Clean breakouts have been KEY...they help minimize the pounding on our d and automatically reduce scoring chances for the opponent. Our 3rd last night was UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGLY.......but with the comfy lead, not out of character for this group.
- philco28

Agreed...and if the Hawks D can move it quickly and take the occasional shot up the center of the ice, which is open EVERY time, since the Kings are pinching hard on the boards....they can withstand the forecheck, and get through what will be a hellacious 1st, 10 minutes.

They got sloppy right around goal 4. Did you catch Quenneville lighting up Kitchen as they headed to the locker room after 40 minutes? Probably was irate over the Penner partial break away, and the Carter goal....Mistakes that can't happen in tight games...

Why shouldn't we be giddy? This is a good team, and a good road team at that. Don't think many are here screaming sweep, they need to take 1 game. LA is 7-0 at home I get that, but they haven't played the Hawks yet. We should be excited, have fun with it.
- droe411

so your saying we have a chance......yesssssss!!!!

Keep in mind....if Luongo or any of the other names get bought out the next contract they sign will be substantially less money.
- UnnamedSource

Buying out Luongo seems like a logical option, but Vancouver's owners are too cheap and I don't think they'll do that.

so your saying we have a chance......yesssssss!!!!
- dprice818

Of course you do. The Kings were down 2-0 to St Louis in the first round then won 4 in a row. I think the Kings are far from done and I expect their play game of the playoffs tomorrow.

So tough to be around much these days in the discussions, but I am following...
What a run so far!

Granted there is much work to be done, but I find it interesting and encouraging that the most criticized components of the team in the off-season all excelled at various times this season:

Patrick Kane has been noticeable most of the season for the right reasons, and has stayed out of trouble. He's played much more of a team game and has worked hard more consistently.

Corey Crawford is answering alot of questions about his mental fortitude, bouncing back from not only bad goals or bad games, but an entire bad season. Many goalies would've been done after the Pheonix debacle. Although I'm not a HUGE fan of his, I'm happy to see a hard-working player rewarded with success. He took the long road to get to where he is. He's earned some praise.

Everyone and their mothers have at one point or another wanted to trade Patrick Sharp the last 2 seasons. The Hawks are simply a different team with him in the lineup. I would argue that when he's on, he's the best pure shooter the team has, and he's picked up his game in the playoffs, bum shoulder and all.

Michael Frolik and Bryan Bickell have also been traded several times because of their salary (Fro's case) or lack of physicality (Bicks). Well, Fro has shown the ability to accept and excel at his new role, and both guys are showing that their best efforts come out when it matters most.

The same can be said for Niklas Hjalmarsson and Duncan Keith who've been fantastic this post-season.

While the PP is still wildly inconsistent, the coaching staff have done a marvelous job thus far managing the team's assets from the PK to ice time to the goaltenders.

And last, but certainly not least, Stan Bowman. He "liked his team" before the season, liked it even more at the deadline after acquiring the "finished" Handzus, and I'm guessing still likes it alot. While the job is far from done, kudos to him for taking a TON of heat for the moves he didn't make and having the balls to stick to his guns. I would argue it takes more guts to do what he did and risk losing his job with it not working out than doing what everyone thought he should do.

As I said though, things are far from done. This in no way is meant to be early pats on the back for jobs that are half-done...I just thought I'd throw out some kudos that are thus far well-deserved to some folks in the organization who've been under fire. Much like the team as a whole, they each took their share of criticism and rebounded tremendously from it.
- andru2797

Not me. Not ONCE.

Agreed...and if the Hawks D can move it quickly and take the occasional shot up the center of the ice, which is open EVERY time, since the Kings are pinching hard on the boards....they can withstand the forecheck, and get through what will be a hellacious 1st, 10 minutes.

They got sloppy right around goal 4. Did you catch Quenneville lighting up Kitchen as they headed to the locker room after 40 minutes? Probably was irate over the Penner partial break away, and the Carter goal....Mistakes that can't happen in tight games...
- SteveRain

I missed that, but that's why I love Q....cuz he'll even rip his buddies a new one...if he hasn't already

Why shouldn't we be giddy? This is a good team, and a good road team at that. Don't think many are here screaming sweep, they need to take 1 game. LA is 7-0 at home I get that, but they haven't played the Hawks yet. We should be excited, have fun with it.
- droe411

100% agree.
People need to relax with the "the series is far from over" crap over and over again. We get it. I think by now we all know it still takes 4 wins to advance. It was the same way when they were going through the unbeaten in regulation streak. "The playoffs will be different and this team isn't built to go deep into the playoffs" First and foremost, we are FANS of this team. Enjoy it and take one game at a time. Enjoy the good times and lament the bad ones. No one is getting ahead of themselves, and neither is the team.

I swear some of you people would be pissed if you won the freaking lottery..."Now I have to pay higher taxes!"

Big mouthed ZERO Kelly Hrudy where are you?
- rnewman291

D I C K F A C E will return for game 4 when CBC relieves TSN of its duties.

Is it me or has Bickell turned into a poor man's johan franzen*?

*note, i am only saying poor man's because franzen makes just about 4m and i dont think the hawks can afford Bickell at that salary and i hope he stays here for another 4 years

should we refer to him as Boal?


http://wiki.answers.com/Q...at_is_a_young_mule_called

D I C K F A C E will return for game 4 when CBC relieves TSN of its duties.
- philco28

Haven't heard a peep from that clown !!!

