100% Correct here. Toews not scoring is an issue. Maybe with home ice, our brilliant coach could have found some opportunities to get Toews on the ice when Chara was on the bench ????? He doesn't have to roll 4 lines in tact every damn shift !! A good coach would realize the importance of finding "space" for our team leader and get him on the ice against the weaker D of the Bruins. Toews success is now critical to winning this thing.....and as his frustration is beginning to show again, the rest of the team will follow.
- Hawkytalk

This

Which again points to Hawks facing both the bruins and the zebras. LA va BOS I can understand swallowing the whistle, but allowing the Bruins to CHEAT in prder to prevent the Hawks from playing THEIR game, in other words, to adjust the rules to accomodate BOSTON'S playstyle, is unfair and BIASED.
- Q...argh

Boston isn't cheating. Boston knew as Chicago did that referees ALWAYS swallow the whistle in the playoffs, especially the finals. The difference is Boston chose to build their team for this fact while Chicago either tried to ignore it or thought they would reinvent the wheel.

75.3% who win game 2 win the cup. It's such a huge game.

Sadly, I think the hawks are done. Cc is a due for a meltdown and Boston is toughest place to win since 2008/09 playoffs.

Hope im wrong but I see a team full of scared little boys getting intimidated by a team full of men.
- SteveRain

Glad you're not playing Rain Man. No room for defeatists and white flag wavers.

Glad you're not playing Rain Man. No room for defeatists and white flag wavers.
- philco28

Calling it like I see it. I see team that has shown up for 25% of the games and now heads to Boston, scared, and w/o favorable matchups. Toews and Kane couldn't score with matchups...now what?

No pp.

No size.

Yet, all this board will talk about is the great stalberg and blah, blah, blah. Guy sucks and will be the most overpaid ufa this summer and will be bought out in 2 years. He's Tim Connolly.

Tell me how you see this team winning in Boston and taking 3 of 5. How? Pp? No. Out grinding the bs? No. Core showing up? No.

So how does it happen? I'm curious.

Boston isn't cheating. Boston knew as Chicago did that referees ALWAYS swallow the whistle in the playoffs, especially the finals. The difference is Boston chose to build their team for this fact while Chicago either tried to ignore it or thought they would reinvent the wheel.
- paulr

Hooking, holding, cross checking, interference, high sticking and slashing are rule violations, and it is cheating. If you contend that it is not, then there should be a different "playoff rule book" we can all look at? They selectively and arbitrarily call all sorts of penalties during the PO's; they just "use discretion" to keep the number of calls low and even.

Have you also noticed that the zebras went out of their way to even out the penalties again? 3-3 in game 1, and 3-2 in game 2. Gimme a break.

Alright everyone. Enjoy your Father's Days. Enjoy your kids and family.

Ill see you monday during the game. Hopefully everyone's new messiah stalberg will lead this team to victory.

I'm off to hang out in negative town.....

He needs to shut up and listen. Lots of opinions about hockey, not much actual insight.
- John Jaeckel

If you look at last years run the Kings PP sucked big time but they scored a lot of short handed goals. The first two games of the finals went to overtime last year and the Kings won both because they stuck to their system, or what got them there. There was never any panic. Quick made the saves when he needed to. Chicago seems to abandon what gets them their wins which is speed. The Bruins are clogging up the Neutral zone and forcing the Hawks on the outside which most shots are easily handled. It's the little things that make a champion when two teams are so evenly matched. I agree with John that Crawford is good but not good enough. The Kings said they could count on Quick when they're down a man and then take chances. Can the same be said for the Hawks?

Because Q is a "genius."
- Q...argh

Bickell is not on the Power Play because it's the old man Wirtz theory of attempting to under value him come contract time. "You didn't produce in the Finals so here's a mil a year for the next 4 years " . There is absolutely NO reason why Bickell is not on the first PP unit to station himself in front of the net where he's had considerable success so far this playoff season. IMO..... they do not want the media circus all over again when they don't sign ANOTHER big man in front of the net...... a la Dustin Byfuglien. And don't tell me that our big 4 forwards have to do a better job of net presence !! They don't have the size or strength to do it. In the playoffs.......... that should now be Bickell's job !!

