SB Nation User Blog: SamFels

Blackhawk Album Art Gallery

SamFels — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:58:39 -0000

From last Wednesday's Indian:

Flash Before My Eyes, Now It's Time To Die: Bolts at Hawks Preview/Gamethread/Sewing Circle

SamFels — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:47:14 -0000

vs.

GAMETIME: 6pm

TV/RADIO: WGN for both

Call of Ktulu: Raw Charge

Just score. Lots of goals. You can even give up lots, but just score. Just so we can stop creeping towards worry. Just so we can feel like there's no problem. Just so we can start thinking about opening up a division lead again.

Anyway, the Hawks couldn't ask for too much better of an opponent to break out against then Tampa, and that's simply because word is they'll start the very mediocre Mike Smith instead of suddenly-studly Antero Niittymaki. Nitty has been a wall this season, rocking a 2.14 GAA and .932 SV% so it'll be a challenge if the Hawks get a look at him. Not so much Smith, who's getting whiplash from looking behind him so often. In front of him, there is prized rookie Victor Hedman, but he's a rookie who can be exposed. Matt Walker is actually having a very decent season, but water seeks its own level eventually, and this is Matt Walker. Past that, we've roast Mattias Ohlund before, and Andrej Meszaros is around just to see if you can spell his name (which I may not have done correctly).

Coach Q is fucking with the lines again, even though the latest concoction has thrown 81 shots at opponents the past two games. Rumblings are that it's Sharp with Hossa and Ladd, which makes no fucking sense. Sharp and Hossa will drift to the scoring areas and wait for no one to pass them the puck. Ladd will get in front and wait for shots that Sharp and Hossa are waiting to take. Whatever. Daydream Nation and Brouwer, which means Versteeg and Buff are on the 3rd line, which doesn't really make that the checking line. Although there's a good chance John Madden might knife Versteeg the first time he tries to wade through four Lightning players at the blue line. Maybe that'll learn him.

Either way, this is a team the Hawks should roll over at home. But they haven't rolled anyone over at home all season. So who knows? Anyway, vamos!

Agoraphobia Comes To Chicago: Hawks 1 - Sabres 2

SamFels — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:21:22 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

One of the few times Tim Kennedy wasn't taking a dive.

Browse more photos »

Specifically, the Hawks seem to have a fear of the open space between the posts. It's obviously a phase, as the Hawks can't keep throwing 40 shots at the net per game and keep coming out with one or two goals. At the same time, you can't ignore that the Hawks haven't put up more than 3 goals in a game since administering Catherine The Great's Death to the Sharks in San Jose. The last thing anyone expected this team to struggle with was scoring. It's hardly panic time about it, barely worry time. You get the feeling some poor team is really going to pay when the Hawks bust out of it.

The 1st period tonight looked a lot like the 1st period Wednesday night. That would be the Hawks mauling the opponent like McClure hitting on a girl. They were everywhere, and how they didn't manage to score is anyone's guess. It's not a matter of not having anyone in front, they did that. It can't be getting too cute because when you have 17 shots in a period, a lot of them good ones, you must be doing something right. Turning point was the 4-on-3 power play. The Hawks power play standing masks the fact that it still isn't very good. For a team like this, a 4-on-3 should border on an automatic goal. I question why not one of the Hawks two best PP d-men, Barker or Campbell, weren't on the ice. Both have better shots than the Marlboro 72, and both are better passers. Somehow, Coach Q has convinced himself that one quarter season of scoring now means that Keith is a better power play QB than Campbell, which is almost laughable. But that's not why the Hawks lost. Just a point to be made.

On the few shots Huet saw in the 1st, that nasty rebound habit became evident again. You got the feeling that one of them would come home to roost. And it did with Sharp sitting in the box after getting called for a hold, exacerbated by one of the many Sabres' journeys to their ass. Get up already. Vanek was able to outmuscle Hammer, and there you go. The second goal looked like a bad bounce off someone's chest, and I was a little surprised it didn't warrant the least review as it never hit a stick on the way to the net. C'est la vie. The Hawks were punished for getting sloppy in their own end, and turning off the engines once again, an annoying habit of theirs.

When they turned them back on again, they were again turning the HSBC Center into an alligator fuckhouse. The Sabres couldn't touch the puck. Sharp was able to pot after Kane benefited from Buff's one cogent shift of the night. There's always one.

