this was another winnable game...

2nd tb goal should not have counted...matta took a high stick

hawks have alot of one goal games this year...games the good team find away to win..


1. lose 1st draw on pp way much...not even close to 50/50
2. they are in love with that cross ice pass; that gets picked off or does not connect

Koolaid drinkers will defend them. They are terrible period!
- GlennL

It’s not your fault

This was Mcelhinney’s 6th game - in the other 5 he gave up 4-3-3-6-3.

He’s mediocre at best.

Like Mrazek.

But if you can’t put pressure on them, they look unbeatable.
- StLBravesFan

yep can't disagree...

I've said it countless times over the past 2 or 3 seasons - if the Hawks don't pass well they have a very small chance to win the game. They can't out-quick other teams (or not any good teams anyway) and they certainly can't out-muscle other teams so unless they out-execute the other team or the other team is having a very bad night - they have very little chance of winning the game. The game tonight and the game against Carolina were both games where their execution was not good and the results speak for themselves.

looked like a replay of cane game...

can't gain the zone and when they do its not for very long...

4 games with central division: 2x stars, 2x aves...

I can see why JC had this team dumping the puck, they aren't good enough to protect the puck against better teams
- BetweenTheDots

It was a frustrating loss, but I liked the effort. Is there a guy in Europe who is a poor man's Jeff Carter early 2010s that Stan can sign? This team isn't strong on the puck and has a sad looking forecheck. Dach will get bigger, but I think Strome has physically peaked, hope I'm wrong. Nylander has potential, but at times it looked like men against boys.

I've said it countless times over the past 2 or 3 seasons - if the Hawks don't pass well they have a very small chance to win the game. They can't out-quick other teams (or not any good teams anyway) and they certainly can't out-muscle other teams so unless the out-execute the other team or the other team is having a very bad night - they have very little chance of winning the game. The game tonight and the game against Carolina were both games where their execution was not good and the results speak for themselves.
- EbonyRaptor

this seems to be accurate....passes behind, hitting skates, dangerous cross ice passes that rarely work...but once in a while they give them a great chance or score...but really they dont score 4 plus every game there chances of winning are not good..

I didn’t get to see the game. Is Tampa playing like Carolina? I ask because that’s what Stamkos was saying in the article in The Athletic?

I’d like to know why the decision was made to go with 11 forwards. Was Kubalik scratched too late to get someone from Rockford - or was it a deliberate decision to go with 11?

28 minutes for Kane. Only 1 SOG for him in the third. With 12 forwards - and Kane down to 20 minutes - does he have more left in the tank for the last couple of minutes?

If you can't answer the questions, then don't make stupid comments. And yes, Bettman hated the 3 SC Chicago won.
- powerenforcer

Bettman "hated" the 3 Cups the Hawks won, and you dare to call anyone else stupid? What a clown you are.

Bettman "hated" the 3 Cups the Hawks won, and you dare to call anyone else stupid? What a clown you are.
- kwolf68

Prove that he was happy. He's only happy that the jersey is still one of the best sellers.

I’d like to know why the decision was made to go with 11 forwards. Was Kubalik scratched too late to get someone from Rockford - or was it a deliberate decision to go with 11?

28 minutes for Kane. Only 1 SOG for him in the third. With 12 forwards - and Kane down to 20 minutes - does he have more left in the tank for the last couple of minutes?
- StLBravesFan

So Kubalik - healthy scratch - 7 d because they wanted to get Koekkoek in against his old team.

Sorry - I don’t get it.

I’d like to know why the decision was made to go with 11 forwards. Was Kubalik scratched too late to get someone from Rockford - or was it a deliberate decision to go with 11?

28 minutes for Kane. Only 1 SOG for him in the third. With 12 forwards - and Kane down to 20 minutes - does he have more left in the tank for the last couple of minutes?
- StLBravesFan

Ben Pope
@BenPopeCST

Colliton on his reasoning: "We wanted to get Koekkoek in, it's his old team. Think it was the right thing to do. Kaner's playing really well, opportunity to give him a little bit more. Ultimately, I don't think we had enough guys going up front."

Kubalik was a healthy scratch and Colliton said it was about his “compete level away from the puck.”

So Kubalik - healthy scratch - 7 d because they wanted to get Koekkoek in against his old team.

Sorry - I don’t get it.
- StLBravesFan

The more he talks about it, the more I am wondering what he is trying to do. Toews was visibly angry about the decision.

Ben Pope
@BenPopeCST

I followed up, asking Colliton if this would discourage him from going 11F/7D in the future:

"Not really. I think 7D is always an option...Depends on the circumstances. It's not something you're going to go to consistently, but sometimes it's an option to put the right guys in."