Hooking, holding, cross checking, interference, high sticking and slashing are rule violations, and it is cheating. If you contend that it is not, then there should be a different "playoff rule book" we can all look at? They selectively and arbitrarily call all sorts of penalties during the PO's; they just "use discretion" to keep the number of calls low and even.

Have you also noticed that the zebras went out of their way to even out the penalties again? 3-3 in game 1, and 3-2 in game 2. Gimme a break.
- Q...argh

It's old. Didnt the hawks take 2 blatantly bad too many men in game 1? How's that evening out the calls?

Hawks are taking the same liberties. They are getting away with a lot as well.

The refs aren't the reason. Get over it.

Calling it like I see it. I see team that has shown up for 25% of the games and now heads to Boston, scared, and w/o favorable matchups. Toews and Kane couldn't score with matchups...now what?

No pp.

No size.

Yet, all this board will talk about is the great stalberg and blah, blah, blah. Guy sucks and will be the most overpaid ufa this summer and will be bought out in 2 years. He's Tim Connolly.

Tell me how you see this team winning in Boston and taking 3 of 5. How? Pp? No. Out grinding the bs? No. Core showing up? No.

So how does it happen? I'm curious.
- SteveRain

You know it was a one goal overtime loss right? The game after a 3OT win.

You're sounding like they got destroyed or something. How many times do people have to point out these are two good teams? It's the Final. You're not going to win every game and every period. People expected this to be a close series and it's exactly what we're getting.

Calling it like I see it. I see team that has shown up for 25% of the games and now heads to Boston, scared, and w/o favorable matchups. Toews and Kane couldn't score with matchups...now what?

No pp.

No size.

Yet, all this board will talk about is the great stalberg and blah, blah, blah. Guy sucks and will be the most overpaid ufa this summer and will be bought out in 2 years. He's Tim Connolly.

Tell me how you see this team winning in Boston and taking 3 of 5. How? Pp? No. Out grinding the bs? No. Core showing up? No.

So how does it happen? I'm curious.
- SteveRain

Yeah I don't see it, either without just really wanting it more. They need to find urgency. Toews and Kane making an appearance would be a big help. But I'm not sure what matchups Boston will employ. They seem to be doing fine with the matchups now anyway.

So, then - it's a question of making game-to-game adjustments: Boston did it in game two - more physical, better job of blowing up the Hawks' forecheck - now let's see if te Hawks can adjust and win one in Boston.

Some encouraging things that I noted at the end of the last blog:

Boston's top line had lots of hits (mainly Lucic) but only 2 SOG.

Boston had only 22 SOG in the last 53 minutes (after the first period, after they started dominating play) and have scored only 2 goals in the last 130 minutes of play. With all of their running around in the defensive zone, the Hawks' defense must be doing something right.

Hawks may lose two in Boston, but I don't see a blow out coming.
- StLBravesFan

Don't be rational, the sky is falling!!!

If you look at last years run the Kings PP sucked big time but they scored a lot of short handed goals. The first two games of the finals went to overtime last year and the Kings won both because they stuck to their system, or what got them there. There was never any panic. Quick made the saves when he needed to. Chicago seems to abandon what gets them their wins which is speed. The Bruins are clogging up the Neutral zone and forcing the Hawks on the outside which most shots are easily handled. It's the little things that make a champion when two teams are so evenly matched. I agree with John that Crawford is good but not good enough. The Kings said they could count on Quick when they're down a man and then take chances. Can the same be said for the Hawks?
- Kingsrit

.944%SP game 1, .929% SP game 2. WTF do you want, 100%???

The man gave up 3 goals in six periods in game 1, and 2 goals in 4 periods in game 2. How many goalies can beat that??? Find me a goalie who gets a freaking shutout every game. Find someone else to blame, and start with Captain Seriouslysucking ....

Hooking, holding, cross checking, interference, high sticking and slashing are rule violations, and it is cheating. If you contend that it is not, then there should be a different "playoff rule book" we can all look at? They selectively and arbitrarily call all sorts of penalties during the PO's; they just "use discretion" to keep the number of calls low and even.

