The Chicago Blackhawks forward Nick Schmaltz scored a goal in the United States’ 5-2 win over Italy in the Americans’ lone pre-tournament game for the World Championship. Team USA opens tournament play against Germany on Friday.

Let's see if he can keep it up and overcome his supposed reputation for turtling in the biggest games.
- pdx2ord

Wasn't he one of the major reasons that North Dakota won the NCAA Championship in 2016?

kudos to the pens: depleted already and then crosbyless they go out and beat the caps on the road...with MAF = 36 saves

i look forward to a G5 post game of ovie looking stunned and dazed again as he heads to mother russian with a "fatigued" panerin to lead the ruskies to victory...

you want to talk about breaking up a team: how about the ovie caps who year after year have very good to great regular season only to give it up by R2..
- bogiedoc

If the caps don't beat the pens this year, I bet we'll see major changes to them.

Back to back president's trophies.

Down 3-1 to the Pens who are missing 2-3 of their top 9 forwards and their top defensemen.

The game was in Pittsburgh, but yeah, great win for the Pens - a smart, fast, confident hockey team. The Caps are stacked talent-wise, but play dumb hockey. Penalty after penalty, stupid pass after stupid pass, bad stick handle after bad stick handle.

They've won 2 presidents trophies in a row and probably need to be broken up.
- RollingPuck

Break them up. And when they do send one player over to the Hawks - Justin Williams, he's a winner.

Those guys in the Caps dressing room must make him puke.

Questionable good goal on the first one. Perry buzzed the tower. Definitely seen that called interference numerous times. But Getzlaf has smelled blood in the water since it. Too bad he doesn't play like that all the time.
- bhawks2241

Similar to the confirmed goal when Crawford got a elbow to the head and NHL said it was a good goal. I disagree on both rulings, but at least they are being consistent with their bad calls. As far as Getzlaf is concerned, he has a PPG scoring pace in his Playoff Career and now has 5 multi point games this post-season. He could play for my team any day. Insane skill, size and plays with a physical edge. One of the best Centers in the NHL for a while now.

Break them up. And when they do send one player over to the Hawks - Justin Williams, he's a winner.

Those guys in the Caps dressing room must make him puke.
- RickJ

Williams will be a UFA. I'd love to have a 4-cup time-winner centermen on the hawks (replace Krueger).

How about Panarin for Backstrom? Backstrom costs a bit more, but we could make it work.

Williams will be a UFA. I'd love to have a 4-cup time-winner centermen on the hawks (replace Krueger).

How about Panarin for Backstrom? Backstrom costs a bit more, but we could make it work.
- RedRevenge

Williams plays Wing. I still say that Orpik and Holtby are the scapegoats for this 3-1 series lead. Holtby has an 0.867 save % and Orpik has been burned on multiple odd man rushes. Ovi of course will get the blame, whether that is warranted or not is up for debate. It is a team sport, after all....

Wasn't he one of the major reasons that North Dakota won the NCAA Championship in 2016?
- SDHawkFan

I must has missed it -was it 2004?

Brad Richards won the Conn Smythe, didn't he?

-which got me thinking more in general about narratives lately ...

And he played on ... ok, he played on a line with Kane and Saad - at least in the SCF in 2015 (good thing that Saad made Toews better, while playing on a different line.). Or rather like most Q teams he bounced all over the place and nothing was set in stone for more than maybe 90 seconds...

The several log-ins that troll the Russians on the team despite the fact that the entire team had a problem this season's playoffs. One dude scores a ppg in 2016 -and somehow that still = 'soft' .... hilarious ... it is a team game ... and face it, the entire team was 'soft' or heavily into hubris .... bad things happen when teams think that they have something in the bag before it even starts...

The Dale Tallon is a genius narrative, despite the team that he somehow hasn't bothered being so genius like for Florida... guess he's just pining to return to his rightful place? Who knows... I like Dale -he seemed like he was a pretty personable guy when he did colour commentary as Foley's sidekick ... but, of course -that is not what you do as a GM. The fact is he hasn't worked the same level of 'miracles' in Florida with the same level of success - not even close (seems to suggest that there is more to what happened in Chicago than Tallon).

The Keith stinks because he can't shoot on net line of narrative (news flash ... most defensemen don't ... as you are out there to put the puck into a position for where your forwards can get a higher quality scoring chance .... of course that is when playing in the O-zone.

That Toews' leadership skills are absolutely worth the 10.5 mil cap hit. His stats are not really bearing that out; begging the question, what exactly is an intangible worth? I don't think that missing Saad made Toews that worse of a player ... there is no silver bullet.

Sometimes I just wonder if there is a parallel universe.
- steve-hist-sdc

Sorry about that oversight (thanks for reminding me!!!) but I think you understand my point in terms of players salaries in this Cap Era and results (i.e. Stamkos took less $$ but has yet to win a Cup (let alone 3) and new contracts partially addressing past performances). Again TB could win 3 in the next 5 for all I know.

EDM and ANA is a fun series to watch.

Like the combination of size and speed and both teams... Oilers are making some waves, but a shame that they lost last night.

