Let's chill out on Bingo bashing, he's one of the few other-team posters who's willing to enter this den of lunacy consistently (besides that Nashville guy, who can suck a fat one).


Plus, if we alienate the Hurricanes, Stan will have no one to trade with besides Chayka.

Him and AA interchanged depending on where the puck was. Looked like Strome took most of the draws but didnt verify with box score.
- fattybeef

Not sure if anyone clarified yet, but Strome took 12 draws and was 6/12. Anisimov did not take a faceoff last night.

great stuff, Justin!


@PuckinHostile
www.the-rink.com
- PuckinHostile

Thanks pal!

Man, the elbow to Murphy sure looked intentional to me. Watching the replay, Pitlick went from stick on the ice ready to take a pass to raising his stick into the elbowing, to putting his stick back on the ice ready for a pass. Elbow to the head. Suspension warranted.

Game predictions for tonight? Anyone?
I'll say 6-4 Aves. It will be a good game, but a very tough opponent tonight.
- I Am The Breadman

I can see a high scoring affair as well tonight.

Man, the elbow to Murphy sure looked intentional to me. Watching the replay, Pitlick went from stick on the ice ready to take a pass to raising his stick into the elbowing, to putting his stick back on the ice ready for a pass. Elbow to the head. Suspension warranted.
- Cmonalready

My thought was it was a penalty for sure. Refs missed it.

I'm not ready to give him a suspension, but I hope the league looked into it at least. I'm sure they did.

Shouldn't Kunitz pay-back the teams that already hit us, just to send the message, not the team that has done nothing to us? If we go after a good star filled team, then we look bad. We really shouldn't become the cheap shot artists we complain about.
- I Am The Breadman

See, you need to start changing your reasoning. They are not cheap-shots. The league even admitted it by NOT saying anything about it. So, it is time to just start playing the same way. It is really quite simple, and the league will have to figure it out.

My thought was it was a penalty for sure. Refs missed it.

I'm not ready to give him a suspension, but I hope the league looked into it at least. I'm sure they did.
- Justin Lowe

Anyone stick up for Connor? I watched the replay and oh yes. Intentional. That is just dumb BS hockey. That Stars player needed to be run to let him know that schit dont fly. I like the way they are going play wise, but man I wish they would sack up and start standing up for one another.

My thought was it was a penalty for sure. Refs missed it.

I'm not ready to give him a suspension, but I hope the league looked into it at least. I'm sure they did.
- Justin Lowe

So - recent “bad hits”:

The Anisimov concussion - Jeez, I don’t even remember the incident - must be getting old.

The Kunitz hit - he got a major and a game, IIRC - I thought he lifted up into the opponent’s head - no problem with the penalties - some action by DOPS would have been ok by me.

eKane rolling Strome into Crawford - a bit murky, it didn’t look deliberate to me - two players going hard on the puck - certainly Strome couldn’t have stopped - probably eKane couldn’t either (altho it didn’t look like he tried very hard - he did get a penalty, IIRC - so ok.

Hartman elbow on Kruger - deliberate, IMO - backed into Kruger with his elbow high and out from his body - no penalty? Wrong call - DOPS action would be welcomed by me.

Pitlick elbow to Murphy - definitely deliberate - no call on ice - should be suspension.

Too many bad plays with no real consequence to the perp - three Vhicago concussions in two weeks, plus Murphy - somehow it has to end.

Anyone stick up for Connor? I watched the replay and oh yes. Intentional. That is just dumb BS hockey. That Stars player needed to be run to let him know that schit dont fly. I like the way they are going play wise, but man I wish they would sack up and start standing up for one another.
- z1990z

Two minutes left in a one-goal game - and you want retaliation that could lead to a penalty that could lead to a tying goal....

The league and PA need to instruct the the refs to DO THEIR JOB on the ice and instruct DOPS to DO ITS JOB afterward.

My thought was it was a penalty for sure. Refs missed it.

I'm not ready to give him a suspension, but I hope the league looked into it at least. I'm sure they did.
- Justin Lowe

Justin, do you really believe that, or are just being PC? How can the refs miss that when it was right in the line of play? It wasn't a play that was 150 feet from the puck, it was 10 feet away. They chose not to call anything, and that is the truth.

Justin, do you really believe that, or are just being PC? How can the refs miss that when it was right in the line of play? It wasn't a play that was 150 feet from the puck, it was 10 feet away. They chose not to call anything, and that is the truth.
- powerenforcer

The crap that “we’ll, they don’t want to affect the game”, especially in the late stages, has always seemed like crap to me.

