Look at the last few games of the series, TOI, and who he was out there against. The coaching staff will not agree with you.
- droe411

Bolland has a history with a Q...and that's a BIG, if not THE, reason why he is getting this role. Allow Shaw to run around and stir things up.....Hey, and god willing all the Bolland supporters find him his magic cape, since so far he's been M.I.A...For the Hawks to win, that line may very well be key....

You must be young
- HawkfaninBC

40 next year. that said my music preferences are a bit weird anyway.

no problem. i know you didn't mean it like that.

really surprised at the super over confidence. even your blogger seems to give the B's no shot or respect. just very similar to pens fans before last series.
- Fountain-San

Your guys get more respect here than on your own board. All we have heard all year is we need to be like the Bruins. If Lucic or Marchand or Horton need a handjob, have them come over to the board. Guys here would offer their wives up to these guys. They are Gods and legends.

In all seriousness, I am most interested in seeing how the Hawks start and if they can get a jump/lead Bruins. Will be a fun contrast in styles. Pens are great, but nowhere near as fast and skilled on the blue line.

Watch how many times CC is able to stop a dump in and make an outlet pass. This is what has mitigated some of the forecheck pressure that the hawks often struggle with. This is a new development in the playoffs that nobody talks about.

no problem. i know you didn't mean it like that.

really surprised at the super over confidence. even your blogger seems to give the B's no shot or respect. just very similar to pens fans before last series.
- Fountain-San

Pretty sure everyone is giving respect to the B's

I predicted this match-up for the finals before the playoffs started

I know you guys took down the offensive deity that is the Penguins team, but I think a child could have predicted the Bruins were going to advance.

It is surprising just how effective the Bruins were against them, but as everyone on here has been saying, their defense and their goalies sucked hard.

Rask is obviously better than Crawford but Crawford has been better than Voukun and Fleury this post season.

And just like the Kings did, it seems the Bruins are underestimating the Hawks overall team defense. The B's D is also impressive so only time will tell how this series plays out.

I am not overconfident like some people on here but I will be very surprised if this series doesn't at least go to 6 games.

Pretty sure everyone is giving respect to the B's

I predicted this match-up for the finals before the playoffs started

I know you guys took down the offensive deity that is the Penguins team, but I think a child could have predicted the Bruins were going to advance.

It is surprising just how effective the Bruins were against them, but as everyone on here has been saying, their defense and their goalies sucked hard.

Rask is obviously better than Crawford but Crawford has been better than Voukun and Fleury this post season.

And just like the Kings did, it seems the Bruins are underestimating the Hawks overall team defense. The B's D is also impressive so only time will tell how this series plays out.

I am not overconfident like some people on here but I will be very surprised if this series doesn't at least go to 6 games.
- teh_HAWKZ

totally. and no one in boston is discounting the hawks team D.

no problem. i know you didn't mean it like that.

really surprised at the super over confidence. even your blogger seems to give the B's no shot or respect. just very similar to pens fans before last series.
- Fountain-San

Tell us all why you think Boston will win? General statements like bigger and faster are great but support it with facts. The floor is yours....

no problem. i know you didn't mean it like that.

really surprised at the super over confidence. even your blogger seems to give the B's no shot or respect. just very similar to pens fans before last series.
- Fountain-San

You can't truly believe this. JJ picked the Hawks in 7 and basically said this was an incredibly hard series to predict and that he could easily see the Bruins winning this series.

You can moan about the fact that not everyone agrees with your opinion, but I can't recall a single person who has seriously suggested that the Hawks are going to skate all over Boston. People are giving the Bruins tremendous respect.

totally. and no one in boston is discounting the hawks team D.
- Fountain-San

Maybe not, but all the analysts and sports writers are.

I am really excited for tomorrow. You couldn't ask for a better match-up than this.

40 next year. that said my music preferences are a bit weird anyway.
- Fountain-San

I am in my mid 50's , I saw both Chicago and Boston in Vancouver and Edmonton many moons ago, they were both Awesome

oh come on they both suck.
- Fountain-San

haha yeah thats true

JJ, thanks for posting, but really, you have to look at all 4 lines and look at the defence for scoring. The Bs have been getting points from the D and from the 3rd and 4th lines. Look at the ice time for all 4 lines.

Listen i dislike both teams and don't give a shiite about original six or whatever. Fact is I dont have a dog in this race but would have to say the Bs gotta be favoured going in.

The Bs are gonna do what LA would have done if they hadnt been screwed over in round 2 (game 3 especially) by the refs and finished off SJ in 5 or 6 at most. The Bs will employ the gameplan the Canucks did to dismantle the hawks which you yourself wrote about during the season. They will ground and pound the Hawks into submission, all the while scoring 3-4 goals per game and having a solid goalchie and defence to reduce the Hawks scoring chances.

I'll take the Bs in 5. Maybe 4.
- kaptaan

Mark Lazerus‏@MarkLazerus21m
#Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews on watching the #Bruins hoist the Cup in 2011: "Mostly, I was just glad Vancouver didn't win."

totally. and no one in boston is discounting the hawks team D.
- Fountain-San

I have yet to read one post suggesting the Hawks are drastically better in fact the majority here believe it is pretty even. Believe it or not we all pick the Hawks to win because we are all .... wait for it ... HAWK FANS! If you can't get your head around it go watch reruns of One Day at a Time, and come back and tell us if that’s your anthem singer playing the part of Schneider.

