Hawks Hockey Hoiden

Do you ever get that weird feeling that when the NHL is trying to sell a new rule that they pick certain teams to sell it on?  For instance, earlier in the season the NHL seemed to pick the Flyers’ Chris Pronger to sell the need to make visors mandatory for all players in the NHL.  Or how about when the NHL put rule 48.1 in place making checks to the head illegal and the Vancouver Canucks got called for it repeatedly.

Tonight the Blackhawks beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5 to 2 and Viktor Stalberg scored his first NHL hat trick, but perhaps more memorable is that the Hawks were called for ‘instigating’ twice.  So it looks like the Blackhawks will be the team that the NHL proves their instigating penalty on.  (more…)

Holy cow (as Harry Caray would say), what has happened to the Hawks?  Dare I ask if we have a Cristobal Huet-type situation brewing in net?  Something went wrong in tonight’s game when the Hawks were shut out by the Avalanche, 4-0.  Ouch.  Are ya missing Antti Niemi yet?  How about Marty Turco?  Well, hopefully Corey Crawford finds a way out of his “sophomore slump” because I just don’t think Ray Emery is going to fly as back-up. (more…)

The Hawks seem to struggle against defensive-minded teams, and the Hawks’ 5-4 overtime win tonight against the Nashville Predators was no exception.  Patrick Kane was phenomenal for the second game in a row, with two goals and an assist, and a +3 for the night.  Jonathan Toews on the other hand struggled again tonight as he has for several games now.  Toews did not score, was sluggish, and registered only an assist.  What?  Did Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews switch bodies for Halloween?  (more…)

OK, surely Blackhawks fans can’t be the only ones who see that referee Dan O’Halloran has it in for the Hawks.  In tonight’s Blackhawks win over the Dallas Stars, 5-2, dreaded anti-Hawks referee Dan O’Halloran made two abominable calls on two of the Hawks’ most revered and even-tempered players: Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp.  About midway through the 2nd period, Jonathan Toews was called for slashing on Steve Ott.  As any ref should know, slashing involves a swinging or hacking motion of the stick on either the opponent’s stick or his body.  Toews did neither of these; he simply had an active stick in trying to harass the puck away from Ott.  Commentator Eddie Olczyk also indicated he too did not see slashing.  Nevertheless, the slashing penalty stuck.  Still, Tazer would have his revenge when, seconds after shooting out of the penalty box, he rocketed down the ice, paused, and hammered off a snapshot for a goal.  That’s what fans love about Jonathan Toews.  He doesn’t get mad; he gets even.  (more…)

After reading all of the undeserved criticism of Matt Walker on the net, particularly from Flyers fans, it’s time to set the record straight on defenseman Matt Walker.  It was bad enough having to watch Chicago discard Matt Walker without realizing what they had in him before the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup winning season in 09-10, but then I had to hear that the Philadelphia Flyers got Matt Walker on a trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning before the 2010-2011 season had started, only to put him on waivers in January.  Unfortunately, “fans” in Philly didn’t seem to understand Walker’s role, just like “fans” in Tampa Bay and even Chicago didn’t.  (more…)

Wow, I take back everything I said about Colin Fraser not being a good choice for enforcer.  Fraser made it quite obvious in two scraps that he is more than equipped to be team agitator in tonight’s Hawks/Avalanche match-up (which resulted in a 3-2 Blackhawks win in OT, of course).  I renew my irritation, however, at the overpenalizing of fighting.  A 5-minute major penalty for a little roughing that doesn’t even draw blood is excessive. (more…)

You had to be at the Hawks/Wild game tonight to truly appreciate how lousy and yet bizarre the officiating was.  On some of those calls I was left wondering what in the world the refs were thinking.  Perhaps I shouldn’t complain though because it was the only real spark in a game where both teams were bumbling about.  (more…)

The Hawks got a slow start tonight, but boy did they pick the puck up and run with it in the 2nd period!  (more…)

In the last couple of games, we’ve heard the worst sound in the world: the “clink, clink, clink” off the iron as the Hawks have made some bad shots.  It’s to be expected because the Flames are just that good on ‘D,’ harassing the puck away or harassing the Hawks while taking shots.   But you know, that’s what you do in the playoffs.  You up the ante.  Unfortunately, the Hawks didn’t answer tonight in their 2-4 loss to the Flames. (more…)

Tonight the Hawks had a slight case of the shakes in game one of the quarterfinal match-up against the Flames. It’s to be expected with such a young team, but luckily the more senior players (some with playoff experience) were able to act as a calming influence. (more…)