I think Kane might run wild this series. He's rested, his line is clicking. His track record versus ANA this season is very strong.
- John Jaeckel

It's mid-May so 14 weeks must be up and Kane is back, oh wait.

He was +18 in limited time. Does he do everything I would like a Dman to do? No. What that number tells me though is his team scored more when he is on the ice than they allow.

I trust Q to put him in situations to allow him to play to his strengths. Something Q does very well for the most part.
- Elbows15

I think all of us are putting our faith in Q at this point given the situation.
Q's been a master of match-ups and this year has been no exception. In fact, I think this year he really has been quite masterful. I didn't expect a sweep of the Wild but the Q blender with the lines he came up with simply worked.

I am hoping for the same result and quick disposition of the Ducks. Every game they don't have to play to get to the Finals would be that much less wear on the top 4.

It's mid-May so 14 weeks must be up and Kane is back, oh wait.
- golfbard

I had Kane's return pegged at around May 23rd. Shows what I know.

Here's hoping for shutouts in Anaheim so I don't have to listen to that ridiculously annoying goal horn at the Pond. What the heck is that?

I know most people had the Hawks winning against the Preds...I also know that almost everyone had the Hawks Wild going 7, and some saying the Wild would win while others that the Hawks would win with some saying it is too close to call

I guess what I'm saying is it depends which Hawks team is going to show up,and which Crow is going to show up too...Ducks are an excellent team and shouldn't be thought of as weak because they had an easier path to the WCF...I also know that they don't have the D that the Preda do, nor a Suter type that the Wild do...but they have 2 superstar fwds in Getzlaf and Perry plus Kesler

One thing that worries me is did Kane possibly play his best already against the Wild? Is it realistic for Hawks fans to think he can keep tearing up any team that comes along? Hawks are gonna need even more depth scoring this round-Shaw,Bickell,Vermette,Teravainen are all going to need to step it up, and the D is going to need to be top notch now with Rozy gone....ugh not feeling good
- captainserious

Yes. Showtime is that good. Razzle freakin Dazzle all the way to the Ship.

I think all of us are putting our faith in Q at this point given the situation.
Q's been a master of match-ups and this year has been no exception. In fact, I think this year he really has been quite masterful. I didn't expect a sweep of the Wild but the Q blender with the lines he came up with simply worked.

I am hoping for the same result and quick disposition of the Ducks. Every game they don't have to play to get to the Finals would be that much less wear on the top 4.
- savvyone-1

A bit over stated to me. Q did a good job of keeping their minutes down all season by playing Rozy so much. They also have a week off between each series. Q has been coaching all season for exactly this point in the season. IMO.

In regards to your Hab post of earlier. Who is Courneyor? Cause that little SOB gave the Hawks fits.
- Elbows15

By the that time the Roadrunner must have been in his mid 30's. So older than Kane, about Sharp's age.

In regards to your Hab post of earlier. Who is Courneyor? Cause that little SOB gave the Hawks fits.
- Elbows15

Easily the quickest between the blue lines in the game back then. Just about every pass to him was a sucker pass because he was always having to look back to recieve it. Good guy too.

CHI's faceoff guys this year:
Toews 56.5%
Vermette 55.3%
Kruger 53.3%
Shaw 50.1%
Richards 48.4%

ANA's faceoff guys this year
Kesler 56.3%
Thompson 52.7%
Getzlaf 50.6%
Karlsson 48.8%
Rakell - 46.6%


Not sure how ANA has the faceoff advantage here...

Go Hawks Go!

The Ducks must go down! Especially Perry!
- whipper334

Perry is a colossal knob. Don't know if there's a dirtier "star" player in the league.

Here's what it boils down to:

-The Hawks elite forwards > The Ducks elite forwards
-The Hawks bottom six > The Ducks bottom 6
-The Hawks top 4 D, All better than anything the ducks can ice on D
-Q > Boudreau
-JT best Captain in Hockey surrounded by guys who've been there/done that

The only hope Anaheim has to make it interesting is that great equalizer known as poopty NHL officiating. There's just no accounting for that.

Hawks in 5.

And so it has been written.

Edit to add: Crawford > Anderson

Perry is a colossal knob. Don't know if there's a dirtier "star" player in the league.