Of course you do. The Kings were down 2-0 to St Louis in the first round then won 4 in a row. I think the Kings are far from done and I expect their play game of the playoffs tomorrow.
- DarthKane

Yeah, I hear ya, but its not likely the way the Hawks are playing. I hope The Kings, at the very least, put up a better fight the rest of the series. I've read a lot of this blog.....I like the Chicago fans here. Good hockey talk and a lot of class when talking about the Kings. I like the Hawks as a team as well. If and/or when they rep the west I hope Chicago keeps up this strong play and puts a whoopin on the east.

Is it me or has Bickell turned into a poor man's johan franzen*?

*note, i am only saying poor man's because franzen makes just about 4m and i dont think the hawks can afford Bickell at that salary and i hope he stays here for another 4 years

should we refer to him as Boal?


http://wiki.answers.com/Q...at_is_a_young_mule_called
- ChicagoDave

Bickell = 2010 Buff-ish?

Bickell = 2010 Buff-ish?
- Assman22

Byfuglienly?
Buffesque?
Buffly?

Yeah, I hear ya, but its not likely the way the Hawks are playing. I hope The Kings, at the very least, put up a better fight the rest of the series. I've read a lot of this blog.....I like the Chicago fans here. Good hockey talk and a lot of class when talking about the Kings. I like the Hawks as a team as well. If and/or when they rep the west I hope Chicago keeps up this strong play and puts a whoopin on the east.
- dprice818

I've never had an issue with the way the Kings play hockey as a team - in fact, they've been a joy to watch.

If you were a Canucks fan.. that would be a completely different story

I agree with you regarding dunc's play since playoffs started, he just seems to be a step ahead of the opposition, maybe the reduction in ice time and the shortened season has helped him so far. regarding seabrook all he does is score big goals. Crawfish seems to be so quiet in his net since the softy in game six.10 down 6 to go.

100% agree.
People need to relax with the "the series is far from over" crap over and over again. We get it. I think by now we all know it still takes 4 wins to advance. It was the same way when they were going through the unbeaten in regulation streak. "The playoffs will be different and this team isn't built to go deep into the playoffs" First and foremost, we are FANS of this team. Enjoy it and take one game at a time. Enjoy the good times and lament the bad ones. No one is getting ahead of themselves, and neither is the team.

I swear some of you people would be pissed if you won the freaking lottery..."Now I have to pay higher taxes!"
- darkman

Do you trust your wife...do you think she'd try to go behind you back and hamstring you? Because if you do there's no reason why you can't keep that $35,000!

Why shouldn't we be giddy? This is a good team, and a good road team at that. Don't think many are here screaming sweep, they need to take 1 game. LA is 7-0 at home I get that, but they haven't played the Hawks yet. We should be excited, have fun with it.
- droe411

Apparently you're not familiar with the rules but that sort of thing isn't allowed around here. How dare you exact a shred of happiness from these last two games.

Do you trust your wife...do you think she'd try to go behind you back and hamstring you? Because if you do there's no reason why you can't keep that $35,000!
- Kentxo

What did you say?!?

Byfuglienly?
Buffesque?
Buffly?
- Kentxo

Bickuglien? Pronounced Bick-lin; credit Jay Zawaski from the Score today.

Yeah, I hear ya, but its not likely the way the Hawks are playing. I hope The Kings, at the very least, put up a better fight the rest of the series. I've read a lot of this blog.....I like the Chicago fans here. Good hockey talk and a lot of class when talking about the Kings. I like the Hawks as a team as well. If and/or when they rep the west I hope Chicago keeps up this strong play and puts a whoopin on the east.
- dprice818

I thought the exact same way when we were down 3-1 to Detroit. I'm not saying I think/want LA to win, but a team is never out until the 4th loss. You guys are still the defending Cup champions, so your boys know what it takes to win. The next 2 games in LA will be interesting.

What did you say?!?
- HawkintheD

I was wondering that too!

Do you trust your wife...do you think she'd try to go behind you back and hamstring you? Because if you do there's no reason why you can't keep that $35,000!
- Kentxo

"ALL OF IT ?"

Kings just opened as a -135 favorite tomorrow night..
- ilinkhawk

Not surprised at all. I think the Kings will be pumped in front of the home crowd and desperate to avoid going down 3-0. Quick should be rested and ready for redemption as well. To me, it seems a game 4 win may be more likely than game 3.

Not surprised at all. I think the Kings will be pumped in front of the home crowd and desperate to avoid going down 3-0. Quick should be rested and ready for redemption as well. To me, it seems a game 4 win may be more likely than game 3.
- grinder10

I've heard quotes from some of the Hawks (Keith and Handzus) to the effect of realizing they having won anything yet. Hopefully they realize LA will come of them with guns blazing tomorrow and be ready for a barrage in the first 10 - 20 minutes.

Not surprised at all. I think the Kings will be pumped in front of the home crowd and desperate to avoid going down 3-0. Quick should be rested and ready for redemption as well. To me, it seems a game 4 win may be more likely than game 3.
- grinder10

Again... How , besides with hopes and dreams do the Kings get fast enough to keep up with the Hawks ?