To be honest. I would roll with

29/19/81
10/16/88
20/36/25
52/65/67
- FourFeathers773

10/19/88
29/36/81
20/65/25
52/16/67

10/19/88
29/36/81
20/65/25
52/16/67
- nickmo2699

hossa needs a left handed center. bolland with hossa wont work well

I agree and it should be a new penalty called "Launching". Anytime a player leaves his feet to deliver a hit should be a penalty, regardless of making contact with the head. I'd go so far as to say it should be a match penalty. Make the penalty strong enough and players will stop doing it.
- Hemingways

They got this call right but the Backes match penalty they issued was embarrassing

I think there may have been a small chance he was grazed slightly in the head. I think it was knee jerk by the officials, but what can you do? I agree 100% if I were the Sharks I would take Vlasic for Keith any day. Don't get to high or to low on some wins and loses this year. I know you have to play the schedule you are given, but on some of these nights based on scheduling the Hawks will have an advantage or disadvantage. Hard to see statement games when your team or the team you are playing are just finishing 3 games in 4 nights.

To be honest. I would roll with

29/19/81
10/16/88
20/36/25
52/65/67
- FourFeathers773

You do know that they are 8-0-2...right?

Don't phuck with a winning streak.

Mayers didn't see it that way.

Mayers was convinced he took a blow to the head.

"Yeah absolutely," he said. "It was a hit to the head. I’m not sure if it was elbow or forearm or whatever it was. We’re trying to get that out of our game. "

I'm glad the league is clamping down on these kind of hits.
- Lido_Shuffle

What do you want him to say? "Nope, totally legit, the ref blew it and we benefited from it!"

Was there contact to the head? Sure, it looked like there was. Was his head the principle point of contact? Definitely not. Furthermore, Mayers himself would probably tell you that he put himself in a vulnerable position in open ice.

The league itself came out, in pretty quick fashion, and said it shouldn't have been a penalty.

Jammer/Oduya have been the best defensive pairing the Hawks have to start the season.
- Holes02

Jammer = #22
Hammer = #4

You do know that they are 8-0-2...right?

Don't phuck with a winning streak.
- Ogilthorpe2

this was under the original pretense that if the 2nd line has gone stale, what do you change up

I agree and it should be a new penalty called "Launching". Anytime a player leaves his feet to deliver a hit should be a penalty, regardless of making contact with the head. I'd go so far as to say it should be a match penalty. Make the penalty strong enough and players will stop doing it.
- Hemingways

Also known as "CHARGING"...?

While I enjoyed seeing Bickell work at being physical, am I the only one who felt he took out more glass panes then players? Did I miss something?

Also, it seemed like Kaner was coasting back on a lot of the plays, and has stopped the constant attack/pressure. He's starting to look like 2011-12 Kaner again.

Sorry, maybe I'm just cranky because I was up late!
- resqmed99

ditto

Jammer = #22
Hammer = #4
- Ogilthorpe2

My mistake.

Re: Jammer, I still think he's the right dress (over Bollig) in a game against San Jose. They play a solid puck possession game, and are very strong on faceoffs. If there's one thing Mayers has provided consistently, it's the ability to win a faceoff...something the Hawks are generally (read: outside of Toews) pretty horrible at.

Fat Douglas Murray cant stay with the Hawks for 60 min, and I dont think Brad Stuart can either. If the Hawks can roll four lines consistently, I dont see another team in the league that can stay with them. Sharp needs to find his game soon, if he goes up the half wall towards the blueline and looses it, one more time...
- nickmo2699

This is the key. Nobody can match the personnel line for line. As for Sharp and even Bolland, they will come around, nobody stays hot all the time, and those guys will probably step up in a game soon and be the positive difference when some of the others guys cool off. That is another key trait of a good team.

Crawford look weak again.

Hey Man at least they keep winning. This schedule is crazy keep piling up them points ! If the Hawks end up with a bit of a buffer they could rest guys down the stretch which would be a luxury.
- mrpaulish

Actually I thought Crawford should have stopped that third one, but all in all, he was solid with squaring up and his good legs/pads.

The Sharks broadcast was super annoying last night. I like Ramenda enough, but Randy Hahn and his pompador were whining about the 'game changing call'. Keith was out for 17 minutes. But I don't think Desjardins should have been tossed.