I have yet to read one post suggesting the Hawks are drastically better in fact the majority here believe it is pretty even. Believe it or not we all pick the Hawks to win because we are all .... wait for it ... HAWK FANS! If you can't get your head around it go watch reruns of One Day at a Time, and come back and tell us if that’s your anthem singer playing the part of Schneider.
- paulr

Anthem singer = Schneider

Tell us all why you think Boston will win? General statements like bigger and faster are great but support it with facts. The floor is yours....
- golfbard

Rask outplays Crawford.

and Zedeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg. i like their chances of shutting down Kane and Toews than being skated all over by them.
i think the Krejci line and the Bergeron line hold their own just fine against your top 6 and i like our bottom better than yours.

That said it's going 7 and i'm not cocky enough to give it to the Bruins.

Again, what so many miss is the danger and threat. Vic has not hurt his team defensively. He actually can skate and gets back on the back check...he hustles, brings energy. But go ahead and play a tortoise, when you are chasing a goal late in the game, it will be fun counting all those important body checks....oh wait, he won't even be playing anyways...so whatever...

The team earns the right to play its identity. Still think it is weak to adjust to others before you even know if your guys will get the job done.
- TrueGrit

Q doesn't trust the guy......... Speed or no speed, Stalberg has done nothing. Even with his speed you think there would be some results, yet there isn't. 3 Assists, that's his playoffs. You don't just throw speed out there for the hell of it and call it an advantage. They use their speed to their advantage, if Stalberg had any interest in listening to the coaches he would be playing. I think he has checked out.

And this is not an argument for Bollig, but who else would you play? Carcillo would take so many penalties against Boston so count him out. That leave Mayers, count him out too. Don't give me the play Ben Smith line. Hasn't been here all year and won't be now. The only option is Bollig......

Rask outplays Crawford.

and Zedeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg. i like their chances of shutting down Kane and Toews than being skated all over by them.
i think the Krejci line and the Bergeron line hold their own just fine against your top 6 and i like our bottom better than yours.

That said it's going 7 and i'm not cocky enough to give it to the Bruins.
- Fountain-San

Q will split up Toews and Kane, to split up Z and Seidenberg. Will force Julien to decide who he plays against who? Julien will try to get Bergeron on ice vs Toews, and then the Hawks will put Bolland out there...chess match...

Rask outplays Crawford.

and Zedeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg. i like their chances of shutting down Kane and Toews than being skated all over by them.
i think the Krejci line and the Bergeron line hold their own just fine against your top 6 and i like our bottom better than yours.

That said it's going 7 and i'm not cocky enough to give it to the Bruins.
- Fountain-San

Looks like Kane and Toews are being split back up, that puts a small wrinkle in that plan.

Can somebody buy me tickets to the HOF Ceremony in Toronto when Stalberg, Bolland, Saad all get inducted? I want to be there......

1 of those 3 hopefully will be back with this team in October.

Somebody find Aaron Rowand or Mark DeRosa to help prep Bolland for post Chicago worship life, and how to cope....

Looks like Kane and Toews are being split back up, that puts a small wrinkle in that plan.
- droe411

looks like we just split up chara and seidenberg.

wrinkle ironed out.

Can somebody buy me tickets to the HOF Ceremony in Toronto when Stalberg, Bolland, Saad all get inducted? I want to be there......

1 of those 3 hopefully will be back with this team in October.

Somebody find Aaron Rowand or Mark DeRosa to help prep Bolland for post Chicago worship life, and how to cope....
- SteveRain

Saad will be a player, in the future. Bolland was a player, in the past. Stalberg, got his feelings hurt by Q.

Q doesn't trust the guy......... Speed or no speed, Stalberg has done nothing. Even with his speed you think there would be some results, yet there isn't. 3 Assists, that's his playoffs. You don't just throw speed out there for the hell of it and call it an advantage. They use their speed to their advantage, if Stalberg had any interest in listening to the coaches he would be playing. I think he has checked out.
- droe411

Again, I totally agree it is Q's call. I am pointing out that production in general from a lot of guys is mitigated in playoffs.

Again, big assumption that he does not listen to coaches. He was playing fine and doing his job before they effed with him. That if fine, that is Q's call. There is nothing anyone could have pointed to in 25s play in Minnesota series that was not consistent with his play throughout the year. Making up a conflict, real or not is all we can point to.

Lastly, as I pointed out before and we will see how it plays out, but Q is deciding that what has worked well all year, can't continue to work. His call, I get that, but why people can not see the logic is beyond me. A matter of philospophy...nobody can point to anything he is doing on the ice that shows he can't play or is not doing what he has done all year. All we get is the standard cliches....so be it...

Saad will be a player, in the future. Bolland was a player, in the past. Stalberg, got his feelings hurt by Q.
- droe411

Saad......I think so as well, but he's not replacing Hossa....any time soon.

Lets hope he nets his 1st playoff goal...we need him to show up on the scoresheet.

looks like we just split up chara and seidenberg.

wrinkle ironed out.
- Fountain-San

OK, I will take a Hossa or Sharp alongside Toews or Kane. There will be matchup issues, who gets the better of them will be who wins.

Hate putting Kane back with Zues. He finally gets hot and now Q puts him back with the guy he has no chemistry with. I would prefer seeing Bolland play with Bickell and Kane if he is splitting 19/88. And keep Shaw as our 3rd C.

Saad......I think so as well, but he's not replacing Hossa....any time soon.

Lets hope he nets his 1st playoff goal...we need him to show up on the scoresheet.
- SteveRain

We don't need to replace Hossa, he will be here until he no longer wants to be. I was hoping Saad would pot one earlier in the playoffs just to get the pressure off. I think Mr. Toews is going to have a big series, and for a little splashy prediction........... a good part of that will be on the PP!!!!!!