Did you miss Hayes going to the net, then picking off the D-man and sealing him off with has butt?

How else could Oduya walk in so deep and unmolested to score?
- KingB

yes I saw the play..he sealed off the dman in front...but that play was made by pass of kane and skill of oduya to handle it and roof it over Brobo...I don't think his screen takes away from my main point of his awkward and at times clumsy skating and really did not do much of anything else out there. I am surprised his TOI was 15.0 only 3 minutes less than Toews. Cuz I don't remember seeing much of him in the 3rd period or OT. He did get a real nice shot off a Kane feed. Its one gme...maybe he is the answer to all the Hwks holes @ forward!

So will OTT...but he is not a TOUGH GUY EITHER. ...he's a grinder....westgarth' Neil Thornton Stoner Reaves. Bissonet Scott those are tough guys enforcer's. Clarkson is a skilled GRINDER
- southernhawk

Agree to disagree with ya...perhaps it's semantics.

I personally don't want any "enforcers" on my club...I want skilled tough guys.

And I'd lay money on my "grinder" Clarkson over "tough guy" Bollig every day of the week, twice on sunday's...

...and Clarkson would net 2 plus a helper as well....

Bolland
- rollpards19

nope

nope
- UnnamedSource

Why up so late?

I'm at work, that's my excuse.

Why up so late?

I'm at work, that's my excuse.
- ArlingtonRob

doing some writing..........felt inspired

doing some writing..........felt inspired
- UnnamedSource

Then I'll say good night...be productive and close hockeybuzz...

Adios.

Then I'll say good night...be productive and close hockeybuzz...

Adios.
- ArlingtonRob

Agree to disagree with ya...perhaps it's semantics.

I personally don't want any "enforcers" on my club...I want skilled tough guys.

And I'd lay money on my "grinder" Clarkson over "tough guy" Bollig every day of the week, twice on sunday's...

...and Clarkson would net 2 plus a helper as well....
- ArlingtonRob

I agree with ya there...the real issue is salary. ..Ott and Clarkson will cost you a ton...I think there trying to get carcillo to be more of that kind of player personally I would like a Nathan Horton....there's a true power forward that can score. ...but again he will cost ya

OMG...Bolland.....LIFT THE PUCK
- Hawkster

That's what happens when he does the deer in headlights instead of pulling the puck a foot closer or taking ONE TINY PHUCKING STEP CLOSER to roof it.

Right there I thought they'd had blown it figuring Bobrovski would outplay CC in the SO. Glad I was wrong on that.

Superstar? Not so much...

...get back to me when he wins a big draw.
- ArlingtonRob

Meant the nose candy not the superstar obviously

nope
- UnnamedSource

yep

That's what happens when he does the deer in headlights instead of pulling the puck a foot closer or taking ONE TINY PHUCKING STEP CLOSER to roof it.Right there I thought they'd had blown it figuring Bobrovski would outplay CC in the SO. Glad I was wrong on that.
- blackhawk24

Easy for us to make that criticism from the comfort of our La-z-boy, I admit I thought the same thing too, but there isn't a whole lot of time for most players to make that play. During the streak a few posters were mocking opposing players for not being able to hit open nets against Chicago. A big reason for that is Chicago's defensive game plan is to pressure the puck and give no one the time and space to make the play they want to forcing them to hurry plays. The same goes for Columbus who gave the Hawk players no time to make plays, they took away space to prevent Hawk players from using their speed and skill and they fought tooth and nail for 60 minutes making it awfully difficult for the good guys to get anything going.

If a team wants to see how to defeat the Hawks watch the game film from the 3 games Columbus played against them.

1. Take away the middle of the ice and force the Hawks to the boards, slowing them down through the neutral zone in the process.
2. Hit every Hawk at every opportunity, focusing on specific players, Oduya, Hjalmerson, Leddy, Keith, Hossa, Toews and Kane when you can line him up.
3. In the defensive zone line up along the blueline to slow down or stop the Hawks from gaining access in a controlled manner forcing the Hawks to dump it in and battle in the corners.
4. Make the Hawks play a game they don't want to, the hard game of battling along the boards for 60 minutes.

Easy for us to make that criticism from the comfort of our La-z-boy, I admit I thought the same thing too, but there isn't a whole lot of time for most players to make that play. During the streak a few posters were mocking opposing players for not being able to hit open nets against Chicago. A big reason for that is Chicago's defensive game plan is to pressure the puck and give no one the time and space to make the play they want to forcing them to hurry plays. The same goes for Columbus who gave the Hawk players no time to make plays, they took away space to prevent Hawk players from using their speed and skill and they fought tooth and nail for 60 minutes making it awfully difficult for the good guys to get anything going.

