I had no huge issue with him. Looks like Pavel Freaking Bure compared to Zus.
- John Jaeckel

It is nice to not see Zus's plodding out there with Kane.

Anyone else notice Kane's shootout goal was a replay of TT's in the preseason. Actually thought TT's was smoother.

Agree on Rundblad. Not only looks limited in quickness but very indecisive as well. Very bad combination.

Glad to see Bickell step in for Sharp on Benn and Dillon. Agree with JJ - good to see Sharp show some "snarl".

Rousell cheap shots Toews... no response. Reasonable though as a penalty was called. Still would have liked someone to get in his face.

Rousell cross checks and goes at HOSSA after the whistle. No response by anyone on the ice or coming on. Not good.
- tredbrta

But a penalty there was called on Fiddler, I think - Rousell got away with it - should have been a second minor or even a major - brutal hit.

I had no huge issue with him. Looks like Pavel Freaking Bure compared to Zus.
- John Jaeckel

So Richards is Pavel and Zus was Valeri?

Hmmm, i was expecting a crawford is elite debate in here....
- stljam

I would think we're not that delusional. But I was expecting a, "if we only had Leddy on the third pair to transition the puck" debate.

Officiating in the games I have seen the last 2 nights has been terrible. They seem to have no directives to follow on interference etc... Last night you'd get an interference call and then see it 3-4 more times without a whistle.

Steve Walkom sucks.
- tredbrta

+ 1mm

But a penalty there was called on Fiddler, I think - Rousell got away with it - should have been a second minor or even a major - brutal hit.
- StLBravesFan

Totally agree. Just can see why no one addressed Rousell due to the whistle on Fiddler. Rousell was trying to intimidate all night. Scumbag.

I know it is game 1 but Q better find some confidence in that 4th line or find some other combinations until he can play it. See what their minutes are at home. Last night he would have to pull them off because Ruff kept getting Seguin's line out against them.

So Richards is Pavel and Zus was Valeri?
- stljam

Zus was Valeri's grandmother. Post mortem.

Anyone else think the PK looked really good? I know they got scored on once, but it seemed to me that they were actually pressuring the point men which is good because that passive D-shell they did last season was crap

Anyone else think the PK looked really good? I know they got scored on once, but it seemed to me that they were actually pressuring the point men which is good because that passive D-shell they did last season was crap
- BlazinMike

I thought it was fine. The reason teams are passive on the PK is because when you pressure the points it opens up the zone defense and good teams will poke holes all in it...so many teams play passive, close off the middle of the ice, negate passing lanes as opposed to pressuring. It's really a case of pick your poison at the NHL level.

Good Morning Guy's
After watching most of the game i thought we looked flat like they were sleepwalking. like i said last night i was happy to wake up and see we got two ugly points. did they start playing better or did they get the rust of their skates. hopefully they can get it together i dont want any of this flip the switch crap i want to see a solid 60 mins from them every night we cant take nights off in this conferance or division its gonna come down to the last game of the season to set this playoff bracket. isaid this in the summer time watch out for dallas our boyz have a target on their back becouse some of the A!# kicking we have been dishing out the past several seasons.

Good Morning Guy's
After watching most of the game i thought we looked flat like they were sleepwalking. like i said last night i was happy to wake up and see we got two ugly points. did they start playing better or did they get the rust of their skates. hopefully they can get it together i dont want any of this flip the switch crap i want to see a solid 60 mins from them every night we cant take nights off in this conferance or division its gonna come down to the last game of the season to set this playoff bracket. isaid this in the summer time watch out for dallas our boyz have a target on their back becouse some of the A!# kicking we have been dishing out the past several seasons.
- BGKarras

Bobby, I don't know if Q dressed the "real" players between the 2nd and 3rd period (who did he have out the 1st 2 periods), but they controlled the play in the 3rd. I hope this was a good test for them,and I hope they gained confidence and didn't forget that the games are 60 minutes long.

JJ, If I were writing a blog...that is about how I would capsulate it myself....well said.

Game 1...stole a few points...hopefully get a little more jump Saturday.

Wiz, the SD definitely sucks. I normally can see everything, but the puck dissappears in the antiquated TV...hockey, with HD has had to benefit for sure....

But I do love Daryl Reough, the Dallas guy you were knocking...he is their color guy...he is entertaining and in the end I find him to always be reasonable and fair in describing the outcome of a game, for his team or the opponent...but that is just me...

I have to wonder though, with all the off season talk of Richards coming in to fill that 2C roll and then...he plays 3C? Yes he is faster and more skilled than Zus, but in order to maximize his value, he needs to be playing with Saad and Kane. He needs their speed and skill...Just my humble opinion.

Anyone else think the PK looked really good? I know they got scored on once, but it seemed to me that they were actually pressuring the point men which is good because that passive D-shell they did last season was crap
- BlazinMike

How could it be good without Zus?

Totally agree. Just can see why no one addressed Rousell due to the whistle on Fiddler. Rousell was trying to intimidate all night. Scumbag.

I know it is game 1 but Q better find some confidence in that 4th line or find some other combinations until he can play it. See what their minutes are at home. Last night he would have to pull them off because Ruff kept getting Seguin's line out against them.
- tredbrta

Minutes were skewed because of all the special teams play both PK and PP. Lets see what shakes out in a "normal" game.