Have you also noticed that the zebras went out of their way to even out the penalties again? 3-3 in game 1, and 3-2 in game 2. Gimme a break.
- Q...argh

I agree with this. Rules are rules. There should be a different rule book for the playoffs. I guess the key to winning a Cup is to have a few skilled players and a million muckers and grinders. That is what playoff hockey is. The beauty of the grinder

.944%SP game 1, .929% SP game 2. WTF do you want, 100%??? Find someone else to blame, and start with Captain Seriouslysucking ....
- Q...argh

I didn't say it's Crawfords fault, I said he's hasn't played well enough...

Shh.....the speed apologists don't want to hear this.

Fact is this is exactly the series the hawks should have had against la, but la was a patchwork team held together by medical tape. Outside of Horton, Boston is healthy.


- SteveRain[/img]

OMG, can't believe the guys have courage to get on the ice against these guys.

Wish there was some evidence out there of what works or does not work against the Bruins. Hey lets try to out Bruin the bruins...you know like the Penguins did. That worked out great.

Who gave Bruins biggest test? Leafs, who did what? After sitting their bangers down after the first few games, went with speed and playing THEIR game...and guess what? OMG, it was a series.

But lets keep REACTING to the opposing team, instead of imposing our game and using all of our STRENGTHS, but I know, they just can't work right...we all know this....because...whenever we have tried them....they freaking work...

OMG, can't believe the guys have courage to get on the ice against these guys.

Wish there was some evidence out there of what works or does not work against the Bruins. Hey lets try to out Bruin the bruins...you know like the Penguins did. That worked out great.

Who gave Bruins biggest test? Leafs, who did what? After sitting their bangers down after the first few games, went with speed and playing THEIR game...and guess what? OMG, it was a series.

But lets keep REACTING to the opposing team, instead of imposing our game and using all of our STRENGTHS, but I know, they just can't work right...we all know this....because...whenever we have tried them....they freaking work...
- TrueGrit

GOSPEL F'N TRUTH!!! This is precisely my biggest gripe with our so-called "genius" coach!

I didn't say it's Crawfords fault, I said he's hasn't played well enough...
- Kingsrit

... to win the game! Which is just using semantics to pin the loss on Crawford while giving yourself plausible deniability when confronted with the stupidity of that statement. OMG, at least have the nuts to say what you mean, and to stand by it.

Calling it like I see it. I see team that has shown up for 25% of the games and now heads to Boston, scared, and w/o favorable matchups. Toews and Kane couldn't score with matchups...now what?

No pp.

No size.

Yet, all this board will talk about is the great stalberg and blah, blah, blah. Guy sucks and will be the most overpaid ufa this summer and will be bought out in 2 years. He's Tim Connolly.

Tell me how you see this team winning in Boston and taking 3 of 5. How? Pp? No. Out grinding the bs? No. Core showing up? No.

So how does it happen? I'm curious.
- SteveRain

I appreciate your dour perspective, but we lost 1.... 1 goal game. Sure Boston imposed their will on us in the latter half of Game 2, but it's one game.

I'm not a Stalberg Kool-Aid guy. He's a great skater, but a turnover machine who needs diapers if he played in Boston. Wouldn't mind seeing Ben Smith, but his insertion is highly unlikely due to rust and fitness issues.

The answers to success are simple. Get the puck OUT FAST...no 3, 4, 5 passes inside our red/blue line and GET IT DEEP and GO GET IT.

Get Bickell, Shaw and Bolland in front of Rask as much as possible. That was strangely abandoned again by The 'Stache and his fellatio boys.

On the pp...GET IT DEEP AND GO GET IT. None of this Keith and Kane wussy A S S entry shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhit.

Have to get a lot of hard, low shots on Rask and look for rebounds. And most importantly....WE HAVE TO HIT. Lucic and Chara are getting a FREE RIDE.

Chris Kuc ‏@ChrisKuc
#Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews: "We just kind of let them play their way and we didn’t make them earn it. That’s a little disappointing."

Boston didn't EARN IT ? Toews is DELUSIONAL.
- philco28

You are correct. The guy never gives the opposition any credit. I don't know what drugs JToes is on, but he should take a reality pill instead. The Bruins executed their gameplan last night.

