The Lightning have a better record. And are better at every position. Probably the best team in the NHL.
- SimpleJack

I had a little bit more than what you quoted, lightning are great competitors, but not great finishers. The caps showed them. It should be worth just looking at their record with all of the depletions, and ducks had played 2 more games than tbl. Still impressive.

I had a little bit more than what you quoted, lightning are great competitors, but not great finishers. The caps showed them. It should be worth just looking at their record with all of the depletions. Impressive.
- I Am The Breadman

I think the Ducks will be right there in the mix for the WCF when fully healthy. A very good team. But if you look position by position the Lightning probably have the most stacked roster in the NHL, and i wouldn't bet against them to come up short in the playoffs if they get that far again. Too talented, and lots of experience as well.

I think the Ducks will be right there in the mix for the WCF when fully healthy. A very good team. But if you look position by position the Lightning probably have the most stacked roster in the NHL, and i wouldn't bet against them to come up short in the playoffs if they get that far again. Too talented, and lots of experience as well.
- SimpleJack

I like the ducks defense, but yeah, tbl good on paper, great on ice as well, I agree. I'm just impressed with what the ducks have accomplished without their stars. Only point I wanted to make. Mispoke.

how bad was that second period: ward had .91 save% while giving up 3 goals...

how bad was that game: Q called it "outstanding goaltending" giving up 5...completely agree...avg or bad night that GA is in double digits...

how bad was that second period: ward had .91 save% while giving up 3 goals...
- bogiedoc

Just when you think you've seen the worst Blackhawks hockey in 15 years, they outdo themselves. Not mad at this team, they just are not that good. They have a few really good players and maybe 2 (Kane, Crow) great players, but this is a pretty ?? roster.

well two really awful team performances in the 2 of the 3 with a goalie win in the other...

yep last years team is still alive and well...

4 home games with GA of 7, 3, 4, 6...whoo hooo.... 5 GPG against...

go get'em boyz

well two really awful team performances in the 2 of the 3 with a goalie win in the other...

yep last years team is still alive and well...

4 home games with GA of 7, 3, 4, 6...whoo hooo.... 5 GPG against...

go get'em boyz
- bogiedoc

The biggest difference between last year and this year is the reemergence of The Captain. Love that. Keith and Seabrook seem better too. It's good go have Kruger back (when he isn't making dumb penalties.) DeBrincat seems to have settled in. Joki and Kahun contributing as rookies. If Schmaltz and Saad start playing up to their potential, this is all a good start.

But as of tonight the Blackhawks are ranking:

3rd in Goals For
26th in Goals Against
29th in PP%
25th in PK%

Defense needs a lot of work. Forsling and Murphy could help, but I'm not sure how much.

The biggest difference between last year and this year is the reemergence of The Captain. Love that. Keith and Seabrook seem better too. It's good go have Kruger back (when he isn't making dumb penalties.) DeBrincat seems to have settled in. Joki and Kahun contributing as rookies. If Schmaltz and Saad start playing up to their potential, this is all a good start.

But as of tonight the Blackhawks are ranking:

3rd in Goals For
26th in Goals Against
29th in PP%
25th in PK%

Defense needs a lot of work. Forsling and Murphy could help, but I'm not sure how much.
- matt_ahrens

yes specific players performing better than last year; however TEAM play is no better than last year defensively; they left their goalies on an island most of last year and they are doing it again...

the hard fast skating bolts made them look like clueless pylons the entire night...complete lack of structure defensively...

yes specific players performing better than last year; however TEAM play is no better than last year defensively; they left their goalies on an island most of last year and they are doing it again...

the hard fast skating bolts made them look like clueless pylons the entire night...complete lack of structure defensively...
- bogiedoc

absolutely.
Toews' line playing ok. Keith - Joki playing ok as a pair.
the rest, not so much.

"Whether we're looking for balance or we're just looking for one to get hot, I think our power play has been ordinary so far," Quenneville said before the game. "We need it to be more of a threat."

I think thats an overstatement....been ordinary or bad most of his tenure considering the offensive talent.

DeBrincat was held pointless last night. Maybe it's time for a reassignment to Rockford so he can find his game?

DeBrincat was held pointless last night. Maybe it's time for a reassignment to Rockford so he can find his game?
- DarthKane

He has no game. Last night was proof he's an AHLer.

John Cooper before last nights annililation about #50.

I think the Ducks will be right there in the mix for the WCF when fully healthy. A very good team. But if you look position by position the Lightning probably have the most stacked roster in the NHL, and i wouldn't bet against them to come up short in the playoffs if they get that far again. Too talented, and lots of experience as well.
- SimpleJack

Ducks are totally one man show - John Gibson's who is not Vezna winner only probably because of East Coast bias. Ducks are slow, not that skilled and allow like 55-60 shots each game. I was watching NHL.TV free game against Vegas and they looked like AHL team being totally outskated and dominated by Vegas team which still in mini slump of their own playing without Nate Schmidt, Stasny and Tuch.
It should be goaltending duel played by two weak and honestly boring teams with high caliber goalies.