What was 'refreshing' is that both Vagina Joe and Desjardins, and I think Wingels and Murray, all said they understood why the refs called it that way. They thought it was clean, blah blah blah, game moves fast. So to their credit, the players weren't whining about it. Just the announcer, coach and studio guys.

this was under the original pretense that if the 2nd line has gone stale, what do you change up
- FourFeathers773

I don't change much, stale or not until the team hits a wall. Any change you make is not going to work well, the Hawks do not have a second line center. There is no fix on this team, or line change that could be made to help this. This is where good ole Stan comes in

Stop with the random line generator crap. The only thing you have to think about and get excited about is when Carcillo comes back. Does he go back to line 1 and then Saad down to 4th line? Or do you put Carcillo down there with Kruger and Frolik?

Carcillo brings the toughness and a lot more speed then Bollig.

Great options.

I thought the Kane goal was score during the resulting 4 on 4? Isn't that why Kane and Toews were out there together?
- Ogilthorpe2

Yeah it as 4 on 4...a distinct advanatge when you are the quicker more skilled team in general.

Did anyone see Stan's vote of confidence for the team? He said the Hawks, as constructed presently, are good enough to win the Cup.

So I ask...is that just GM speak? Was he putting the spotlight on Q? As I watched that game last night, I was thinking...'there's a weakness....there's another....oh, one more'.

Ramenda, Bret Hedican and I think Logan Couture all made some remark about Crawford last night. I don't think many people in the hockey community hold his goaltending in high regard.

Yeah it as 4 on 4...a distinct advanatge when you are the quicker more skilled team in general.
- wiz1901

not to mention all that oh so open ice to skate with.

its why kane and keith play so well internationally

I think the biggest takeaway from last night, and something I have been skeptical about since 2010, is the Hawks were more that willing to engage physically.

Bickell was trucking people all over the ice and it was clear the sharks noticed when he was on the ice.

You even were getting a big hit here and there from hammer, kruger, brookbank, SHARP! That stuff is shades of 2010 that actually gets me excited and is worth the comparisons.

Make no doubt about it, the sharks were skating in motor oil last night in the third period, not sure if they are a for real team for a deep cup run because of this. Age shows on this team along with lack of speed with an intense and packed schedule.

Again, kudos to crawford for hitting the reset button and shutting the door.
- FourFeathers773

I agree and have to add :

See what happens when you piss off Bickell?

More interesting to me that after ten games, every game, the opposition interviews both coaching staff and players between periods openly say, "we do not want to get in a foot race with them (Blackhawks)."

I agree and have to add :

See what happens when you piss off Bickell?

More interesting to me that after ten games, every game, the opposition interviews both coaching staff and players between periods openly say, "we do not want to get in a foot race with them (Blackhawks)."
- wiz1901

eh, thats been the hawks scouting report for the past couple of years

Toews looked like 2010 WCF Toews last night. Granted he didnt score but he was a force all night. The strip of Boyle on the PK was a huge effort, if only he got it up!

hossa needs a left handed center. bolland with hossa wont work well
- FourFeathers773

False

Before being concussed two years ago Bolland and Hossa were playing together and tearing things up. Hossa's ability to hold the puck and draw players with Bollands ability to play behind the net when he has space was a nice dynamic

Did anyone see Stan's vote of confidence for the team? He said the Hawks, as constructed presently, are good enough to win the Cup.

So I ask...is that just GM speak? Was he putting the spotlight on Q? As I watched that game last night, I was thinking...'there's a weakness....there's another....oh, one more'.

Ramenda, Bret Hedican and I think Logan Couture all made some remark about Crawford last night. I don't think many people in the hockey community hold his goaltending in high regard.
- eburgio

Like in politics, say something enough times and everyone will believe it. In the meantime just look at the numbers...that is what he ACTUALLY HAS DONE. BTW Niemi was not impressive at all either.

Toews looked like 2010 WCF Toews last night. Granted he didnt score but he was a force all night. The strip of Boyle on the PK was a huge effort, if only he got it up!
- nickmo2699

toews has just turned into a complete animal on the boards. i RARELY ever see him lose a puck battle on the boards anymore