The Strome-Anisimov-Kane line makes no sense long-term as they are all left shots. Strome and Kane seem to be developing chemistry but Strome simply has to be at C with the right-shooting Cat at LW. Gotta put that line back together and simply leave them alone to jell. Some of the line-blending just seems for the sake of it and puts Q to shame.
- Z3Hawk

I was off posting in the last blog like a drunken Wiz not realizing the pub crawl had moved along...

He's one of my favorites!!!! Rip. I would have loved to have been alive for Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow.
- I Am The Breadman


Minus Dio, you still likely can. He’s the original lineup shuffler...Q ain’t got nuthin’ on him.

The Strome-Anisimov-Kane line makes no sense long-term as they are all left shots. Strome and Kane seem to be developing chemistry but Strome simply has to be at C with the right-shooting Cat at LW. Gotta put that line back together and simply leave them alone to jell. Some of the line-blending just seems for the sake of it and puts Q to shame.
- Z3Hawk

They only scored on the PP (not to demean the achievement - it should be wildly celebrated) - and were on the ice for the Preds lone goal - but that line had 16 SAT and 13 SOG (all strengths).

Styx?
- I Am The Breadman

👍Styx Started out as a garage band from Roseland, used to play a lot at Mendel high school back in the 70s

Was, learn the rule for collective nouns, scrub.
Pfff, ELO, wrong.
- I Am The Breadman

Up your nose with a rubber hose B'man!

Yeah and use to do a wee bit more than just watch them practice in their garage in the old neighborhood.
- walleyeb1

Boo-yeah! That's pretty cool, man. I know the Panozzo's were from Chicago. One comes and plays with them still, one died, I think. I think Tommy Shaw played with Uncle Teddy Nugent.

Up your nose with a rubber hose B'man!
- HawkintheD

Hahahaha!

So Justin comes in with: Lastly, how good was Cam Ward? This is why he was signed and I think Colin Delia is going to have to wait his turn to get in there. Ward stepped up huge and was the 1st star of the game with his 30 save performance.

And I step up with:

Ward was really good last nite - he can have his moments - but they don't seem to last for more than a game or two.

That aside - he will not be a part of the next Cup run - or probably the next run to the tournament - he needs to remain as the backup goalie - with Delia getting the majority of the remaining 46 starts this season.

It does no good to have Delia not get the playing experience - either here or in Rockfish - to get maybe a couple more wins with Ward.

Drinking the Kool Aid
- paulr

Carryovers from the last blog’s conversation about bands:

I use to hangout and watch theses guys practice in their garage back in the day. Their name at the time was TW4. Funny thing is when they first started playing their own music at high school concert people weren’t all that receptive.

People really loved how they began their concert/sock hops with the finale from the William Tell Overture.

They later changed their name and it took a bit but they did make it to the bigs, so let’s play name that band.

I guess I am aging myself lol.
- walleyeb1

REO Speedwagon

Edit - Late to the party.

Yeah and use to do a wee bit more than just watch them practice in their garage in the old neighborhood.
- walleyeb1

Hahaha that's awesome! My dad is a huge Styx fan. I've gone with him at least four or five times to see them live. They're awesome. Love their music. Sucks that Dennis DeYoung isn't performing with them anymore

So where is the PA? 2 players get knocked out with concussions in 2 games, and the DOPS is MIA?

I can't wait till Marchant gets his in Indiana.
- powerenforcer

Why do you need the DOPS?

I really don't believe there was any intent by E.Kane on the play to injure the goalie. Just an unfortunate collision and outcome. The elbow last night by Hartman was also clearly an accident.

There are plenty of more egregious offenses each and every night that should be looked into but neither of these qualify as dirty or predatory.

Hahaha that's awesome! My dad is a huge Styx fan. I've gone with him at least four or five times to see them live. They're awesome. Love their music. Sucks that Dennis DeYoung isn't performing with them anymore
- Savetheembers33

I think DD had eye surgery, and the band didn't wait for him.

I always think of That 70s Show, when Eric and Hyde talk about Styx. Eric asks him if he likes Styx, and Hyde says no, because I have ears.

I think they were in Simpsons also, playing in the river in Hades.

Also once Joki comes back from the tourney what are the D pairings with Murphy, Forsling and Dalhstrom factoring in now? Keith or Seabrook traded? JC seems to think the WORLD of Gustafsson and that he can be a top player in this league
- SoftServe

I still think Joki should have played another year in junior. It is tough for a 19 year old to break in as a defenceman in the NHL. Not only is there the potential confidence issues but you are also exposing him to injury risk.
Great move by the Hawks though sending him to the World Juniors.

👍Styx Started out as a garage band from Roseland, used to play a lot at Mendel high school back in the 70s
- wonthecup10

It was just a guess, haha. I didn't know about the high school.

Why do you need the DOPS?

I really don't believe there was any intent by E.Kane on the play to injure the goalie. Just an unfortunate collision and outcome. The elbow last night by Hartman was also clearly an accident.

There are plenty of more egregious offenses each and every night that should be looked into but neither of these qualify as dirty or predatory.
- TheTrob

The only thing everyone is forgetting is Jones went out of the game before that, so perception is he was out to get revenge. How often does a player run an opposing player into his own goalie? Not very often, so with that it is not a normal hockey play.