Whether they make the correct calls or they “let them play” - they ARE affecting the outcome of the game.

So - make the right call already.

Change of topic and not suggesting this will happen or is likely, but I did a quick back of the napkin check of what it would take to make the playoffs at this point.

Quick Summary....Hawks would almost have to win like Tampa Bay for the rest of the year.

Last 3 seasons 2nd wild card teams in the west finished with 95, 94 and 87 points to grab the final spot. Edmonton is in that spot right now, looking on pace for about 91-92 points. Let's assume we need 95 to make it safely.

Hawks have 30 points in 37 games, so 45 games left to make 65 points. That means 65 out of 90 remaining points or about 72% of the remaining points.

Only TBL has taken that many so far this year (77.8%). Toronto & Winnipeg are second in the NHL with 68.6%.

So basically it would take a miracle run at this point (that is possibly with CC done due to concussion) just to get one of the final spots.

Two minutes left in a one-goal game - and you want retaliation that could lead to a penalty that could lead to a tying goal....

The league and PA need to instruct the the refs to DO THEIR JOB on the ice and instruct DOPS to DO ITS JOB afterward.
- StLBravesFan

Didnt see the time. How bout someone get in Pitlicks face and tell him to watch out cause payback is coming. I dont buy in that the NHL will do anything. You stop this crap but letting teams know if you do it? Be prepared. It will be coming back the other way.

https://www.secondcityhoc...19-winter-classic-updates

Ward's mask for the Winter Classic pays tribute to the Hawks 1st Stanley Cup and goalie Charlie Gardiner. With Crawford out, I imagine Ward is the likely starter for the Hawks in this game.

Didnt see the time. How bout someone get in Pitlicks face and tell him to watch out cause payback is coming. I dont buy in that the NHL will do anything. You stop this crap but letting teams know if you do it? Be prepared. It will be coming back the other way.
- z1990z

Going after Pitlick means nothing. You want to hurt the team, go and take out Benn! What am I missing, why go after the goon (he does nothing for the team). Go after the key players when goons act up and the goons will stop. It is simple logic.

On Saad, he has been a force in all zones and in all situations. Arguably the most consistent forward since he was white shirted earlier in the season. What I like about his offensive drives whether at ES or on the PK is that he isn't just relying on unconstested breakaways but is stickhandling and protecting the puck very well against defenders, sometimes dancing around more than one to get to the goalie. Plus he's driving to the net for prime scoring chances and not just ripping a shot from farther out.

On Perlini, he is showing marked progress in the past few games especially since his benching. He is using his speed to create chances. Last night he had 5 shots. If he can keep this up and use his big body effectively on the forecheck and backcheck, then he will solidify his case to be a part of the Hawks resurgence as a potentially impactful 3rd liner.

On Seabrook, I liked how physical he was playing in the game particularly in the 3rd period. He was throwing checks and bodying players off the puck. If he can play that way in sheltered minutes, then he will be a valuable defender to anchor the 3rd pair. I really do like Dahlstrom and Murphy on pair #2.

On Sikura, while he still has another level to reach so he can truly show what he is capable of offensively, one thing I have noticed is that he forechecks like his hair is on fire. He is more often than not the first Hawk (and sometimes the only one) pursuing the puck and will hound the other team as far as he can take it. Sikura is also adept at takeaways and making subtle plays that spring his linemates for scoring chances.

https://www.secondcityhockey.com/2018/12/20/18150448/chicago-blackhawks-cam-ward-goalie-mask-charlie-gardiner-tribute-2019-winter-classic-updates

Ward's mask for the Winter Classic pays tribute to the Hawks 1st Stanley Cup and goalie Charlie Gardiner. With Crawford out, I imagine Ward is the likely starter for the Hawks in this game.
- AEL_Fox

Excellent look - and while I think that Delia should get most of the remaining starts this season (if Crawford is out long term), I think Ward should get the outdoor start in recognition of his long career.

Does anyone know how much Nash and Eyecandyair get for this work (and I assume Nash isn’t the HOF Dallas / Phoenix point guard....).

Change of topic and not suggesting this will happen or is likely, but I did a quick back of the napkin check of what it would take to make the playoffs at this point.

Quick Summary....Hawks would almost have to win like Tampa Bay for the rest of the year.

Last 3 seasons 2nd wild card teams in the west finished with 95, 94 and 87 points to grab the final spot. Edmonton is in that spot right now, looking on pace for about 91-92 points. Let's assume we need 95 to make it safely.

Hawks have 30 points in 37 games, so 45 games left to make 65 points. That means 65 out of 90 remaining points or about 72% of the remaining points.