They set the tone early by hitting guys like Keith regularly and making the D nervous. The Hawks attack starts from the D with a good first pass or rush and if they are nervous its not going to happen. The Hawks are not going to keep up with the hitting, game in and game out. It takes a physical toll to lay a hit and to take a hit.

The Bs were content to play rope a dope the first period and then took it to the Hawks after they got into a lull. They couldn't get their legs back in the 2nd and it carried through to the third.

The crowd in Boston is going to pump up guys like Lucic and scum like Marchand. Bergeron, Jagr, Chara are stars in this league and will show it with the crowd support behind them.

It's not on the refs. Jesus Christ. How many pp have the hawks gotten? Boston got 2 freebies in game 1 b/c hawks can't make a change correctly.

You want to be pissed? Look at your gm who gave you a team full of smurfs where the past 2+ yrs teams built with size and physicality win.

See the hawks get their @sses pounded non stop?
- SteveRain

I'm very grateful for a team that got us to two Stanley Cup Finals in four years. Not too many teams that can say that. The GM must of done something right. The smurf crap is garbage. Hits through two games, the big bad Bruins 109, and the tiny feeble Hawks 95. All world big bad wolf 6'9" Zedena Chara blowing a tire, because 5'11" in heels Andrew Shaw is barreling down on him.

Calling it like I see it. I see team that has shown up for 25% of the games and now heads to Boston, scared, and w/o favorable matchups. Toews and Kane couldn't score with matchups...now what?

No pp.

No size.

Yet, all this board will talk about is the great stalberg and blah, blah, blah. Guy sucks and will be the most overpaid ufa this summer and will be bought out in 2 years. He's Tim Connolly.

Tell me how you see this team winning in Boston and taking 3 of 5. How? Pp? No. Out grinding the bs? No. Core showing up? No.

So how does it happen? I'm curious.
- SteveRain

First place, "all this board" does not look to Stalberg as the savior: some (like me) question the value of Bollig over him, especially when Bollig had bupkis in the hit department.

Second, winning in Boston is possible with the right adjustments: more physicality along the lines of game 1; Q working his line magic to somehow free up Toews, Kane, Hossa, Sharp; more of a full game of forechecking and putting pressure on Rask.

Can the coaches and players do that?

Bickell is not on the Power Play because it's the old man Wirtz theory of attempting to under value him come contract time. "You didn't produce in the Finals so here's a mil a year for the next 4 years " . There is absolutely NO reason why Bickell is not on the first PP unit to station himself in front of the net where he's had considerable success so far this playoff season. IMO..... they do not want the media circus all over again when they don't sign ANOTHER big man in front of the net...... a la Dustin Byfuglien. And don't tell me that our big 4 forwards have to do a better job of net presence !! They don't have the size or strength to do it. In the playoffs.......... that should now be Bickell's job !!
- Hawkytalk

Very plausible....grandpa and dad did rub off on Rocky. Does anyone remember how he complained to the media about how the Hawks were losing money after winning the Cup?

Of course, this is Chicago sports for you. Worrying more about nickels and dimes instead of winning Championships.

Let's use a bit of logic here, shall we? To all those who keep complaining that the Hawks aren't getting physical, and that they are built to a regular season speed and skill model while Boston is built on a grinding and bruising playoff model:

Might I ask, if that is the case (and I'm not denying it), then why in the HELL would you expect the Hawks to try and play THAT game and beat a team that is actually BUILT for it??? It won't happen. Maybe 2 games in 10. Not 4 out of 7! They need to play THEIR game to the best of their ability and attempt to beat Boston THAT way. That's like asking Steven Hawking to subdue a grizzly bear by wrestling him, instead of using his brain to set a trap for him. Common sense goes a long way.

... to win the game! Which is just using semantics to pin the loss on Crawford while giving yourself plausible deniability when confronted with the stupidity of that statement. OMG, at least have the nuts to say what you mean, and to stand by it.
- Q...argh

as I said I don't think it's Crawford fault. You can think what you wish as to my meaning. Like I said, when the Kings "D" was bad last year, Quick was all world!