White Noise: Hawks 4, Stars 3 (SO)
I will admit I wasn't concentrating hard on this one. I watched the first two periods out of one eye in between warming up cars and shoveling snow. I saw the entire third and wasn't particularly thrilled. Seemed like every time I looked, the Hawks were coughing up the puck or committing a penalty. They cut out the penalties in the third period and took the lead but couldn't hold it and after a heroic job by Annti Niemi and Brent Sopel to keep the game knotted up in overtime, the Hawks finally won it in the shootout. By the way, I know it's not cool to like the shootout, but I do enjoy it. Idiotic point system aside, you get to see guys display some awesome individual skill, at least for the first 5 or so shooters.
THE GOOD
Kane-Toews-Sharp: It's like these guys were never seperated. Patrick Sharp has stepped right back onto the Kane and Toews line without missing a beat. These three had a whole bunch of good shifts, several good scoring chances, and Kane put two pucks past Turco. Can't ask for much more than that.
Troy Brouwer: Mercifully, Joel Quenneville ended the Tomas Kopecky 2nd line experiment after the 1st period tonight, giving that spot to Brouwer, who paid off by scoring the Hawks 3rd goal.
THE BAD
Power Play: Bowling shoe ugly, as JR would say. I'm not sure why a team with so many talented offensive players is so lousy on the man advantage right now, but they look brutal. I think the penalty killing unit generates more scoring chances per game at this point.
Turnovers: The defensive effort from the Hawks was pretty spotty, but worse was their handling of the puck in the neutral zone. Too man Hawks were looking to carry the puck through defenders when easy passes were available to make (I'm looking at you Versteeg).
Injuries: Colin Fraser and John Madden both left the game and did not return. Hopefully it was nothing too serious-if it is, we'll be seeing Patrick Sharp back at center sooner than we thought.
THE UGLY
Dustin Byfuglien's backhand: Late in the 2nd period, Buff was sprung in alone on Marty Turco and he may want to think about working on a new move. Just a suggestion.
THE GOOD
Kane-Toews-Sharp: It's like these guys were never seperated. Patrick Sharp has stepped right back onto the Kane and Toews line without missing a beat. These three had a whole bunch of good shifts, several good scoring chances, and Kane put two pucks past Turco. Can't ask for much more than that.
Troy Brouwer: Mercifully, Joel Quenneville ended the Tomas Kopecky 2nd line experiment after the 1st period tonight, giving that spot to Brouwer, who paid off by scoring the Hawks 3rd goal.
THE BAD
Power Play: Bowling shoe ugly, as JR would say. I'm not sure why a team with so many talented offensive players is so lousy on the man advantage right now, but they look brutal. I think the penalty killing unit generates more scoring chances per game at this point.
Turnovers: The defensive effort from the Hawks was pretty spotty, but worse was their handling of the puck in the neutral zone. Too man Hawks were looking to carry the puck through defenders when easy passes were available to make (I'm looking at you Versteeg).
Injuries: Colin Fraser and John Madden both left the game and did not return. Hopefully it was nothing too serious-if it is, we'll be seeing Patrick Sharp back at center sooner than we thought.
THE UGLY
Dustin Byfuglien's backhand: Late in the 2nd period, Buff was sprung in alone on Marty Turco and he may want to think about working on a new move. Just a suggestion.
Posted by CT at 2/9/2010 10:39 PM 
Categories: Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars
Tags: Blackhawks Stars
Categories: Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars
Tags: Blackhawks Stars
The Antii-Semite was great in the shootout. I am all for him getting time in the playoffs if any of those games get to a shootout.
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Now that the Stars have Kari Lehtonen, who wants Marty Turco in CHI?
Don't all speak up at once, y'all.
This game can be summed up in one word.
Kane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
...like Denis Savard said, the kid is already better than he was at a similar stage.
And can Sarah Kustok look any more like she wants to rip Kane's clothes off in front of a full house of cheering fans?
My miscellaneous and sundry observations:
Can the Hawks just beat the Thrash and the Jackets? Huh? Huh?
Oh, and the weather up here is PERFECT for outdoor hockey. Got in a couple of hours today. And the girls who come to play with the guys are hot.
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Darryl was an absolute BEAST, especially playing all 2 minutes of the PK in overtime.
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A few thoughts:
1) They need to improve their secondary scoring. Hopefully this improves after Bolland rounds into shape.
2) They still need to tighten up on defense. The two regular strength goals could have been defended better.
3) I still say stick with the goal-tending they have.
4) Dave - How hot? Anne Murray hot?
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Denny> somewhere between Shania Twain hot and Avril Lavigne hot.
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Now that's hot!
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Buff was awful last night. In addition to that comical backhand attempt on his breakaway, he was a -2 and took an awful penalty that led to their other goal. And he is equally as bad as a point-man on the PP.
My other bitch: Why does Comcast Sports Net have to run that fucking irritating score box on the bottom during the shoot-out? It's bad enough that it runs every five minutes during the regulation, but OT and shoot-out should be sacred.
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Dustin Byfuglien gets a pass because he has the coolest name of any Hawkey player since Bronco Horvath.
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