Only TBL has taken that many so far this year (77.8%). Toronto & Winnipeg are second in the NHL with 68.6%.

So basically it would take a miracle run at this point (that is possibly with CC done due to concussion) just to get one of the final spots.
- breadbag

The miracle won't happen because this team this year is not capable of a winning record against the other teams in the Central. When they can find a way to be well over .500 in their own division in a season they will make the playoffs again.

Some positive signs developing but not good enough yet.

Excellent look - and while I think that Delia should get most of the remaining starts this season (if Crawford is out long term), I think Ward should get the outdoor start in recognition of his long career.

Does anyone know how much Nash and Eyecandyair get for this work (and I assume Nash isn’t the HOF Dallas / Phoenix point guard....).
- StLBravesFan

Good call on rewarding Ward with an outdoor start. Pretty sure this will be his first time playing one of these games. Seeing that the Hawks play outdoors every other year, Delia will get his chance eventually.

The miracle won't happen because this team this year is not capable of a winning record against the other teams in the Central. When they can find a way to be well over .500 in their own division in a season they will make the playoffs again.

Some positive signs developing but not good enough yet.
- RickJ

You know what has killed us... it isn't playing in our division. We are 6-4-2 so far in against the Central, but 1-9-2 vs the Pacific. 5-6-2 vs the East.

So - recent “bad hits”:

The Anisimov concussion - Jeez, I don’t even remember the incident - must be getting old.

The Kunitz hit - he got a major and a game, IIRC - I thought he lifted up into the opponent’s head - no problem with the penalties - some action by DOPS would have been ok by me.

eKane rolling Strome into Crawford - a bit murky, it didn’t look deliberate to me - two players going hard on the puck - certainly Strome couldn’t have stopped - probably eKane couldn’t either (altho it didn’t look like he tried very hard - he did get a penalty, IIRC - so ok.

Hartman elbow on Kruger - deliberate, IMO - backed into Kruger with his elbow high and out from his body - no penalty? Wrong call - DOPS action would be welcomed by me.

Pitlick elbow to Murphy - definitely deliberate - no call on ice - should be suspension.

Too many bad plays with no real consequence to the perp - three Vhicago concussions in two weeks, plus Murphy - somehow it has to end.
- StLBravesFan

I'm pretty sure it was a Weber hit, I'm sure it was against Montreal.
Keith got a major and a game in Calgary + add in his fight against Nash, Salomaki. Game misconduct.

I'm pretty sure it was a Weber hit, I'm sure it was against Montreal.
Keith got a major and a game in Calgary + add in his fight against Nash, Salomaki. Game misconduct.
- I Am The Breadman

Weber is double threat guy. He can nail you with a body check or he can nail you with the puck. I wish there was a website that tracked injuries caused by player. Weber would be up there (not saying he is dirty).

Weber is double threat guy. He can nail you with a body check or he can nail you with the puck. I wish there was a website that tracked injuries caused by player. Weber would be up there (not saying he is dirty).
- breadbag

That would be interesting to know. He's a tough guy with an even heavier shot.

So - recent “bad hits”:

The Anisimov concussion - Jeez, I don’t even remember the incident - must be getting old.

The Kunitz hit - he got a major and a game, IIRC - I thought he lifted up into the opponent’s head - no problem with the penalties - some action by DOPS would have been ok by me.

eKane rolling Strome into Crawford - a bit murky, it didn’t look deliberate to me - two players going hard on the puck - certainly Strome couldn’t have stopped - probably eKane couldn’t either (altho it didn’t look like he tried very hard - he did get a penalty, IIRC - so ok.

Hartman elbow on Kruger - deliberate, IMO - backed into Kruger with his elbow high and out from his body - no penalty? Wrong call - DOPS action would be welcomed by me.

Pitlick elbow to Murphy - definitely deliberate - no call on ice - should be suspension.

Too many bad plays with no real consequence to the perp - three Vhicago concussions in two weeks, plus Murphy - somehow it has to end.
- StLBravesFan

It was extremely unfortunate that Crawford got hurt and how Crawford got hurt. Perhaps the most interesting comments were by Strome himself who said it was a hockey play. My opinion is Strome is being charitable - eKane should not be on top of Crawford like that. Strome doesn’t end up hitting Crawford if eKane is not a threat. I’ll admit to untethered bias here as it is just so awful Crawford suffered another concussion after what he has already fought through.

I like Mayers take on these elbows. Said in studio something like walk by me and I’ll show you how I can control my elbow. Hartman and Pitlick elbowed on purpose and both should have faced suspensions.