’s pass to Byfuglien, the puck was almost in and out of the net before he turned completely toward the shooter. It would be unfair to say Nabokov has had a poor post season. But it would be an accurate assessment he hasn’t been as good as Niemi.

Nabokov will be the biggest name of available UFA goal tenders this summer. His work against the Hawks might cost him some money in the long run.

A West Coast contact has mentioned the Sharks won’t pay Nabokov more than the $5.37 million he earns now. Actually if what has been relayed to me comes true the Sharks will have a new number one goalie next fall.

Maybe Nabokov makes more acceptable salary demands and moves to the other coast. Alex Ovechkin may put in a good word and possibly the Caps will find enough cap space to sign another Russian player. In any event reaching the $6 million plus mark in yearly earnings may be out of reach for Nabokov.

The Blackhawks will probably spend the night in a hotel and get ready to close out the Sharks on Sunday afternoon. To win the Western Conference Championship on home ice the Hawks will have to play better. They realize the same and certainly don’t want to board another plane for a trip to the West Coast.

Al’s Shots

San Jose threw it all at Chicago…..46 shots on goal and the Hawks managed to block another 27.

What did hurt San Jose were the 15 shots which missed the net. They are trying to shoot high on Niemi….too high.

The first Hawk penalty of the night was a bad call. Nabokov was well in front of his crease when Bolland made contact.

Bolland drew the attention of the refs as he was whistled for a total of three infractions.

Except for the Hawks first penalty the other five were deserved.

The officials were 0-2 early as they originally signaled a good goal on Joe Pavelski’s kick in.

On the replay it looked like Pavelski was trying to kick the puck to his stick but he could never get his blade on it as he was tied up.

Duncan Keith, 34.44 in ice time with five shots and five blocks.

Brent Seabrook, 30.21 in ice time with three shots, three hits and two blocked shots.

Nik Hjalmarsson had another four blocked shots.

Hossa had four shots on goal but I wish he would play more north and south. He would then be able to draw some penalties and create rebound chances.

Fortunately the Hawks were a lot better in the faceoff circle which was one of the reasons the Sharks were only 1-6 on the power play.

Bolland was not good again, a winner only 38% of the time. But John Madden (80%), Sharp (56%) and Toews (59%) were strong.

Joel Quenneville used Sharp on the point for the power play and the change worked well.  

The Sharks were able to get Thornton away from Bolland for most of the game.

The problem for San Jose then becomes Toews defends Thornton.

The Sharks captain won only 38% of his faceoffs.

The Sharp, Troy Brouwer and Hossa line will have to be better defensively on Sunday.

Well, it is safe to save Byfuglien has survived the cap cut this summer.

Big Buff only took one shot but that was the game winner. He was also credited with eight hits and two points on the evening.

The Hawks have been outshot in every game of the series.

The Sharks are too well coached, they will show up in Game 4.

The Hawks will have to stay out of the box and bring a top effort to sweep.

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San Jose wanted to focus on aiming high on Niemi but they weren’t allowed time to shoot precisely. Head coach Todd McLellan did switch line combinations but because the Hawks were conducting a back checking clinic it made no difference. The Sharks talked about being more physical but they forced the issue, appeared perturbed and took penalties in the process.

After the game was decided an angry Joe Thornton blatantly slashed Dave Bolland during a faceoff square-off before a puck drop. The frustrated Shark captain was held scoreless again but Jumbo Joe wasn’t the only player in teal struggling to find success.

San Jose was guilty of 20 turnovers mostly caused by the quick and unrelenting Blackhawk checkers. Chicago managed the puck well and was guilty of only six giveaways.

If San Jose has a chance to beat Chicago in four of the next five games but they will need a lot of help. The Hawks are playing their most complete hockey of the year which spells trouble for the Sharks.

Unless Niemi has a form reversal and the Blackhawks focus vanishes they will advance to the Stanley Cup finals.

Joel Quenneville is playing his hand like a master.

Not to dismiss his accomplishment but for now Quenneville has been dealt a hand full of aces. Every Chicago player is dialed in and performing at a high level. The Chicago stars have outshined their San Jose counterparts and the Blackhawk worker bees couldn’t be any better.

