MEMORIAL DAY MELTDOWN: Red Wings 6, Blackhawks 1
Some people go to summer hockey clinics to learn the proper way to play hockey, and see the flaws they have in their games.
Today, the Chicago Blackhawks went to a clinic, and the Detroit Red Wings were running it.
The Hawks' poor play and lack of composure resulted in a 6-1 pantsing at the hands of Detroit at the United Center.
THE GOOD:
Jonathan Toews...no matter how ugly this game got, and it got uglier than the girl who goes home alone at 4 o'clock on a Sunday morning, he was composed and professional. He got the goal when the Hawks needed one badly. He never lost his cool. He'll get his name on the Cup one of these days. In fact, while so many Hawks players were taking stupid-assed penalties, you could actually see his disgust. This is a competitor we've got here, if you didn't already know.
THE BAD:
Christobal Huet. What a sieve. He probably wound up with sunburn fro the red light. He gave up a lot of goals, and none of them were particularly tough. He was absolutely brutal.
VERSTEEG! When you're down 4, you don't skate out of the box and get chippy in open ice. That's dumbshit hockey, and that isn't what makes a good team a top team. Oh yeah, calling out guys when you're down 5? Nice set of balls you grew there, kid.
The Hawks' passing. They've gotten this far by opening up the ice with stretch passing, but the Wings have just run a passing clinic, everything has been tape-to-tape. At times the Wings looked like they were doing some Harlem Globetrotters stuff out on the ice, moving the puck at will.
THE UGLY:
Brian Campbell. Ho. Lee. Shit. What a brutal game - on ice for the first 4 Detroit goals - the first was a shorthanded breakaway where Barker was the only D back since Campbell was pinching, the second was an even strength where Hossa used him for a screen and shot through his legs. After Toews' goal, his fuckup in neutral ice let the Wings open it back up to a 3-goal lead.
Wednesday night the Hawks and Wings go again at Joe Louis Arena...the Hawks will try to keep the season alive, while the Wings will be looking to close it out...the Hawks haven't faced elimination this season, we'll see if they nut up or roll over on Wednesday night.
Posted by Forklift at 5/24/2009 3:48 PM 
Categories: 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs,Chicago Blackhawks
Tags: 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs Chicago Blackhawks Detroit Red Wings VERSTEEG! Jonathan Toews Brian Campbell
Categories: 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs,Chicago Blackhawks
Tags: 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs Chicago Blackhawks Detroit Red Wings VERSTEEG! Jonathan Toews Brian Campbell
Fuckin wahhh hahaha
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Nice to see that even mental patients get to use the internet sometimes.
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My alias is blown.
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If there's any question about where to start to solve any potential salary cap issues the Hawks may face, it's being answered in this series. Dump Brian Campbell's salary. He's not bringing leadership and his inability to play within a system is hurting the Hawks badly.
If Chicago does want to model themselves after Detroit, they have to start by showing a willingness to part with a high numbers potential guy who doesn't fit the vision for the team. Campbell is a me-first mercenary. By the time he learns what it takes to join a real winner, it'll be too late in his career.
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Jesus Christ people, stop whining about Campbell. He was the best player on the ice against Vancouver, and was brought in for his OFFENSE NOT HIS DEFENSE. Why can't people get that through their thick heads? Sure, he's overpaid and he's no Keith or Seabrook on the defensive end, but he was NOT BROUGHT IN TO BE A SHUT DOWN DEFENSEMAN. For me, the people who whine about Campbell sucking on D are just as annoying as the people who whine about Sammy P. being unproductive on offense. Get a clue. The Fifth Feather had a great piece on Campbell not too long ago--I suggest everyone hating on him go read it. Looking for someone to blame? How about Huet (couldn't save a beach ball), Versteeg (I like to stickhandle at the blue line instead of dump it), or Eager (I'm going to take weak cheap shots then whine at the refs)? How about Barker being invisible throughout the playoffs? How about Matt Walker playing like a cow on skates and being beaten by just about every Detroit player?
Also, WTF w/ bitching about the shortie being Campbell's fault? Campbell has been taking the puck up and pinching behind the net throughout the playoffs when he brings it in himself on the rush--it wasn't his fault that the forward (either Toews or Sharp) failed to recognize it and cover the point.
There is no way this loss falls on any one player, but if it did it would be Huet, not Campbell. Huet is no better than a backup goalie, period.
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I don't think people are bitching at Campbell for his defense, dude. They're bitching at Campbell because he keeps making mind-blowingly dumb mistakes, either in terms of bad turnovers, soft (or lousy) passes or cruddy decisions, like the one he made in the neutral zone leading to Detroit's fourth goal after the Hawks got back into it seconds earlier.
As for why people aren't more peeved at #32, it's because Versteeg is a goddamned salary-controlled rookie (rookie, as in "rookie mistake," which all are expected to make), while Campbell is a highly-paid veteran soaking a major portion of the Hawks' cap room and hasn't done jack squat in two out of three playoff series.
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One more compliment on Toews today for a play he *didn't* make, actually. On Detroit's shorty in the first, he busted ass all the way back down the ice and laid out completely, just missing the breaking up the crossing pass with the edge of his stick by an inch or two.
Detroit scored, so it will go unheralded, but it was a play he had no business even being in the neighborhood to make, and he damn near made it. More of that, and fewer brain cramps and dumb penalties, and this team has a chance to bring the series back to the UC (provided Khabi's in goal, of course).
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Like it or not, Campbell isn't going anywhere - the Hawks paid more than anyone else was willing to last year, which is why he wears an Indian head now. Nothing has changed to where anyone will find a sudden need for his services.
And he's stunk worse than open ass in this series, but the HAwks never would have gotten past Vancouver without him.
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You're right-on about Towes. The only think I'd fault him for in this game is that he didn't step up and be more of a captain. He should have gotten in the face of those guys during the intermission, and even on the ice if they needed it, and told them to stop it with the cheap crap.
I'm from Michigan but have lived in Chicago for 14 years. I'm a Wings fan first and a Hawks fan second. I've followed the Wings since the times in the late 80's, when they had season after season end with disappointment. It took the Wings six or seven years to get better and better before they finally won. It won't take the Hawks that long, and I think that Towes will be Chicago's Yzerman.
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I understand that signing Campbell was a show of faith by management to fans that they were committed to icing a winning team and I can appreciate that. What I keep hearing is "yes, Campbell is overpaid, but..."
Well? Exactly how overpaid is Campbell? I know he wasn't brought in for his defensive skills and can appreciate that his offensive production, even when it doesn't lead directly to points is important. However, you don't have to argue about his lack of defense when his offense is leading directly or indirectly to opposition goals as was the case three times yesterday.
Here's the main question. If you find a team that will give you a 5-6th D-Man and a late pick or a 2nd and 5th rounder for him, do you jump on that?
How much can you afford to overpay for talent and keep the team deep?
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Considering the emergence of both Cam Barker and Brent Seabrook this season, I'd jump on an offer like that in a heartbeat. As I said earlier, if any team wanted to pay that much for Campbell though, they would have done it last season.
Besides, I'm sure he has a no-trade.
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