There were some chances after that, but Lalime made the stops. Winning in Buffalo was always going to be tough, so it's not disaster. But it was there for the taking, and you can't leave too many points out there when you were the better team. We'll let it go this time.

Notes:

-If you're not going to use Campbell to run your power play, what is he for, then? What is Q trying to prove? I love Keith as much as the next guy, but watch how many passes bounce off his stick at the critical moment. He's simply not a premier power play QB, yet, and there's one sitting on the bench. It's kind of baffling.

-Why were Sabres fans booing Campbell? He was TRADED. He didn't leave voluntarily, and all he did was play his ass of there for eight years. I expect idiocy from San Jose fans who don't know any better, but Sabres fans are some of the most knowledgeable around.

-The 3rd period was Kane in "fuck you" mode. Let's hope more arenas boo him regularly.

-May have been Hossa's best game as a Hawks, and he didn't get on the scoresheet.

-Oh no, the ohmygodohmygodohmygodohfuck Troy Brouwer is back

Player of The Game

It's Patrick Lalime, but I'm too lazy to find a picture. So imagine one.

Whatcha Gonna Do, When Versteeg Runs Wild On You?

SamFels — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 03:39:03 -0000

I don't think I need to add anything to this.

(Thanks to Gallagher from Gametime for sending this along. Now he can go back to to his cave.)

Much Like Phil, We Had One Eye On Pittsburgh The Whole Time: Hawks at Pens Preview/Thread/Sleep Study

SamFels — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:36:23 -0000

vs.

GAMETIME: 6:30 Central

TV/RADIO: WGN for both

SIREN SONG FOR OTHERS: Pensburgh, The Pens Blog

So McClure obviously tied one on last night, so I'll dive on this grenade. A few words about last night's game first. Other than tonight's opponent, San Jose, and Detroit, every team the Hawks see are going to go what the Preds did. Clog the neutral zone, trap, trap, trap. The Hawks simply are going to have to play for 60 minutes, be way more careful with the puck then they were last night (they were giving it away more than a nightclub promoter in Tiger's room. ZING! I can do topical, see?) and take what is given. After Toews's wonder-goal, the Hawks turned the engine off, and that can't happen. Though the Hawks have a pretty gaudy home record, can you recall the last game there when they've put in a dominant performance? Reeks of complacency, which has no place on this team. You haven't won anything yet, lads.

Anyway, to tonight, then. The big news is Sidney Crosby won't play, which I think marks the third straight time Crosby won't face the Hawks (definitely second straight). Not as if this team is clueless without him, though. Geno Malkin will be the #1 center. Where the advantage comes in is that if Crosby had played, you can bet your ass coach Bylsma would have done his best to match one of his studs against Kris Versteeg and that mish mash of a second line. Not as easy now, but for sure he'll try and get Malkin away from John Madden, who didn't have his best game last night. One player to watch is Alex Goligoski. He's a young defensemen, very smooth, QB-ing their power play at the moment. When watching BIll Guerin, if you squint really hard you can see what Byfuglien or Brouwer were supposed to be, and then sigh.

Some have argued that the Hawks may have been caught with one eye on this game, and it is a pretty big one. Like the San Jose game, a lot of hockey fan TV's will be tuned to this one. The Hawks will not have to deal with any trap tonight, and with Crosby out, the Hawks have a real shot to win their last ever game in The Igloo (assuming no meeting in June, of course). Hopefully, Q has realized that second line of Versteeg-Kane-Buff didn't do anything last night, didn't really do anything the night before that either (Versteeg's goal was shorthanded, after all) and needs a change. If the rumblings are true that the reason Sharp isn't playing center is because he simply doesn't want to, I'd look long and hard at that "A" on his chest and ask serious questions about whether it should be there at all. If you want to play with Kane, Shooter, the only way to do that is as our #2 center right now. The team needs that from you, so fucking get over yourself and do it.

Anyway, should be fun, ride 'em in, Rawhide.

Update: Because I'm a blithering idiot, I didn't notice Goligoski won't play tonight either. So don't watch for him, might be difficult to see. Chris Kunitz also won't play.

Taking Our Punk Ass Up Against Nashville: Preds at Hawks Preview/Thread/Dance Recital

SamFels — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:32:47 -0000

vs.

GAMETIME: 7:30 PM

TV/RADIO: CSN, WGN 720 AM

ENEMIES LIST: On The Forecheck

Well, now that the euphoria and discussion of yesterday's events are over, it's time to get back to what matters...and talk about the cupcake draw the US got for the World Cup. Slovenia? Algeria? Let's just book that second round date with Ze Germans right now!