In Game 1 Dan Boyle, Ryane Clowe, Joe Pavelski and Devin Setoguchi accounted for 23 of the Sharks 45 shots. Last night the same group managed only five shots. Without the benefit of as many power plays the Sharks fired 27 shots on Niemi. San Jose’s top player, Thornton, led their team with four shots but also had three turnovers.

The only bright spot for the Sharks was they led in faceoff wins, 57% to 43%, but that stat was somewhat misleading. Bolland won just one of eleven at the dot but every other Hawk was a winner at least 50% of the time.

Bolland was awful at the dot but great everywhere else.

Bolland is in Thornton’s head and has irritated the big guy in both games. Bolland along with Andrew Ladd and Kris Versteeg have played outstanding defense.

The rest of the Hawks were solid defensively too as they were steps quicker than the Sharks. The strong suit for the Hawks is speed and their positional awareness was also outstanding throughout the contest.

Possessing outstanding team speed is a big asset for Chicago. Combining quickness with fine technique and the Sharks challenge becomes very difficult. So far it has been impossible for the Sharks to gain an advantage.

Antti Niemi wasn’t tested as often as in Game 1 but he was up to the challenge. Niemi was strong especially during the opening frame as he prevented the Sharks from taking the lead.

Evgeni Nabokov did not play well, if so the score may have been different but the outcome would probably be the same. For the Sharks to overcome the Hawks attack Nabokov has to be better but so does their entire team.

The next task for the Blackhawks will be to ignore the pressing clippings, the home town distratctions and to stay focused while playing at the United Center. A determined Hawks team will probably be more than the Sharks can handle.

Chicago’s biggest challenge will be to play the same type of effective hockey on home ice. If the Balckhawks succeed the series will be much shorter than most expected.

Al’s Shots 

The Sharks needed to make a statement toward the end of the game, they couldn’t go away quietly.

Thorton’s slash of Bolland was part of that show but the officials failed to diffuse the situation.

Hockey players have unbelievable hand eye coordination. It is a sure bet Thornton meant to slash Bolland in the hand…he wanted to hurt him.

It is not difficult for any player to break an opponent’s hand or wrist.

If Bolland suffered a broken hand or wrist Thornton would have succeeded in not only sending a message but also limiting an important Hawk player.

The officials are suppose to deter such actions…a two minute minor wasn’t nearly enough.

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

The downside for the Hawks is they have outplayed the Predators in five of six periods over the weekend but only came away with one win. The good news is the Blackhawks won a crucial game without playing their best hockey. 

For Chicago to defeat Nashville they don’t need to play a great game. 

The Hawks do need to be consistently good and so does Antti Niemi. In Game 2 the Blackhawks stayed determined and Niemi came up with some great saves. 

Niemi’s huge stop on Dustin Boyd at the 3:03 mark of the second period was a game changer as the contest was scoreless. That play could be looked back upon as a series saver for Chicago. Almost 87% of teams which trail in the playoffs 0-2 go on to lose the series.  

Pekka Rinne was very good again and presented a stiff challenge to the Hawks offense. 

The Hawks stormed the Preds net to get a power play strike from Dave Bolland. Pat Kane made a great shot after a Nashville turnover in the offensive zone for Chicago’s second tally. Patrick Sharp started that play and had another strong game. 

To win in the playoffs a team’s better players have to be the best players on the ice and that was the case for the Chicago forwards in Game 2. 

In the first game of the series Rinne won the battle of goal keepers by only letting in one soft goal. On a good night Niemi would have saved both of the Nashville’s strikes in Game 1. Both goalies might have been a bit nervous, which wouldn’t be surprising. In Game 2 they were very good, with Niemi getting credit for his first playoff shutout. 

On the negative side of the ledger, Brent Seabrook played much of the night as if there was a hole in his stick blade. The Hawks ‘D’ to ‘D’ passes were off for much of the game. There was a problem with turnovers on breakouts, especially early on by Dustin Byfuglien. 

Except for some faulty passes the Chicago defenders did well in their own zone and blocked many shots at key times, especially Niklas Hjalmarsson and Brent Sopel. 

The forwards did a better job along the boards and often played below the Nashville goal line. They kept the heat on Shea Weber and company and stayed physical throughout. 

The Hawks power play generated some chances but is still not at top speed. 