Here's what it boils down to:

-The Hawks elite forwards > The Ducks elite forwards
-The Hawks bottom six > The Ducks bottom 6
-The Hawks top 4 D, All better than anything the ducks can ice on D
-Q > Boudreau
-JT best Captain in Hockey surrounded by guys who've been there/done that

The only hope Anaheim has to make it interesting is that great equalizer known as poopty NHL officiating. There's just no accounting for that.

Hawks in 5.

And so it has been written.
- Ogilthorpe2

Yep. Concerned the refs will be hiding the whistles before the games. Just when it looks like it can get no worse, the NHL surprises us with a year like this

Perry is a colossal knob. Don't know if there's a dirtier "star" player in the league.

Here's what it boils down to:

-The Hawks elite forwards > The Ducks elite forwards
-The Hawks bottom six > The Ducks bottom 6
-The Hawks top 4 D, All better than anything the ducks can ice on D
-Q > Boudreau
-JT best Captain in Hockey surrounded by guys who've been there/done that

The only hope Anaheim has to make it interesting is that great equalizer known as poopty NHL officiating. There's just no accounting for that.

Hawks in 5.

And so it has been written.
- Ogilthorpe2

Agreed.

Again , I called the HAWKS IN 4 vs. Minnesota . Anaheim has a tad more push back ability but if the rosters are as they stand I also have the Hawks in 5.

Plusssss if Perry is hurt at all you can count the Ducks way out. All Timo and Runsbad have to do is get the out past the defensive face off dots and the Hawks will be fine.
Anaheim has one #2 D man and a bunch of #3s...That isnt good enough to stop this group of 12 Hawks forwards.

Duby>>>>>> Anderson.

If the Hawks keep the trend of scoring 1st the Ducks will be chasing the puck too much and again in DEEP poop

Perry is a colossal knob. Don't know if there's a dirtier "star" player in the league.
- Ogilthorpe2

Ovechkin.
He of the cheap/dirty hits when players' backs are facing him at the boards.
Got to be right at the top of the list, no?

(oh and I did think the rest of your post was good)

Ovechkin.
He of the cheap/dirty hits when players' backs are facing him at the boards.
Got to be right at the top of the list, no?

(oh and I did think the rest of your post was good)
- savvyone-1

Ovi had a hit on McDonagh last night , who left the game (but ended up coming back)

Wow what a series this is gonna be! I am one of the few here in STL that had said from the beginning don't count out the Hawks! They are the team to beat. Kane or not they still are and were the team to beat. Yeah my Blues are the Cubs of hockey!

Congrats and good Luck!

Saying that this series is gonna be the best of any series that could or will come. Either of these teams will most likely win the Cup. The East won't match up.

This should be a 7 game contest. Great offense by both teams. Both teams are deep up front. On defense you in Chicago have and awesome 4some in Keith, Seabrook, Odouya and Hammer. Ducks do not have the names or the superstar status of Chicago, but they play well as a 3 line unit. After the Hawks top 4, there's a huge drop off.

Upfront yeah so here come the STL outta me they are going to have a tough time with the Perry Getzlaf and Maroon line. Patrick has gone from a prospect to a man this year. Size can't be taught. In front of the net he has magical hands. Beware!

I am pulling. Only for the Ducks as an admitted homer in Pat....but it wouldn't surprise me to see the Hawks do it again. They are the cream of the crop when the Cup is on the line.
- ECBloosier

Maroon is 27 years old. He is older than Kane and Toews. I know that seems really young compared to the Blues core....

I am more concerned about Silverberg. He has come into his own defensively. Belaskey is solid too. This assumes Boudreau really tries to match lines though. Very hard to do when you essentially play 3 lines and seem to be day dreaming about menu choices during the game.... Sort of the way Hitch dreams about making opposing players bleed.

While that is the case, most coaches like one Lefty and one Righty in a pairing... so doing Seabs/Rundblad is 2 rightys and KT and Keith is 2 lefties.