Man, Draisaitl looks like a fixture there. Speed, size, and can make some nifty passes. Future w/ McDavid, Draisaitl, RNH, Klefbom, Larsson, and Lucic looks solid. I do like how they have a good deal of forwards who can play either C/W... seems really helpful.

If the caps don't beat the pens this year, I bet we'll see major changes to them.

Back to back president's trophies.

Down 3-1 to the Pens who are missing 2-3 of their top 9 forwards and their top defensemen.
- RedRevenge

Every year it looks like the Caps might go all the way and every year they wind up getting upset in the first or second round. The table was set for them last to tie up the series with Crosby out and they still lose.

Every year it looks like the Caps might go all the way and every year they wind up getting upset in the first or second round. The table was set for them last to tie up the series with Crosby out and they still lose.
- jhawk159

So what is worse, the Presidents cup winners getting manhandled by a truly depleted Pens team, or the Hawks never getting off the bus.

BTW, maybe Q can start chanting, "we get of the bus running." At lease both disappointing teams could have the same tired Cliche'...

Hope so, but we wouldn't be as good if we didn't have Chicago to go after
- pred_26

Now you're just making me love you...

So what is worse, the Presidents cup winners getting manhandled by a truly depleted Pens team, or the Hawks never getting off the bus.

BTW, maybe Q can start chanting, "we get of the bus running." At lease both disappointing teams could have the same tired Cliche'...
- riozzo

the Hawks never getting off the bus.

This is my biggest beef when people decide to slam Stan. There seems to be a general assumption out there that there was a better deal/opportunity on the table but Stan willingly decided not to take it. I'm not saying Stan couldn't have done better, you can look at every signing or trade any GM has every made and make an argument that he could have done a little bit better. People are quick to say that Stan shouldn't have signed Toews, Kane and Seabrook to their deals but they aren't as quick to provide a realistic alternative. If Seabrook wouldn't accept anything less how would the arm chair GMs have dealt him and replaced him? To say they'd deal him for a younger, cheaper (but just as good) d-man is ridiculous, why would another GM make that deal with Stan?
- DarthKane

Oh come on Darth, you and I agree on a lot of aspects about the Hawks and hockey in general, but Bowman doesn't know the meaning of the word hard-ball. He's given sweetheart deals to pretty much everyone including bonuses/NMC's/NTC's, plus traded away everyone of value from the Icehogs and gotten very little that has worked out in return. I think it's time for the organization to re-asses his value. Stan is the lesser of the two Bowman's, that's for sure.

Via Eklund...

"The Blackhawks...
I am just starting to hear rumblings about Chicago and Drouin. They appear to be tied too the early exit and initial reaction to the surprise way the Nashville series went down...The Hawks could be bold. They have some very experienced talented D men...."

Similar to the confirmed goal when Crawford got a elbow to the head and NHL said it was a good goal. I disagree on both rulings, but at least they are being consistent with their bad calls. As far as Getzlaf is concerned, he has a PPG scoring pace in his Playoff Career and now has 5 multi point games this post-season. He could play for my team any day. Insane skill, size and plays with a physical edge. One of the best Centers in the NHL for a while now.
- EnzoD

I agree. Now that POS Perry on the other hand ....

Via Eklund...

"The Blackhawks...
I am just starting to hear rumblings about Chicago and Drouin. They appear to be tied too the early exit and initial reaction to the surprise way the Nashville series went down...The Hawks could be bold. They have some very experienced talented D men...."
- oconstyle85

Yeah right..exactly what Hawks need now is more small and skilled wingers?

Wasn't he one of the major reasons that North Dakota won the NCAA Championship in 2016?
- SDHawkFan

I thought so, too, but after the NSH loss, someone came on here who knows one of his former coaches and said he doesn't have the killer instinct and disappears in big games, so they wanted him traded. Hence my "supposed" (Darth, it was a bit sarcastic )

Yeah right..exactly what Hawks need now is more small and skilled wingers?
- MjulQvist

Send them breadman - at least Drouin has shown testicular fortitude

Yeah right..exactly what Hawks need now is more small and skilled wingers?
- MjulQvist

No. More. Smurfs.

Send them breadman - at least Drouin has shown testicular fortitude
- riozzo

Drouin had twice the number of hits than Panarin did last season. Do it Stan!!!

Drouin had twice the number of hits than Panarin did last season. Do it Stan!!!
- DarthKane

Similar to the confirmed goal when Crawford got a elbow to the head and NHL said it was a good goal. I disagree on both rulings, but at least they are being consistent with their bad calls. As far as Getzlaf is concerned, he has a PPG scoring pace in his Playoff Career and now has 5 multi point games this post-season. He could play for my team any day. Insane skill, size and plays with a physical edge. One of the best Centers in the NHL for a while now.
- EnzoD

yes they are...coaches challenge has made complete clown shoes of offsides and goalie INT...perry got him while talbot was in the crease...

Drouin had twice the number of hits than Panarin did last season. Do it Stan!!!
- DarthKane

well they have the cap space but only have 7 forwards under contract with several rfa's...who knows myabe their is something there

Yeah right..exactly what Hawks need now is more small and skilled wingers?
- MjulQvist

5'11" - 188 lbs. - not Ovechkin, but not deBrincat, either.

And - a quality left wing - not many of those here.