Niemi displayed the character of a winner as he bounced back strong in a pressure packed situation. 

The same can be said for the entire team. 

Al’s Shots 

When the Nashville players watch the game tape they will regret not seizing the opportunity to go up 2-0 in the series. 

The Hawks defense was vulnerable in the opening period but Nashville couldn’t solve Niemi. Actually the Preds didn’t appear as determined as in Game 1.

Later on there may have been some frustration displayed by the Predators. 

They took some bad penalties, and trying to rough up the Hawks shouldn’t work. 

Chicago players will have to keep their discipline in Nashville and look to put all the pressure on the Preds. 

Speaking of pressure… 

Certainly the San Jose Sharks will have a much different look next year if they don’t have a long playoff run. 

After watching the Dan Boyle own goal last night, the Sharks might want to look into an exorcism. 

In the last two games the Sharks have outshot the Av’s 103-39. 

For the series the Sharks have taken 129 shots while the Av’s have had only 69, but San Jose still trails two games to one. 

I know the only shots which matter are the one which cross the goal line…..But yikes. 

Double click on open for the audio clip with Paul McCann from Nashville…..it should work.

Thom Abraham show 4-16-10 Seg 6.MP3 (15493k bytes) Open

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On Friday night the stage was set. Either the Chicago Blackhawks would take control of the series or the Nashville Predators would gain their first playoff road win in franchise history. 

To start the game Hawk fans were loud and confident. 

The press box was over flowing with those who pay close attention only on special occasions. Those times would include the post season, a goalie controversy or when ‘interesting’ player pictures surface on the internet. 

To put the cherry on the cake a group of Chicago Cub players were in attendance in lower level suites waving their red rally towels. 

What would be the opposite of a good luck charm? 

To those which consider the Cubs in attendance to be a curse, you may want to watch with one eye open from now on. From what I have heard, Cubs starter Ryan Dempster owns a United Center luxury box or two. 

There was no curse required for the Game 1 loss. 

All Barry Trotz and company needed was a break or two, Pekka Rinne to outplay Antti Niemi and the Hawks to wilt when the going got tough.  

Mission accomplished for the Predators. 

Who would have thought the young confident group of Hawks would fade away under third period pressure. 

It wasn’t my opinion the Blackhawks were a mortal lock to win the opening game or even the series. 

But surprisingly the Hawks seemed deflated as soon as Nashville tied the score. Their reaction wasn’t typical. Once the Predators took the lead the Hawks couldn’t sustain a challenge. 

Fans should be concerned the way the Hawks faded in the most important time of the biggest game of the year. 

To start out Chicago players had their usual swagger and appeared to be headed in the right direction. That was the case mostly through forty minutes of play as the Hawks led 1-0 going into the last frame. 

Actually as the game went on the Hawks weren’t as effective and the Predators were able to persevere. If one was watching closely and didn’t totally discount the possibility of a Chicago loss they would have realized winning the final period wouldn’t be easy. 

The Predators know who they are and stay on task.  

In many ways they appear very comfortable. Normally the Preds don’t try to do too much and usually at some point the opposition obliges and gives them an opportunity to score. 

If Nashville gets a break as they did in the third period and are able to score a very fluky goal, all the better. Once the Predators sense momentum is on their side they are difficult to outplay. 

When the crew from Nashville causes an opponent to make mistakes because they feel pressured they have succeeded. 

In the last period the Blackhawks got frustrated and looked like a losing team once the Predators tied the score. At that point it was more a question of who would make a costly turnover rather than which Blackhawk player would score the go ahead goal. 

When Troy Brouwer committed a costly give away and the Predators took the lead Nashville knew they would succeed. The huge UC crowd got quiet and the media in attendance were scrambling for reasons as to why an upset could happen. 

If body language is any indication the Chicago players appeared to be a shaken team in the third period. There was no apparent confidence, no aggressiveness and no bounce back ability displayed. 

This group of Hawks has lost big games in the playoffs before but never have they looked as they did on Friday night.  

After JP Dumont scored his first goal, a very fortunate one to say the least, Niemi looked shaky. To his credit he bounced back and made some key saves but his teammates appeared to be afraid of losing. 

The Hawks had an apprehensive, dejected look as the Predators exuded confidence. 

