Pretty grindy game. Liked what the 3rd and 4th line brought. If Minnesota keeps sending 2 or 3 guys at Kane, Zeus and Sharp are going to get some glorious chances.
- fattybeef

Agreed. Sharp was close a few times. Next game those posts are getting a dinging ...

Hawks came out flat last night...and played through it...although Corey's charmin soft goal to start things off didn't look great. Craw looked real solid after that.

But what's still unreal is the Hawks actually outhit the Wild. They really took the body last night.

Thought Harding played great for them. And Suter played what 40 mins...yikes.

Have to give credit to the Pizza Man that was a nice dish off the glass for sure.

Damn. Just saw the Oduya pass on NHL.com. Freaking amazing lead. Pizza man, hot and fresh delivery!

I was at the game, so I'm not sure if either the radio or tv call mentioned this, but it certainly seemed like Q was matching up our 4th line with their 1st line often.

that is insane. and I don't mean that in a bad way. we really have two second lines and REALLY, we have two first lines, one second line and one third line.

didn't notice Parise or Koivu all night - Suter is fantastic (much better than I gave him credit for in the past) but those minutes are going to have to eat him up by the end of this series.

fun time.
- dr_boloney

Koivu did a few good things. Parise was the ghost out there aside from his point blank shot on Crow. Maybe he's still tired from last year.

If I were a Pens fan I'd be more worried about the concussion Crosby has, that no one is talking about, then another team who won last night.
- paulr

ZING!!!

Stahlberg, and to a lesser extent Bickell, are going to get some ridiculous money in Free Agency from somebody this offseason.
- buffalofan19

Bickell's new deal is basically done (with the Hawks). You are probably right on Viktor.

Once Backstrom went out, I know the league offices called the refs and told them to make a series out of it. Watching the game proves it.

I thought for a moment there that Brandon Bollig was going to score the winner there in overtime...followed by reports of a naked John Jaeckel running down High St....
( Hey! Full marks to B-52. The 4th line was really good last night. And while 16 & 67 are higher in the pecking order, it wasn't like Bollig held that line back in anyway.)

I thought Suter was just a beast last night. What did he play? 41 minutes TOI.... he can't possibly keep that up. Although Yeo, who I don't think is much of a coach, might try. I think that might have been the Wild's best shot, and the Hawks won. This series might be over quicker than the 5 games i thought it was going.
- yahoodi

B52 is sort of like Herman Munster with a ton of energy out there. And then he lets that shot go and everyone is like "WTF was that?!"

That line was very good. IMO, although the top PP guys got one goal, the lower lines won the game. Suter can't platy 60 minutes. it's that simple.

I thought all 4 lines looked decent. I would have liked to see the 4h line get more minutes during 5-on-5 play, though. And as people brought up. Playing a team missing their #1 goalie with 2 of their top 4 injured, this game should not have been this close

Once Backstrom went out, I know the league offices called the refs and told them to make a series out of it. Watching the game proves it.
- powerenforcer

Seemed at times like the linesmen were trying to slow the game down, that's for sure. Plus, the worst ref currently in the NHL—Tim Peel— was out there last night.

Koivu did a few good things. Parise was the ghost out there aside from his point blank shot on Crow. Maybe he's still tired from last year.
- teh_HAWKZ

Credit the Hawk bluline and the fourth line. When your fourth line can be your shutdown line and you have three scoring lines, that is a very tough matchup for a 1-2 line team like MN.

Hawks did not play their best game last night, MN arguably did (albeit without Heatley and Pominville). Hawks were down a good top 9 forward too.

Once Backstrom went out, I know the league offices called the refs and told them to make a series out of it. Watching the game proves it.
- powerenforcer

You may want to loosen your tin foil beenie there Bud.

You may want to loosen your tin foil beenie there Bud.
- paulr

B52 is sort of like Herman Munster with a ton of energy out there. And then he lets that shot go and everyone is like "WTF was that?!"

That line was very good. IMO, although the top PP guys got one goal, the lower lines won the game. Suter can't platy 60 minutes. it's that simple.
- John Jaeckel

B52 is driving me nuts with his insistance on doing his Mike Bossy impersonation, standing in the slot looking for a one timer instead of going to the net and creating a disturbance. While the line played very well last night they have more chance of scoring with Big Bollig camping in front of the crease.

B52 is driving me nuts with his insistance on doing his Mike Bossy impersonation, standing in the slot looking for a one timer instead of going to the net and creating a disturbance. While the line played very well last night they have more chance of scoring with Big Bollig camping in front of the crease.
- paulr

Good point, but you have to believe the coaching staff is telling him to get open for a shot, as he's basically been doing that all year.

Doesn't seem possible that Minnie could win 4 out of 6 from the Hawks.
- StLBravesFan

I didn't it possible to win 4 out of 7...

agree with JJ on all points...it looked like they were going to get coyoted again...wasn't that really M Smith in net?

I don't think the wild are not as deep as the Phx team last year...in particular at the blueline.....Suter playing half the gme....good luck with that over the rest of the series.

They have to play a extremely disciplined defensive gme...if bstrom is out...Harding can't play like that the whole series none-the-less what truly gutty/remarkable performance.

You may want to loosen your tin foil beenie there Bud.
- paulr

Just what Bettman wants, an owner who spends like an idiot, then cries poor, finally have that team swept in a series that isn't even close. Great for business. the perfect sales pitch for future owners.

Konopka was lucky to not get a penalty and his ass kicked for cross checking and driving Toews face into the ice in the Wild crease. Even Steven.
- Ogilthorpe2

Is it just me, or did the way Konopka grabbed the back of Toews' head and drove it into the ice look eerily similar to the Bertuzzi incident. I'm really surprised nobody came to give him the business.

Seemed at times like the linesmen were trying to slow the game down, that's for sure. Plus, the worst ref currently in the NHL—Tim Peel— was out there last night.
- John Jaeckel

and these guys are suppossedly the highest graded refs...I wonder what criteria they use. Peel...not a fan!!

...WHOEVER argued for Shaw to be picked by us in the 5th round deserves a HUGE RAISE
- philco28

+1000

I love that we finally have one of those energizer bunnies that every other team hates. Pesky Pete.

Worst Officiating I've ever seen in an NHL Game.

They better get control of all the "After the whistle Stuff" or it may become a blood bath..

Seemed at times like the linesmen were trying to slow the game down, that's for sure. Plus, the worst ref currently in the NHL—Tim Peel— was out there last night.
- John Jaeckel

What's with their incessant desire to throw guys out of the dot? Half of them were total BS. It's funny that the first 2 players can't get it right half the time, but throw out 1 and bring in a 3rd and there's a 100% success rate on actually dropping the biscuit.

I must have yelled at least a half dozen times, "DROP THE PHUCKING PUCK!"

NHL officially announced Hawks/Pens at Soldier Field on March 1, 2014

http://www.nhl.com/ice/ne...668718&navid=nhl:topheads

Just what Bettman wants, an owner who spends like an idiot, then cries poor, finally have that team swept in a series that isn't even close. Great for business. the perfect sales pitch for future owners.
- powerenforcer

And Bettman does this to arguably the most influencial owner (Wirtz) in the league? C'mon!

Worst Officiating I've ever seen in an NHL Game.

They better get control of all the "After the whistle Stuff" or it may become a blood bath..
- Bambino68

What after the whistle stuff? Last night was as tame a game as you're going to see.