ducks hold serve 3-1 with an empty netter....so my pick of wings in 7 not so good so far

Watching McKinnon in Halifax all year I just have to say, if an option to get that draft pick is available by moving TT Bowman has to seriously consider this deal. McKinnon will be a franchise player.
- Ballam

MacKinnon over TT 8 days a week.

I don't like the neutral zone trap anymore than you but what are the Wild supposed to do, skate with the Hawks? Give credit where it is due, the Wild know the only way they have a chance is to slow the Hawks down and limit their chances. The Wild are doing a huge service for the Hawks, they are making the Hawks earn everything and that will be a benefit in later rounds.
- paulr

Your point is valid. I just hate teams like the Predators, Wild, Devils who play that style of game. Barry Trotz, Jacques Lemaire, Lou Lamorello, Guy Boucher and those types of coaches can go f$ck tmeselves.

Darryl Sutter will say nothing about the physical play in the press but I think there will be some payback by some of the big boys on the Kings. I hope both teams pound each other into oblivion.

Quick had no support from his defence but he was awful slow deciding what to do with the puck.
- RickJ

yeah...you can't hang on back there and allow yourself to be forechecked like that....he's a world class cup winning goalie...you can't do that; after seeing again i have to say one helluva play by steen to force the issue, i think this surprised quick

That pass by Kane was outstanding. I thought the same thing about the team putting it out of reach but if you notice they don't take chances, they play a solid game giving the opposition few chances then striking when the opportunity is there. I have invested into Depends stock just for these playoffs!
- paulr

Still thought we were very leaky...Wild had many chances to win this one. We ESCAPED.

TSN boys with a great opening brief showing why Jon Quick is a wandering menace...just like Belfour was. He won a Cup and i think he's a great tender...but stay in the blue ice icehole and let your d field and clear pucks.

Still thought we were very leaky...Wild had many chances to win this one. We ESCAPED.
- philco28

a very poor lethargic start vs a guy in net who had not played much in 2 months...

the wild had some grt quality chances but craw kept it out; other wise my friend its deja vu all over again and the hwks get coyoted again: carry the play, goalie stands on head while the team in front plays the rope a dope style and they get a couple of bounces and opportunities win the gme.

I actually thought parise shot was going in and gme over!!

a very poor lethargic start vs a guy in net who had not played much in 2 months...

the wild had some grt quality chances but craw kept it out; other wise my friend its deja vu all over again and the hwks get coyoted again: carry the play, goalie stands on head while the team in front plays the rope a dope style and they get a couple of bounces and opportunities win the gme.

I actually thought parise shot was going in and gme over!!
- bogiedoc

We played a good game but could have LOST this game at several points. So GLAD we won. But it's one game....take it and move forward.

Notice that since they moved Keith to the right point he has been getting more pucks through as shots or passes? This might be what gets the Hawk powerplay going again.

Notice how much Suter gambled on Oduya's pass, guy is going to be dead by the end of this series
- rollpards19

For several years I felt all the heaped on praise Shea Weber was mostly "cannon-shot" related that had very little to do with some strong precense that worked the Preds out of trouble in their end...it was always Suter being there than balanced the two. I am not saying Weber wasn't bulky or edgy enough to throw some weight, but a possible Norris always seemed like the praise was point total related accolade, and Suter was the defensive glue behind the pairing.

They started the year over-using their 10 million new toy Suter, simply because he let them do so many more things since they never had one that able.
They backed off and slowed his minutes in the middle, but let's face it they need a few more upgrades there beside Brodin who is an excellent prospect the are pulling a Leddy on by over using him.

Coach q and his staff seemed to purposefully not change their attack plan for the netire first, and then adjusted in the second, and when the Wild adjust to that, the Hawks sent the wingers evevn deeper to get all those breaks.

2010 US draft pick l'il Jason Zucker said it all in his play------you can't beat speed and fortunately we have a lot of it, and that is gonna be a continual problem for the Wild and and opponents...

PAUL "I too am worried that Oduya starts shying away and begins giving the puck away."

I thought he gave a lot more than he shied away from....

and you guys can pick up the nicknames from other team fans for him, bur he was really good with that long stretch, and quick to most pucks, pushes, and rubs...I thought he was really good.

and for all the desire for a big behemoth back there...did you notice the times things had some unraveling in the defensive zone, how our quick-footed dee-men rocket out with the carries to penetrate the red line...and that marvelous on by Leddy?