I've said it countless times over the past 2 or 3 seasons - if the Hawks don't pass well they have a very small chance to win the game. They can't out-quick other teams (or not any good teams anyway) and they certainly can't out-muscle other teams so unless they out-execute the other team or the other team is having a very bad night - they have very little chance of winning the game. The game tonight and the game against Carolina were both games where their execution was not good and the results speak for themselves.
- EbonyRaptor

This ^.

Just came back from the game tonight.

- Zero quick-transitions.
- Pucks missing sticks all night.
- Fumbled pucks on poor passes.
- Shots outright missing the net or hitting the goalie right in the letters.
- no bull rushes to the net

But defensively this team absolutely has clamped down. Night and day difference. Not sure what the fancies will tell but the boys did a good job keeping Tampa out of high-danger zones.

Ultimately Tampa did a better job cycling the puck in the offensive zone and the goals they converted were because of defensive breakdowns (aka pure mistakes instead of being put worked/outhustled, which is to me encouraging).

The effort was there. Execution wasn’t. Still think we’re a scoring winger away from making any kind of noise.

Ben Pope
@BenPopeCST

Colliton on his reasoning: "We wanted to get Koekkoek in, it's his old team. Think it was the right thing to do. Kaner's playing really well, opportunity to give him a little bit more. Ultimately, I don't think we had enough guys going up front."

Kubalik was a healthy scratch and Colliton said it was about his “compete level away from the puck.”



- pdx2ord

Kubalik’s on his way out.

Some good news - 600 career assists for Kane

Ben Pope
@BenPopeCST

Colliton on his reasoning: "We wanted to get Koekkoek in, it's his old team. Think it was the right thing to do. Kaner's playing really well, opportunity to give him a little bit more. Ultimately, I don't think we had enough guys going up front."

Kubalik was a healthy scratch and Colliton said it was about his “compete level away from the puck.”



- pdx2ord

Toews wasn’t happy with it - I would guess except for Koekkoek, the rest of the room might agree

This ^.

Just came back from the game tonight.

- Zero quick-transitions.
- Pucks missing sticks all night.
- Fumbled pucks on poor passes.
- Shots outright missing the net or hitting the goalie right in the letters.
- no bull rushes to the net

But defensively this team absolutely has clamped down. Night and day difference. Not sure what the fancies will tell but the boys did a good job keeping Tampa out of high-danger zones.

Ultimately Tampa did a better job cycling the puck in the offensive zone and the goals they converted were because of defensive breakdowns (aka pure mistakes instead of being put worked/outhustled, which is to me encouraging).

The effort was there. Execution wasn’t. Still think we’re a scoring winger away from making any kind of noise.
- TommyHawk

But I thought this is what the players wanted? The guys in the locker room female doged and moaned about the JC system and now they are playing the way they want they can’t execute?

You have to wonder about playing a 7th D man because it is his old team. WOW.

You have to wonder about playing a 7th D man because it is his old team. WOW.
- TJYTJY

That's a headscratcher...smacks of the "everyone gets a ribbon" philosophy on competition and motivation

Hasn't KoekKoek already played against his old team, anyway?

BTW: when does Cat sit? Or, is what is wrong with him not fixable with a timeout?

That's a headscratcher...smacks of the "everyone gets a ribbon" philosophy on competition and motivation

Hasn't KoekKoek already played against his old team, anyway?

BTW: when does Cat sit? Or, is what is wrong with him not fixable with a timeout?
- pdx2ord

It feels like BS.

Biggest takeaway for me is the struggling DeBrincat. Looks like he forgot how to shoot and handle the puck. Very surprising. Maybe feeling the pressure of the new contract he signed? Playing through an injury? Something isn’t right...

You have to wonder about playing a 7th D man because it is his old team. WOW.
- TJYTJY

Yeah that’s asinine.

Help me out here...which of our players, individually, are playing more effectively since the change in coaching system (from the one that apparently the Canes and Tampa [newly] and others employ) to the run-and-gun transition?

Without looking at the split stats by player yet (since I'd like to eventually get some sleep tonight), to me seems that it's only:

- Kane
- Toews
- Keith
- Crawford (not sure at all correlated, but including anyway)
- Seabrook
- Gus
- Strome (I question this one)

There are obviously other factors, like wake up call benching and new players settling in with their new team. But, in general, this switch, at least on the offensive side of the game, has led to Kane being freed up to do what he does, but hurt the offensive contribution for many of the bottom 6-9 players.

In asking this, I'll admit I DO think the D has improved this year over last.

Or...maybe I'm seeing things and I should just get some sleep