If a team wants to see how to defeat the Hawks watch the game film from the 3 games Columbus played against them.

1. Take away the middle of the ice and force the Hawks to the boards, slowing them down through the neutral zone in the process.
2. Hit every Hawk at every opportunity, focusing on specific players, Oduya, Hjalmerson, Leddy, Keith, Hossa, Toews and Kane when you can line him up.
3. In the defensive zone line up along the blueline to slow down or stop the Hawks from gaining access in a controlled manner forcing the Hawks to dump it in and battle in the corners.
4. Make the Hawks play a game they don't want to, the hard game of battling along the boards for 60 minutes.
- paulr

The only irony is that the Columbus did not beat the Hawks in 4 games this year. How is that a formula for beating Hawks? Just giving you a hard time.

Easy for us to make that criticism from the comfort of our La-z-boy, I admit I thought the same thing too, but there isn't a whole lot of time for most players to make that play. During the streak a few posters were mocking opposing players for not being able to hit open nets against Chicago. A big reason for that is Chicago's defensive game plan is to pressure the puck and give no one the time and space to make the play they want to forcing them to hurry plays. The same goes for Columbus who gave the Hawk players no time to make plays, they took away space to prevent Hawk players from using their speed and skill and they fought tooth and nail for 60 minutes making it awfully difficult for the good guys to get anything going.

If a team wants to see how to defeat the Hawks watch the game film from the 3 games Columbus played against them.

1. Take away the middle of the ice and force the Hawks to the boards, slowing them down through the neutral zone in the process.
2. Hit every Hawk at every opportunity, focusing on specific players, Oduya, Hjalmerson, Leddy, Keith, Hossa, Toews and Kane when you can line him up.
3. In the defensive zone line up along the blueline to slow down or stop the Hawks from gaining access in a controlled manner forcing the Hawks to dump it in and battle in the corners.
4. Make the Hawks play a game they don't want to, the hard game of battling along the boards for 60 minutes.
- paulr

The difference is with the Hawks playing tighter defensively/better goaltending, it is really hard to score goals unless you can open it up and skate with them.

The only irony is that the Columbus did not beat the Hawks in 4 games this year. How is that a formula for beating Hawks? Just giving you a hard time.
- TrueGrit

You know where I am going with this. If a rag tag outfit like the Jackets can slow the Hawks down, take their skill game away and force them to play a board game what can a team with some decent players using the same game plan do?

The difference is with the Hawks playing tighter defensively/better goaltending, it is really hard to score goals unless you can open it up and skate with them.
- rollpards19

You don't have to skate with the Hawks, Columbus sure can't. So Columbus forced Chicago to slow down and skate with them instead. As for scoring goals, the playoffs aren't generally high scoring and the best thing most teams can do is keep the score close as long as they can and in the end better defence, better goaltending and more physical play will decide the outcomes.

Easy for us to make that criticism from the comfort of our La-z-boy, I admit I thought the same thing too, but there isn't a whole lot of time for most players to make that play. During the streak a few posters were mocking opposing players for not being able to hit open nets against Chicago. A big reason for that is Chicago's defensive game plan is to pressure the puck and give no one the time and space to make the play they want to forcing them to hurry plays. The same goes for Columbus who gave the Hawk players no time to make plays, they took away space to prevent Hawk players from using their speed and skill and they fought tooth and nail for 60 minutes making it awfully difficult for the good guys to get anything going.

If a team wants to see how to defeat the Hawks watch the game film from the 3 games Columbus played against them.

1. Take away the middle of the ice and force the Hawks to the boards, slowing them down through the neutral zone in the process.
2. Hit every Hawk at every opportunity, focusing on specific players, Oduya, Hjalmerson, Leddy, Keith, Hossa, Toews and Kane when you can line him up.
3. In the defensive zone line up along the blueline to slow down or stop the Hawks from gaining access in a controlled manner forcing the Hawks to dump it in and battle in the corners.
4. Make the Hawks play a game they don't want to, the hard game of battling along the boards for 60 minutes.
- paulr

I'm far from an NHL player but real scorers lift it into what was over 3/4ths of the 6x4 opening. Sharpie buries it. Even certain Seabs would too, even as a D-man. Bolly just rushed it, pure and simple.

Edzo was even saying this from the start of the game, top shelf. He was advocating glove side and Bobrovsky does seem to have the glove hand a bit low. Guy drops down early too. 'Hawks look top shelf all night, not only is there no SO, there's no OT and they win by 2 or 3.

It's all good, they got the 2 pts. But it was still against a lower level team; the type of team they won't see in the playoffs.

