Just dominated in the 3rd - and a stupid, stupid, avoidable penalty kills any chance.

Defense was NOT awful tonite - only 25 SOG, a couple of good saves by Crawford, but they didn't hang him out.
- StLBravesFan

They gave this game away!! And Q in his post game will agree.

Both goals are ones we have seen over and over.

And once again they decided to play for 20 minutes after showing nothing for the 1st 2 periods vs a team that was playing their 3rd game in 4 nites and beat them 3 nites ago in the first 2 periods.

Also seeing the air coming out of the Shaw and Hayes balloons.

Craw was very good in the 2nd and 3rd. That was an awesome glove on Fisher off of the 3 on 1.

IMO, there's no comparison in the Kruger vs Pirri debate. Kruger is more effective all over the ice and goes to the real scoring areas, vice shooting from the outside. Good to observe them both in the lineup. Kruger's a smart, very competitive player and passes well. Pirri should be an effective NHLer at some point, but Kruger is the keeper of the two.

Bickell used up air again at ice level and Kaner appeared to have more hits, even if the stats didn't reflect it. Bickell, unfortunately, is dead weight to this team.
- grinder10

He was dressed tonight??? Could have fooled me, especially after all his comments on how he "had to be better, and make a difference." What a joke.


As currently constructed, hello 1st round out.

Gotta play for 60 minutes dude.

And yes, they did hang him out on the second one. And he bailed their a$$es out on a few other ones.

This is a .500 team since 12/15. At that pace, with 32 games remaining - is a playoff miss at 95 points.
- Return of the Roar

Well, I didn't think they were particularly outplayed in the first two periods - didn't dominate but except for on the goals,didn't give up many good chances (didn't have many, either).

I think Crawford could have had thei first one - second one, probably not - certainly a giveaway, but should not give up a short side goal. He also gave up too many rebounds - I think his catch on Fischer (?) in the third was his only catch of the game - and lost his net and got lucky a couple of times - Keith saved him once for sure. He made some nice saves - he's supposed to. Not awful, but didnt win us the game on a nite that Rinne was Rinne and your two most prolific goal scores were out.

Yeah, need to do much better than .500 the last 32 games.

You must expect them to be 4th in their own division at this point in the season. I don't. This blog is here for us to vent. Check out their remaining schedule...absolutely brutal, and the arrow is pointing down, not up. Just reality.
- hawks2010

I have no problem with people venting, but come on. You have to admit it is a little over the top. Don't give me that crap about the Hawks being 4th in the division. The top 4 teams in the Central have 67, 65, 64, & 64 (Hawks). It is not like they have 50 points right now AND are 4th in their division. There is no way in hell anyone would have expected it to be this tight in one division which is probably the best division in the league right now. Detroit is 8-2 and Nashville 9-1 their last 10 games and the Hawks are only 3 points away from being on top of the conference. Go figure...

However, I am not nieve and don't think the Hawks need help b/c they do. Leave the real complaining until after the deadline if the StanBow does nothing. There has barely been any trades done as of now so we will have to see what happens.

1 Detroit 49 33 15 1 67
2 Van 48 29 15 4 62
3 San Jose 46 26 14 6 58
4 St. Louis 49 29 13 7 65
5 Nashville 50 30 16 4 64
6 Chicago 50 29 15 6 64
7 LA 50 24 16 10 58
8 Colorado 50 26 22 2 54

Clown shoes in the D zone again. No body checks - AT ALL. What is there for any team to fear about going into the Hawks zone? Nothing.

And again, NOT C2's fault. A soft to non-existent forecheck, and stick dependent defensive play are a formula for unpredictable turnovers which create way too many, and very difficult save opportunities.

Not at all unlike a quarterback without a decent offensive line.

The strategy/coaching is the problem here.
- Return of the Roar

Bravo ROR...you said it beautifully.

They gave this game away!! And Q in his post game will agree.

Both goals are ones we have seen over and over.

And once again they decided to play for 20 minutes after showing nothing for the 1st 2 periods vs a team that was playing their 3rd game in 4 nites and beat them 3 nites ago in the first 2 periods.

Also seeing the air coming out of the Shaw and Hayes balloons.

Craw was very good in the 2nd and 3rd. That was an awesome glove on Fisher off of the 3 on 1.
- bogiedoc

what game were you watching shaw had an excelent game. might have been his best

They gave this game away!! And Q in his post game will agree.

Both goals are ones we have seen over and over.

And once again they decided to play for 20 minutes after showing nothing for the 1st 2 periods vs a team that was playing their 3rd game in 4 nites and beat them 3 nites ago in the first 2 periods.

Also seeing the air coming out of the Shaw and Hayes balloons.

Craw was very good in the 2nd and 3rd. That was an awesome glove on Fisher off of the 3 on 1.
- bogiedoc

Not so much the air coming out of their balloons as coming bak to reality - neither is a 40 goal scorer at this point.

Crawford was good in the 2nd and 3rd - made one great glove save on Fischer, I think.

Still only one win with less than 3 goals.

Don't know whether it was our collective stupidity in shot selection or the Preds' collective brilliance in defending (which was top notch on this night), but we couldn't get a shot through OR, on net from the point, to save our life.

And the too many men call (a Q staple the last few years) with 1:50 left in a 1 goal game? 'UCK OFF.

Bravo ROR...you said it beautifully.
- philco28

check your pm

check your pm
- molly2522

Sorry, what's my pm?

