The only thing comparable to the Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup is the Bears winning the Super Bowl in ‘86…no wait, THIS is BETTER!!!
Congratulations to the Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks! (who beat the Philadelphia Flyers in game 6 in overtime, 4-3.) And just as sweet, congratulations to Jonathan Toews for winning the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoffs MVP!!!
As I said in yesterday’s post, referee Dan O’Halloran killed the Hawks in games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals. He called so many penalties on the Hawks while ignoring so many others from the Flyers that it would be safe to argue that O’Halloran alone cost the Hawks games 3 and 4.
In tonight’s game 5, it looked like Dustin Byfuglien agreed when during a check of Flyers’ d-man Kimmo Timonen at about the 10 or 11 minute mark of the 3rd period, he took out Dan O’Halloran as well. Two goons with one stone. It was a thing of beauty! O’Halloran seemed to know that hit was meant for him too by the look on his face. Karma can be tricky Danny boy, so you just better watch out. The hockey gods don’t seem to like your intentional missed calls on the Flyers.
Finally, just to add insult to injury, Hawks’ Dustin Byfuglien scored the last goal of the 7-4 victory over the Flyers with an empty-netter in the last minute-and-a-half of the game with Dan O’Halloran having to rule it a good goal. So sweet. Go Hawks! Get that cup!
P.S. Hats off to Q for taking Big Buff and Kaner off the first line and moving Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky up with Toews. It totally threw off the Flyers. They couldn’t put the bullseye on any one player and with Buff checking up and down like a mad man, it was discombobulating to the Flyers. Hopefully Niklas Hjalmarsson can figure his game out by game 6 though, because we need him blocking shots. Don’t know what’s up with him, but he has that deer-in-headlights look about him.
All throughout this series with the Vancouver Canucks I have repeatedly been amazed at the classlessness of Canucks’ fans and the Canucks’ organization itself. At every game in Vancouver, The Star Spangled Banner was butchered by some decrepit, sorry excuse for a vocalist who hurriedly warbled through our beloved national anthem in what was clearly an expeditious fulfillment of the requirement. So very disrespectful Vancouver…even for you! Compare that embarrassment with the Blackhawks’ vocalist Jim Cornelison who always sings O Canada with poise, sincerity, and beauty. (more…)
No offense to all you young hockey players out there (as Eddie Olczyk would say) but the PR machine that constantly dictates to Hawks fans and lies to them about Patrick Kane has just gotten so old. We get it. Patrick Kane gets little kids, and their unwitting parents, to fill seats in the United Center. That’s because little kids can relate to Patrick Kane. After all, he’s about their size, and of course, little kids can see that Patrick Kane plays about as well as they do. (more…)
As I’ve said before, since the Olympics, Jonathan Toews has appeared thin and peaked. Yet nothing has been said about it, and even serious hockey fans appear to not have noticed Toews struggling (or that he slipped a line or two). However, fans have noticed the drop off in the Hawks’ play. That’s because when Toews has a bad game, the Hawks have a bad game. And since the Olympics, the Hawks have had a lot of bad games. (more…)
Update: The NHL suspended Wisniewski for 8 games without pay. Yes! I hope this means that instead of adversely affecting all players when dirty hits happen, the NHL sees that they need only punish the offenders, and even more harshly repeat offenders like Wisniewski (and Ovechkin). Thank you NHL for getting it right!
When the Blackhawks traded James ‘Wiz’ Wisniewski last season, I was the first to balk about that. How could the Blackhawks trade a valued and tough d-man like that? Since then, the Hawks have been struggling with their ‘D’ no question about it. But watching as Wiz and Brent Seabrook exchanged pleasantries before the first intermission in tonight’s Hawks/Ducks game and then watching Wisniewski gun for Brent Seabrook in the 2nd period and purposely leave his skates and take Seabs out by the head?! Oh, them’s fightin’ words Wiz! And are you kidding me with that “charging” call? What? No automatic ejection? Not even boarding?
At least Duncan Keith rushed in to box Wisniewski’s ears after that dirty hit. Similarly, Nick Boynton more than proved his worth in having a go at Wisniewski in the last minute of the game. If only Boynton had gotten some good shots under Wiz’s visor!
Just had to say, like Pat Foley did, what a wonderful job Eddie Olczyk did at the Olympics. He was the perfect choice for commentating the Olympic games. In fact, the only combo better than Eddie-O and Doc is Eddie-O and Pat Foley. And you know it’s really saying something that Eddie can make even Mike Milbury palatable!
Oh, and since I’m in the middle of watching tonight’s Blackhawks game against the Oilers, I just have to ask, because I’m thinking of it, did Dustin Byfuglien get a nose job? I swear his nose is smaller and even shorter! Anybody else notice that? Also, I think the fact that Jonathan Toews must be exhausted is throwing off the equilibrium of the team. Give this kid a break and let him sit out a few games before he collapses would ya?!
Along those lines, do you think when Niklas Hjalmarsson goes to take a shower in the morning he sees a whole bunch of purple circles on his chest? Brings new meaning to “taking one for the team”! And do you think when Marian Hossa looks in the mirror he thinks he looks like Ziggy too?
Sorry folks to have been gone so long. Your hoiden has been sick and so will be in and out. But rest assured. I’m still watching hockey like a Hawk. ;-)
Speaking of sick, what has happened to our boy Jonathan Toews? Post-Olympics and post-gold medal, he looks gaunt, pallid, and sickly. Are you ok Tazer??? Hopefully I speak for all Hawks fans when I say we’d rather have Jonny well than playing hockey, so please get well soon! Keep eating those Charlie Trotter’s steaks you love so much, and get some iron or something. (And forget Sid the Kid, Toews is not only the MVP of the Canadian team, but of all the hockey players in the Olympics. He was just that good. How dare Team Canada start him on the 4th line!)
And, if I’m going to play the part of the scolding mother (though, no, I am not old enough to be anyone’s mother!) then I must also scold Niklas Hjalmarsson and inquire as to why he’s not wearing his visor?? Naughty Jelly!
Oh, and we’re back to the beginning of the season where we’re having goal-tender issues again, which lends credence to my stance that we have no reliable, consistent goal-tenders in net!…sigh…
Ok. That is all. Back to convalescing.
Line changing seems to be the name of the game of late for the Hawks. On the Jonathan Toews line now is Patrick Kane again and Troy Brouwer. Hmm, not bad in terms of forechecking and all out aggressiveness. And how about that Madden line with Kris Versteeg and Dustin Byfuglien on wing; Madden who has steadily increased his face-off wins and overall performance? And Jordan Hendry replaced Tomas Kopecky (Bout time somebody did!) on the Colin Fraser line. Has Coach Q finally solidified the offensive lines? Well, let’s hope so. Let’s hope Q has finally found a winning combination. (more…)
If you’re a reader of this blog with any regularity you know that I have had a lot to say about how much of a mistake it was that the Blackhawks lost defenseman Matt Walker at the end of last season. So I was surprised that there wasn’t even a mention of Walker and his move to the Lightning before the start of the game tonight. (more…)