As far as formula to beat the 'Hawks ... CLB has 2 standings points vs the 'Hawks this season in 4 games. The 'Hawks have 8. CLB may have theory and conjecture on their side. They simply have yet to reduce it to practice.

I'm far from an NHL player but real scorers lift it into what was over 3/4ths of the 6x4 opening. Sharpie buries it. Even certain Seabs would too, even as a D-man. Bolly just rushed it, pure and simple.

Edzo was even saying this from the start of the game, top shelf. He was advocating glove side and Bobrovsky does seem to have the glove hand a bit low. Guy drops down early too. 'Hawks look top shelf all night, not only is there no SO, there's no OT and they win by 2 or 3.

It's all good, they got the 2 pts. But it was still against a lower level team; the type of team they won't see in the playoffs.

As far as formula to beat the 'Hawks ... CLB has 2 standings points vs the 'Hawks this season in 4 games. The 'Hawks have 8. CLB may have theory and conjecture on their side. They simply have yet to reduce it to practice.
- blackhawk24

Granted, now say that formula is used by Anaheim, LA, Boston or Vancouver.

I'm far from an NHL player but real scorers lift it into what was over 3/4ths of the 6x4 opening. Sharpie buries it. Even certain Seabs would too, even as a D-man. Bolly just rushed it, pure and simple.

Edzo was even saying this from the start of the game, top shelf. He was advocating glove side and Bobrovsky does seem to have the glove hand a bit low. Guy drops down early too. 'Hawks look top shelf all night, not only is there no SO, there's no OT and they win by 2 or 3.

It's all good, they got the 2 pts. But it was still against a lower level team; the type of team they won't see in the playoffs.

As far as formula to beat the 'Hawks ... CLB has 2 standings points vs the 'Hawks this season in 4 games. The 'Hawks have 8. CLB may have theory and conjecture on their side. They simply have yet to reduce it to practice.
- blackhawk24

I'm sorry but this drives me crazy. Shooting high is really hard. Edzo always says shoot it under the crossbar, its like he never played the game. If NHLers could shoot high accurately goalies wouldn't be able to play butterfly

Granted, now say that formula is used by Anaheim, LA, Boston or Vancouver.
- paulr

I don't get your point. Everything you described is just good defense. Yes if a team plays perfect defense they'll probably win. But the Hawks always have the puck and the other team has to chase it if they want to score. Chasing gets teams out of position. And the teams you mentioned rarely play that way because they have too many players who like the puck.

I don't get your point. Everything you described is just good defense. Yes if a team plays perfect defense they'll probably win. But the Hawks always have the puck and the other team has to chase it if they want to score. Chasing gets teams out of position. And the teams you mentioned rarely play that way because they have too many players who like the puck.
- rollpards19

There are few teams who can skate with the Hawks, in fact I don't think there are any. So instead of trying to play the Hawks game force the Hawks to play a game they don't want to play a slow, hard hitting game in the trenches to see if the Hawks have the stomach to play that game. In fact I see pretty much any team setting up their game plan this way to deal with the Hawks speed.

I smiled when I saw it...common error.

I lived in Fayetteville for 3+ years...grad school as a Razorback.
- ArlingtonRob

Eat at Doe's - Eat at Herm's.

Granted, now say that formula is used by Anaheim, LA, Boston or Vancouver.
- paulr

Using a formula is different than executing a formula. And that's just one side of the equation. The other side then has to adjust accordingly.

And this whole discussion points to what? The 'Hawks needing to be more physical for the playoffs. Would love to see the 'Hawks - via trade, call up, current roster improvement, whatever - close the nightly gap in the hits column. Sure they have the speed, now they need to be tougher to play against. So when teams clog of the middle, etc as you point out, they can more easily adjust from the free flow game to the grinder game.

I'm sorry but this drives me crazy. Shooting high is really hard. Edzo always says shoot it under the crossbar, its like he never played the game. If NHLers could shoot high accurately goalies wouldn't be able to play butterfly
- rollpards19

Why should it drive anyone crazy. It's adjusting. If NHL'ers can't do it, who can then? Just look at the opening Bolly had in OT. Then look how far in front of him the puck was, with the goalie down and out and no D-man on Bolly. That's what should drive us nuts. Cuz leaving that opportunity on the table, against a good team, in the playoffs could come back to haunt the 'Hawks.

I know it's not easy to always roof it but when it's crystal clear (as it was to JO after Kaner's cross-ice saucer feed) the top shelf is the spot, they gotta go for it more. Force the goalie to make the high save.

yep
- rollpards19

That wasn't who I had heard.....