2 losses before the break...then road trip...ouch...this don’t look good

I have no problem with people venting, but come on. You have to admit it is a little over the top. Don't give me that crap about the Hawks being 4th in the division. The top 4 teams in the Central have 67, 65, 64, & 64 (Hawks). It is not like they have 50 points right now AND are 4th in their division. There is no way in hell anyone would have expected it to be this tight in one division which is probably the best division in the league right now. Detroit is 8-2 and Nashville 9-1 their last 10 games and the Hawks are only 3 points away from being on top of the conference. Go figure...

However, I am not nieve and don't think the Hawks need help b/c they do. Leave the real complaining until after the deadline if the StanBow does nothing. There has barely been any trades done as of now so we will have to see what happens.
- Dannyboy

Like I said, the arrow for this team is decidedly pointing down, and now injuries have caught up to this team. Everyone here knew they weren't as good as their record indicated earlier in the season, and in less than a week, they have gone from 1st in the conference to 6th. If StanBow continues to sit on his "prized" prospects, by the time the trade deadline DOES come around, it could be too little too late. Time to HELP this team is NOW!!!

Not so much the air coming out of their balloons as coming bak to reality - neither is a 40 goal scorer at this point.

Crawford was good in the 2nd and 3rd - made one great glove save on Fischer, I think.

Still only one win with less than 3 goals.
- StLBravesFan

50 games in...unbelievable.

Sorry, what's my pm?
- philco28

go to control panel and check inbox

Not so much the air coming out of their balloons as coming bak to reality - neither is a 40 goal scorer at this point.

Crawford was good in the 2nd and 3rd - made one great glove save on Fischer, I think.

Still only one win with less than 3 goals.
- StLBravesFan

Too bad C2 didn't make the glove save on Fisher on the 2-0 goal. It was pretty much the same look Fish had in the 3rd where Corey robbed him. But, on the 2-0 goal (AKA THE GAME WINNER) Dozy Nick gave the puck away so quick and so stupidly, i can't blame Crow.

On Nov 31 they began a very home freindly schedule. How did they do?

13-5-2 @ home; 28 out of 40 = pretty good

3-3-1 on the road (all one game trips) so over the last 2 months 16-8-3 again not bad but with the schedule they have coming not good enough.

They will have to be road warriors and hopefully not road kill with 20 of their final 32 away from the UC. Of those 40 road points they are probably going to need at between 21-25 to stay competitive for the division.

With out significant defensive changes and a play for 60 minutes attititude this team with a $50 million core is heading at best for a 6th place finish!!

Leddy losses a puck battle behind net add whata ya know...game over.....in the 1st

On Nov 31 they began a very home freindly schedule. How did they do?

13-5-2 @ home; 28 out of 40 = pretty good

3-3-1 on the road (all one game trips) so over the last 2 months 16-8-3 again not bad but with the schedule they have coming not good enough.

They will have to be road warriors and hopefully not road kill with 20 of their final 32 away from the UC. Of those 40 road points they are probably going to need at between 21-25 to stay competitive for the division.

With out significant defensive changes and a play for 60 minutes attititude this team with a $50 million core is heading at best for a 6th place finish!!
- bogiedoc

I'm thinking more like 31-35 points. Highly unlikely. At least if they hold on to 6th, they would draw a more favorable draw in San Jose in the first round.

what game were you watching shaw had an excelent game. might have been his best
- molly2522

Correction: He did play well and has played very well. I meant about the scoring expectations. He and Hayes were not going to keep that type of offensive production. But you are right...Shaw gave it all on every shift and did some good things.

Leddy losses a puck battle behind net add whata ya know...game over.....in the 1st
- southernhawk

Leddy often chooses periods 1, 2 and 3 to take his pre-game/in game NAP. NOT A NICK LEDDY FAN.

go to control panel and check inbox
- molly2522

sent you a reply

There are up and downs in a season and we are in a down... They are playing poor hockey and could use some help at the deadline but lets not jump the shark here people and start going over the top with the "suck" bombs. Rinne kept the Hawks from picking up a point tonight with some good goalkeeping. Remember they are without their captain as well as one of their most lethal scorers and their goalie is playing with little confidence. (Emery should get a couple starts it seems the team plays better in front of him)

So lets remember they still have

1) Possibly the first half NHL MVP and one of the best leaders in the game in 19
2) One of the best all around players in 81 who is finally 100% healthy.
3 One of the best pure snipers in 10
4) One of the better playmakers in 88. (Saw some flashes tonight but he needs to pick it up.)
5) A top pairing most teams would kill to have.

What I like is the kids are getting some great experience and when the team gets healthy and hot (they'll get hot again) the bottom two lines will be much improved because of it. I'm staying glass half full and I definitely don't think they suck.

On Nov 31 they began a very home freindly schedule. How did they do?

13-5-2 @ home; 28 out of 40 = pretty good

3-3-1 on the road (all one game trips) so over the last 2 months 16-8-3 again not bad but with the schedule they have coming not good enough.

They will have to be road warriors and hopefully not road kill with 20 of their final 32 away from the UC. Of those 40 road points they are probably going to need at between 21-25 to stay competitive for the division.

With out significant defensive changes and a play for 60 minutes attititude this team with a $50 million core is heading at best for a 6th place finish!!
- bogiedoc

And are one or two new additions going to right this ship? I don't think so. If the coaching philosophy doesn't change (what would make you think it would) then we will see more of this.

I'm thinking more like 31-35 points. Highly unlikely. At least if they hold on to 6th, they would draw a more favorable draw in San Jose in the first round.
- hawks2010

Best case scenario if they don't win the division.....