Good Morning Guy's
After watching most of the game i thought we looked flat like they were sleepwalking. like i said last night i was happy to wake up and see we got two ugly points. did they start playing better or did they get the rust of their skates. hopefully they can get it together i dont want any of this flip the switch crap i want to see a solid 60 mins from them every night we cant take nights off in this conferance or division its gonna come down to the last game of the season to set this playoff bracket. isaid this in the summer time watch out for dallas our boyz have a target on their back becouse some of the A!# kicking we have been dishing out the past several seasons.
- BGKarras

Agreed, their switches need to be flipped every night. The Western Conference is going to be a dogfight all year so teams (Hawks included)can't afford to give away any points.

Agreed, their switches need to be flipped every night. The Western Conference is going to be a dogfight all year so teams (Hawks included)can't afford to give away any points.
- jhawk159

Get used to it. You are not gonna see 60 minutes every night. An 82 game season is a grind. Every night you will have guys who are off their games, and very rarely will you see a full 60. They will play as well as they have to and stay in games. Every once in a while, they will get blown out, and sometimes you will see a 25 minute effort like last night that gets you points you maybe didn't deserve. It's the reality of a tough league. No one can put forth that kind of effort each shift, each and every night. The Hawks are a veteran laden team. They know what it takes and when to turn it on and off. We saw plenty of games over the last few seasons where they got badly outplayed, but showed the burst to come back and win games, and plenty where they started strong and then held on.

Like it or not that is the reality of the NHL.

Was not suprised to see Crow shut the door in the shootout. He had practice during the game, twice. Lucky win. Crow, point thief. YTD total 2

Anyone else think the PK looked really good? I know they got scored on once, but it seemed to me that they were actually pressuring the point men which is good because that passive D-shell they did last season was crap
- BlazinMike

That stand still penalty killing box was just blood boiling to watch

JJ,
Good read as usual. I noticed the Hawks struggling (again) to keep up with a bigger/skilled and physical team. I know the belief is that finesse always beats brute strength, but I still don't buy into it 100%. you see it all the time, a team that can out-physcial another team can make such a difference. I can't help but think that if the gimmick (shootout) didn't exsist, and there was more OT to be played, the outcome may have been different.
The Hawks are probably one of the smallest teams in the league and they have no physcial prescence- Bickell certainly doesn't use his size. I get a little nervous with a lot of teams, like Dallas for example, who bulked up and can play both the physical game as well as the skilled game.
Do you think teams like this will take their toll on the Hawks, as they continue to batter them around?
- Hank3Henshaw

Oh look! The same argument we've heard about the Hawks since the 2008-2009 season.

4 WCF appearances later
2 Cups

... I think they'll be just fine.

I do not mean this comment in anyway to be a "dbag". I'm just stating this has been the argument for YEARS and the Hawks (next to the Kings) have been the most dominant NHL team now going on for about 7 years.

Yes. The Hawks in the first and second looked to be sleepwalking.

Don't forget... they pretty much dominated that third and OT, as well.

JJ,
Good read as usual. I noticed the Hawks struggling (again) to keep up with a bigger/skilled and physical team. I know the belief is that finesse always beats brute strength, but I still don't buy into it 100%. you see it all the time, a team that can out-physcial another team can make such a difference. I can't help but think that if the gimmick (shootout) didn't exsist, and there was more OT to be played, the outcome may have been different.
The Hawks are probably one of the smallest teams in the league and they have no physcial prescence- Bickell certainly doesn't use his size. I get a little nervous with a lot of teams, like Dallas for example, who bulked up and can play both the physical game as well as the skilled game.
Do you think teams like this will take their toll on the Hawks, as they continue to batter them around?
- Hank3Henshaw

While I agree you need some physical presence and the Hawks have some and maybe not as much as others, however there's also the notion of playing big. Guys like Toews, Kruger, and others. They did that during the 2013 run. Also you mention finesse but don't forget speed. More times than not speed can expose a team's weakness in the playoffs over a long series. That's why you see the Hawks seemingly dominate late in series.

Anyone else think the PK looked really good? I know they got scored on once, but it seemed to me that they were actually pressuring the point men which is good because that passive D-shell they did last season was crap
- BlazinMike

Thought the PK and PP looked markedly better against a quick/athletic Stars team. If they play like that throughout the year, it bodes VERY VERY well for the Hawks this season.

While I agree you need some physical presence and the Hawks have some and maybe not as much as others, however there's also the notion of playing big. Guys like Toews, Kruger, and others. They did that during the 2013 run. Also you mention finesse but don't forget speed. More times than not speed can expose a team's weakness in the playoffs over a long series. That's why you see the Hawks seemingly dominate late in series.
- golfbard

DING DING DING!

Speed ALWAYS surpasses big/physical or even skilled teams. When you couple speed AND skill (as the Hawks have) your argument is spot on correct.

Bickell looked like he was skating faster and getting more physical in the third while riding with Toews and Kane.

I wouldn't mind seeing the Bickell/Toews/Kane line again for a few games. Also, I thought that the line of Sharp/Richards/Hossa looked alright too. I wouldn't mind seeing that line together for a couple of games.
- EKolb13

I've always thought that Bickell has played more aggressive and just better when he is with Toews and Kane. Really thought Q moved away from that line too quickly last year.

I've always thought that Bickell has played more aggressive and just better when he is with Toews and Kane. Really thought Q moved away from that line too quickly last year.
- vabeachbear

Bickell definitely one of those guys that plays to the level of his linemates IMO