Ahhh I love riding waves of the boards reaction game to game

Been saying for awhile now that JC needed to get some more of his players on the roster and that they team needed more time to under his system for you to really start to see the fruits of what he can do. As guys understand the system more and more the overall play of the team should improve (as we all have seen it has since the beginning of November) and the bad mistakes that have been made should become less and less. I'm not saying by any means that the team will turn it around, but what I am saying is that it isn't as completely doom and gloom as many people make it out to be night in and night out

Why do you need the DOPS?

I really don't believe there was any intent by E.Kane on the play to injure the goalie. Just an unfortunate collision and outcome. The elbow last night by Hartman was also clearly an accident.

There are plenty of more egregious offenses each and every night that should be looked into but neither of these qualify as dirty or predatory.
- TheTrob

I've never quite understood why players are supposed to be in control of their sticks at all times - incidental and accidental blades to the head are punished with two (or four) minutes "time out"....

...but they don't have to in control with other pointed areas of the their bodies - shoulders, knees, elbows.

I don't know if Hartman deliberately stuck out his elbow or not - he knew Kruger was coming and (as Olczyk said) deliberately moved back for a "reverse hit" - but with his elbow dangerously extended into Kruger's path.

Should have been at least a two minute penalty (maybe four - Kruger was bleeding, I think).

Three concussions in two weeks to Hawks - something is wrong.

Boo-yeah! That's pretty cool, man. I know the Panozzo's were from Chicago. One comes and plays with them still, one died, I think. I think Tommy Shaw played with Uncle Teddy Nugent.
- I Am The Breadman

John ultimately lost his battle with the bottle and died as a result.

So Justin comes in with: Lastly, how good was Cam Ward? This is why he was signed and I think Colin Delia is going to have to wait his turn to get in there. Ward stepped up huge and was the 1st star of the game with his 30 save performance.

And I step up with:

Ward was really good last nite - he can have his moments - but they don't seem to last for more than a game or two.

That aside - he will not be a part of the next Cup run - or probably the next run to the tournament - he needs to remain as the backup goalie - with Delia getting the majority of the remaining 46 starts this season.

It does no good to have Delia not get the playing experience - either here or in Rockfish - to get maybe a couple more wins with Ward.
- StLBravesFan

Your comments are right on. The future should be kept in mind with all player deployment now. The hunt for our future goalie needs to be part of that. At least for now it looks like we are doing the right thing with Kunitz by not playing him.

My biggest fear is that Ward experiences some success now and Bowman extends him. Then we get stuck with an aging ineffective goalie while trying to rebuild.

The only thing everyone is forgetting is Jones went out of the game before that, so perception is he was out to get revenge. How often does a player run an opposing player into his own goalie? Not very often, so with that it is not a normal hockey play.
- powerenforcer

Jones was pulled because he gave up 3 goals on 4 shots.

I know you love to find conspiracy in every play, but seriously. How often does a player run an opposing player into his own goalie? It happens in just about every game. Usually not to the extent or force of the play the other night, but it's not an uncommon event. Heck, you in all your conspiracy glory, have complained about the lack of a Goalie interference call when someone was pushed into the tender and a questionable goal was not overturned.

John ultimately lost his battle with the bottle and died as a result.
- walleyeb1

I thought one died, but wasn't sure. I thought it was cancer related. Still sad.

Buzz is a way better environment to be in today than it was yesterday.

I thought one died, but wasn't sure. I thought it was cancer related. Still sad.
- I Am The Breadman

Cirrhosis of the liver.

Cirrhosis of the liver.
- walleyeb1

Okay, thanks. Chuck has HIV, right?

Justin Lowe: That Full 60

It was that full 60-minute performance that Jeremy Colliton has been dreaming about every night since he took over as the Blackhawks head coach.

The Hawks played Nashville to a 2-1 victory last night and were really solid up-and-down the lineup. There play in all zones was as good as it's been all year or at least during Colliton's 21 game stint.
- Justin Lowe

At some point some hard decisions have to be made. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that Gus will ever figure it out - he just doesn’t seem to have the requisite hockey IQ - or if he does have it he refuses to use it. Regardless of what Colliton says a team can’t live with one players’ constant turnovers that find there way into the net. If Gus wasn’t producing offensively his shortcomings would be even more noticeable. Colliton seems to believe he is the next Bobby Orr though. I would trade him right now getting some team to bite at his offence because if his offence dries up he will be untradeable. His play and pass at the end of the first period was as dumb as it gets.

Kahun must produce some points or play him down the order as he is morphing into Fortin 2.0. As well I don’t know what kind of player Hayden believes he is but unless he starts playing physically he shouldn’t be playing. Same thinking for Martinsen if he gets back in.

Seemed that players were more cognizant of what zone responsibilities they have based on position last night. There was still a lot of overly aggressive puck chasing in the D-Zone but less. Whether the D-System is called “Man to Man” or “Golden Zone Attack” it doesn’t change the fact that players have positional responsibilities based on the positions they play.

It was a nice game to watch but coming so soon after the San Jose debacle I am hopeful but guarded. Hopefully, the goaltending will be good moving forward as that can make a huge difference.