Hawks had 40 really solid hits ....


If the referees continue to let the teams play without piddly whistles, the Hawks can at least control their fate somewhat....

We played a good game but could have LOST this game at several points. So GLAD we won. But it's one game....take it and move forward.
- philco28

Whose the crankypants now?

You take em everyway you can win em... and this was still a very solid win...


Heck most games I watched this year by most teams COULD have been lost early.

The Championship Cup hawks could have lost THAT series with breakdowns that happened to them...that was no steamroller team that won....but it all about the adjustments, patience, hockey smarts, bounces, and luck....

PAUL "I too am worried that Oduya starts shying away and begins giving the puck away."

I thought he gave a lot more than he shied away from....

and you guys can pick up the nicknames from other team fans for him, bur he was really good with that long stretch, and quick to most pucks, pushes, and rubs...I thought he was really good.

and for all the desire for a big behemoth back there...did you notice the times things had some unraveling in the defensive zone, how our quick-footed dee-men rocket out with the carries to penetrate the red line...and that marvelous on by Leddy?

Hawks had 40 really solid hits ....


If the referees continue to let the teams play without piddly whistles, the Hawks can at least control their fate somewhat....
- wiz1901

Oduya played a great game last night he used his speed and was uncharacteristically physical but two years of watching him has told me that if he is hit allot he WILL give the puck away. Hopefully the hitting the Hawks are doing carries on and Oduya doesn't revert back to how he normally plays.

Correct....Shaw's hit was huge and was the catalyst of the play but that play needs the speed of Stalberg to happen. There are a lot of people on here who fail to see the value of Stalberg and I wanted to point to this as an example.....the only other player on the team that can catch up to that puck is Leddy......The third line was the best all night.
- UnnamedSource

Bingo,~ you are absolutely right about Shaw's hit, Stalbergs straightline speed,
and Leddy's jump all night.

I loved that approacheds the Neutral zone clog with patinece and actually were methodical at no rushing, then adjusting withe Hawk wings spreadibng them , and the readjusting after Minny readjusted.

And Crawford was at Crawford's best.
It will now be up to him to have his glove hand ready while close the right goal bar...

Oduya played a great game last night he used his speed and was uncharacteristically physical but two years of watching him has told me that if he is hit allot he WILL give the puck away. Hopefully the hitting the Hawks are doing carries on and Oduya doesn't revert back to how he normally plays.
- paulr

To me, I feel Oduya almost all these pro defensemen almost all to things that most normal people cannot, and if fact 75% would be stars in the original six, maybe playing forward....but the strength, agility and contorting required almost each shift is freakish, so the castrating of any of them for what happening in a team game where they are basically outsized with last strike puts them under my blog protectorate.

Honestly, when I was a wee one I marvelled at the novelty of the pro player's abilities, but now, I it staggers me.

In the Hawk Cup year I was sitting in the 3rd row at the half boards were Kaner sets up.

I grew up watching from behind the gaol where the hawks shoot twice, or in corners in away buildings all not so clos and personal...it is not like I was a first time fan and basically was trained to follow from seven years of age (in the Chicago Stadium balconies)...

Well while sitting close, I was totally amazed with the how fast the wall work and cycles evolved...and even more with how a player in the corner could decide they were gonna come out and go straight for the paint...you could see it in their eyes, that that was where they were headed.....but it still surprised me how quickly they bursted and were there!

I under most College offensive lineman would probably beat me in a twenty foot race at 300 pounds but when you see the edging these pro players have and the way they use they body/balance, I am still in awe....I gues that is why its my first love (or at least that's what my wifes says....to the guy who watched last nights game twice one on NBC feed and one on H N in Canada ...to actually try and get a two sided perpective.
I have the nightime posts here to prove it.

I love the Cup games...and I think the WEST games are gonna be knock down drag em out battles for all the possible future Hawks opponents.

The hawsk hit a lot of Wild dee-men over and over...too bad the team roster had a designated spot for Bolligs as a 13th forward, because he was extremely effective closing down in his limited minutes...

I apologize if this name has been thrown around already. I just read the article and there are 39 pages of comments... Not gonna read those... anyway if the hawks are trading up to the 2 spot would they take a guy ranked lower in the draft order? someone like fred gauthier? big, heavy center. Not sure of his speed but had a pretty good year in the Q. I also wouldnt mind seeing Darnell Nurse get drafted. Could be a Big Buff replacement.