DeBrincat was held pointless last night. Maybe it's time for a reassignment to Rockford so he can find his game?
- DarthKane

yeah he dropped to a 113 pt season pace...damn him

John Cooper before last nights annililation about #50.






- bogiedoc

Crawford was great last 3 years but I thought that 2015 match-up against Tampa was not his finest - he let a few softies from sharp angle not fully covering the closest goalpost. I remember just Tyler Johnson scoring twice that way during this games. The most unusual thing Crawford did during that series was to toss Kucherov into the net that broke dude collarbone and maybe costed Tampa that cup:-)

*NEW* blog up: https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=95448

DeBrincat was held pointless last night. Maybe it's time for a reassignment to Rockford so he can find his game?
- DarthKane

I couldn't believe he was on the ice, what a non-factor.

Pretty much this.

Tampa Bay is good at hockey. They are not only fast but they are fast and in sync. They all move with a purpose and support each other all over the ice.
- Justin Lowe

Q has the Hawks playing like that....oh wait

Top Heavy (haha) and D Light!

1. When Kane, Toews, and Debrincat in that order do not produce in points, Hawks will struggle. That is not to say, they played bad.

2. The Toews line (even individually in Toews and Debrincat) has come down to earth and I think this will be their look and production moving forward over a course of the season. They are still the best line!

3. Time to move Saader back up to Toews line to spread wealth on woeful 3rd line.
Saad/Toews/Debrincat
Schmaltz/AA/Kane
Kunitz/Kampf/Kahun(not a demotion); also Dylan Sikura in another month
Martinsen (nice physical presence)/Krueger/Hayden; Fortin rotates in here as well

4. Team D is ASTROCIOUS thus EXPOSED. Someone please protect the "HOUSE"

5. Davdison slight improvement over Manning but not much

6. Crow and Ward are a formidable pair yet overworked!

Crawford was great last 3 years but I thought that 2015 match-up against Tampa was not his finest - he let a few softies from sharp angle not fully covering the closest goalpost. I remember just Tyler Johnson scoring twice that way during this games. The most unusual thing Crawford did during that series was to toss Kucherov into the net that broke dude collarbone and maybe costed Tampa that cup:-)
- vshun

hmm really....he stoned stamkos at least 5x in that series but you remember a "few sofities" wow...nice try

allowed 10 goals on 159 shots = .937 save% and 1.82 GA and allowed only 3 goals the last 3 games with a shut out in G6..and carried the hawks to 4 strt wins after being down 2-1..

stoned the bolts during numerous surges...that's cooper's point...

This pretty much sums it up. I thought Cam Ward easily played his best game as a Hawk. The score doesn't' reflect this but Ward was stellar. Unfortunately the roster in front of him was not - which is on Bowman, and of course the PP crapped the bed as usual which is on Joel.

As Matt mentioned signs of life from Schmaltz and Saad...but we saw the depth and speed of Tampa. Sergachev who Stevie Y stole from the Habs didn't look to bad at all on the back end.

Tampa also set a record for SOG in a period that goes back to the expansion of 67-68. I thought Tampa's goalie was quite good as well. But what a baby every time the Hawks scored he tomahawked his stick on the net..pathetic.

And a special shout out to Wes McCauley- who continues to phuck the Hawks every chance he gets. 3 PPs in a row there for the bolts in the 2nd. And really slow with the whistle on not just one but two goals for them...great work tonight Wes.

Anaheim up next...
- DK002

Your point about McCauley is valid. Teams like the Lightning are challenging enough to play without giving them 3 straight PPs in half a period. Momentum completely tilted. The stupid thing is these were not “have to call” penalties, on the Hawks, for things like trips preventing break-aways. Could have allowed the teams to play. Let interference go all game for the Lightning including picks which gave the player behind protection for the puck. Also just let the Lighning bang at the goaltender as long as they wanted.

At this point Q must just shut up. Complain about nobody being moved from in front of the net and then playing Rutta? On the PK? Is he kidding. Rutta standing ALL ALONE all the time. Allergic to the other team’s players. Same for Gus much of the time. Also complain about playing with pace and then playing Kunitz and Martinsen. How did Kunitz get 13 goals last year? Why didn’t Lightning want him back? I can’t see him scoring at all for the Hawks.

The PK is a disaster. Much of the blame should be on Q. Hawks play totally passively. No pressure at all. No pressure at all on the points. Way too small a box. PP teams easily keep the puck - they have all day to set up plays. It is actually ridiculous and sad to watch. Hawks just hope to touch the puck but actually do nothing to get it.

Hawks must shake this one off. Time to flip Saad and Kahun or Kane and Kahun (nuclear option) before Toews goes south.

Tampa guys are going down like a sack of potatoes every time a guy is near them. Call it, ref.
- Hawks_49

I said to my family that they were like cartoon players who immedietely fall down if someone is close.