It was similar to the appearance the Washington Capitals had late in their opening game loss versus the Canadiens. The Caps were also in deep trouble in Game 2 but responded in a big way. Washington clawed back from a 4-1 deficit to win in overtime to even their series. They didn’t fade away when the game was on the line. 

For playoff success it is often a question of which teams will respond and overcome a bad loss. 

On Friday night the Red Wings and Sharks found a way to bounce back under extreme pressure. 

If anyone believes all the Stanley Cup hype which has been heaped on Chicago, San Jose and Washington makes no difference, think again. 

The Blackhawks have made great strides in the last few years. They should be given the benefit of the doubt as Friday’s defeat could serve as a wake-up call. 

But if the Hawks were to lose Game 2 the pressure will increase exponentially and it might be an overwhelming burden. 

Hawk players all saw what was happening in the last period and tried in their own way to make the situation better. As soon as that happened the Nashville task became much easier. 

The Predators already realized more is not always better and once the Blackhawks individually got off their game plan they were done.  

Following the loss, in post game interviews, Hawk players referred to sticking to what works and not getting frustrated. The talk was about not making mistakes and trying to do too much. Chicago players spoke about getting away from what they accomplished in the opening forty minutes. They realized afterwards they did show frustration and acted on their own. 

The opening game performance can be summed up by saying the Hawks cracked under pressure as they got away from their game plan at crunch time. 

After last years’ long playoff run there have been high expectations. Maybe too lofty when considering a Stanley Cup victory, but the added pressure has been there all season long.  

After this group rebounded from injuries and losing streaks in March my thinking was they were mentally tough enough to accomplish playoff success this year. 

The good news for Chicago fans is the trepidation which is now felt could be over very quickly. 

Tune in Sunday evening and see if this group of Blackhawks fades away or bounces back.  

Will the Hawks believe the loss was caused by bad bounces or will they shoulder the responsibility and confidently play effective hockey? 

If the Hawks felt squeezed on Friday evening imagine what another loss would do to their confidence. 

There aren’t many second chances left and there only two possible outcomes. 

Winning or succumbing to pressure. 

Al’s Shots 

If any Hawk fans believe I am being too harsh…no problem. 

But before you shoot the messenger, consider the Hawks were outshot in the third period on home ice while playing from behind for almost half the frame. 

The high powered Preds offense outshot the Hawks in the final twenty 13-4. 

With about 5 minutes to go in the second period the Hawks led in shots 22-10. 

Chicago and Nashville finished with 26 shots each. 

There is an issue which will be highlighted more so if the Hawks don’t advance. 

Those that watch a lot of hockey or are consistent readers…Should not have been surprised by the non-calls on Friday night.

The  officials must have been mandated to watch out for goal tender interference . 

As often happens they then see what they thought happened instead of what actually occured….That is a big problem.

The Hawks have gotten very little offense from Dave Bolland. 

Bolland might be more suited to becoming a John Madden type player rather than a second line center. 

I though Joel Quenneville might move Sharp back to center. It doesn’t appear so yet but there are other line changes for Game 2. 

Patrick Kane needs a center to play at his pace otherwise the offense is off. 

For now it doesn’t appear to be Bolland and I don’t think Kris Versteeg at center is the answer. 

Tonight, Troy Brouwer moves down to the third line as Andrew Ladd will play with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa. 

Patrick Sharp should play with Kane and he will on Sunday. 

According to what has been reported Bolland will play center between Kane and Sharp. 

Bolland is in a tough spot. Maybe he isn’t at 100% and should be used more in a defensive role. 

Not to my surprise, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook will play as a tandem for Game 2. 

According to official scoring the Hawks were guilty of only seven giveaways.

 It sure seemed like more. 

The Hawks were great in the faceoff circle early in the contest but as time went on they were not as good. 

In any regard the Hawks didn’t pay attention to details. 

Many of their clearing attempts and offensive zone entries were not crisp. 

On Friday night I was interviewed on Nashville’s Thom Abraham show by old friend Paul McCann, who is also the stadium announcer for the Predators. 

I broke the series down from a Chicago perspective but never considered the Hawks losing the way they did… 

Here is the audio clip of my interview with Paul and Charles Saunier. 

Thom Abraham show 4-16-10 Seg 6.MP3 (15493k bytes) Open  

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