I expect blended pairings roughly broken out to something like this

27/4- 21 minutes a game
2/7- 16 minutes a game
2/5- 8 minutes a game
44/7- 7 minutes a game
2/4- 4 minutes a game
27/7- 2 minutes a game
44/5- 2 minutes a game

28 for Keith
25 for Hammer
25 for Seabs
23 for Oduya
10 for Runblad
9 for Timonen
- gnosox1986

hope to hell they avoid OT let alone double or triple OT games...Oh and pls none of these guys get hurt or suspended or thrown out of games

Yep. Concerned the refs will be hiding the whistles before the games. Just when it looks like it can get no worse, the NHL surprises us with a year like this
- grinder10

For all of us conspiracy nuts, as the nhl shows a horrible east coast bias it would be in their best interest to see a rangers/habs EC finals. Why? ratings. The largest market in all of the US and a good majority of Canada will invest a rooting interest in their last team fighting for the right to play in the finals. If this occurs, look for that one to go to 7 games. The league has been pushing Ovi hard as a hero his entire career with mixed success (an absolute beast who does play over the edge at times) . But the risk of this is pushing a Russian as the face of the NA league. What's Comrade Putin been doing lately.... The lightning are a hell of a club with a good looking captain, who for all intents and purposes is one dimensional. How big of a share does TB bring in on a nightly basis.... I believe the rangers were given their big chance last season and failed. Anaheim as a draw....look at their top two and enough said. I won't say anything about the Hawks except this: in the top 7 games this year broadcast(in ratings numbers) by nbcsn the Hawks were involved in 5 of them.

And I will take off my tinfoil hat now.

Francois Beauchemin is in their top pairing. Think about that. Pretty good defenseman, but he's maybe #4 on the Hawks.

Again, all the matchup pressure is on Boudreau to try to stop the Hawks, not the other way around
- John Jaeckel

That top pair has looked really good. This could be because of the quality of opposition though. Simon Despres looked really solid in both rounds FTMP. How they got him straight up for a 31 year old Ben Lovejoy really is confounding. The Pens are not in the best of hands.

I'm really hoping the Ducks dominance is skewed by the teams they played but I am concerned.

Ovechkin.
He of the cheap/dirty hits when players' backs are facing him at the boards.
Got to be right at the top of the list, no?

(oh and I did think the rest of your post was good)
- savvyone-1

Have to keep the Sons of Anarchy crowd happy

For all of us conspiracy nuts, as the nhl shows a horrible east coast bias it would be in their best interest to see a rangers/habs EC finals. Why? ratings. The largest market in all of the US and a good majority of Canada will invest a rooting interest in their last team fighting for the right to play in the finals. If this occurs, look for that one to go to 7 games. The league has been pushing Ovi hard as a hero his entire career with mixed success (an absolute beast who does play over the edge at times) . But the risk of this is pushing a Russian as the face of the NA league. What's Comrade Putin been doing lately.... The lightning are a hell of a club with a good looking captain, who for all intents and purposes is one dimensional. How big of a share does TB bring in on a nightly basis.... I believe the rangers were given their big chance last season and failed. Anaheim as a draw....look at their top two and enough said. I won't say anything about the Hawks except this: in the top 7 games this year broadcast(in ratings numbers) by nbcsn the Hawks were involved in 5 of them.

And I will take off my tinfoil hat now.
- sgt1480

Interesting.
Did you work with Powerenforcer on this latest piece?

Have to keep the Sons of Anarchy crowd happy
- sgt1480

Interesting.
Did you work with Powerenforcer on this latest piece?

- savvyone-1

Just saying. I get a bit perplexed when people are shocked that the zebras put their whistles in their pockets during the playoffs. Probably been that way since 1947.

Just saying. I get a bit perplexed when people are shocked that the zebras put their whistles in their pockets during the playoffs. Probably been that way since 1947.
- sgt1480

you mean since Roswell?

Interesting.
Did you work with Powerenforcer on this latest piece?

- savvyone-1

PE doesn't seem to understand TV ratings - he thinks Bettman wants his expansion teams to win (Minnie or Nashville over Chicago, or TB over NY) for some reason that I can't quite get.

Just saying. I get a bit perplexed when people are shocked that the zebras put their whistles in their pockets during the playoffs. Probably been that way since 1947.
- sgt1480

Doesn't make it right. They don't want to effect the outcome of games by calling penalties, so instead they effect the outcome of games by not calling penalties. It's infuriating.