Right, enough of that, to the ice. The Hawks will attempt to win their 9th straight at the UC, and 10th of 12 when Smashville walks out of the visitor's locker room. The Hawks have won two of three from the Preds this year, and by the end of this month will be done with them for the season. All three games have been a brain-drip-out-the-ear, stab-yourself-to-see-if-you-can-still feel bore. That's what the Preds want. They'll play it tight, clog the neutral zone, blah blah blah.

The top line of Sullivan, Arnott, and Dumont lit up the Wild in the Preds' last game. But past that, there just isn't a whole lot going on here. But because Barry Trotz is a machine, all the Preds forwards skate their ass off, and that can get you a lot of points in the first half of the season, when not every team is sure that it cares just yet. However, Smashville has lost their last two, giving up 10 goals in the process. Ellis is apparently getting the start tonight. On the blue line, they have a fantastic top pairing of Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. Weber would be a Norris candidate if he played in Toronto or Vancouver. But the bottom pairs are just, well, "guys". Dan Hamhuis and Kevin Klein and the rest can be forced into turnovers galore with a heavy forecheck. Hey, guess what the Hawks do well?

In a vacuum, this one should be a walk for a Hawks team that is picture-me-rollin'. But games against the Preds aren't played in a vacuum. It'll be a slog, especially as there's every chance the Hawks have one eye on the date with Cindy Crosby and Gena Malkin tomorrow night.

Go get 'em.

Big Three Press Conference Live Blog

SamFels — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:56:34 -0000

We talked about it, and it's been decided this press conference requires a Second City Live Blog. So come back at 2pm when it starts. There are lots of questions to be answered, sadly none of them will be asked. This time, I'll do it in the comments section so it updates automatically.

Contracts Announced Tomorrow

SamFels — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:23:03 -0000

Contracts Announced Tomorrow

You knew they weren't going to get to it until they were at home. That sly fox, McDonough, doesn't miss a thing. Anyway, calm down, Daydream Nation and Flash will be here awhile. Also prepare for McClure's brain bubble when Toews's deal comes in at a $2mil higher cap hit than Marc Savard's.

Blackhawks Album Art Gallery: Iron Madden

SamFels — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:42:02 -0000

From last night's Committed Indian, first in a series (hopefully)

Welcome Home (Sanitarium): Blue Jackets at Hawks Preview/Gamethread/Ho-down

SamFels — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:07:35 -0000

vs.
GAMETIME: 7pm

TV/RADIO: VS., 720 AM

OPPOSING VIEW: JACKETS CANNON

We can see our freedom in our sight. The Hawks being the home-heavy December schedule tonight, facing a Jackets team that's coming off a win last night over St. Louis. The 5-2 scoreline is deceiving, because that includes two empty netters. Before that, Columbus had lost five in a row. They have been hit hard by injury, with Commodore and Hejda missing significant time, as well as others. They lost Rusty Klesla last night for a month at least, after Barrett Jackman tried to mount him and his smell caused Klesla's knee to give out.

But it's more than that with the BJs. They haven't been anywhere near the defensively solid unit we've come to be annoyed by. They're shipping more than three goals a game, and Steve Mason might be having a sophomore slump. They're starting to turn it around ever so slightly, but still have a long way to go. Mason started last night, don't be shocked if Mathieu Garon is in net tonight. Still, if the Jackets play their game, it'll be trap trap galore. Hopefully the Hawks don't wait until the 3rd to combat it correctly. Though with Versteeg at center, that's unlikely.

A word about that. Sharp is bumping up to LW on the top line. Everyone and their mother knows Sharp needs to be at center over Versteeg. The only reason anyone can think of that he's not is that he simply doesn't want to. That's disappointing. There's an "A" on your sweater for a reason, Shooter. It's time to get over yourself and do what's best for the team. Though it's not his preferred position, Sharp will hardly let you down as a #2 center. Versteeg just might. With Kane and Buff, that line could get murdered in its own zone. And they'll never win a draw. Watch to see if Hitchcock doesn't do everything he can to get Vermette and Nash out there against Versteeg and Kane, which could get ugly. Just too much size.

Anyway, the Hawks need to start this month right, and catching a still-middling Jackets team on the second of a back-to-back should provide that, if they play it right. Or Columbus doesn't stick to their system - likelier than it used to be -- and the Hawks can exploit the new-space.

Have at it.