THE BITCH IS BACK: Blackhawks 4, Flames 1
It's always nice when your team has a bitch.
Today the Chicago Blackhawks completed their season sweep of the Calgary Flames, winning 4-1 in front of 21,537 in an Easter Sunday matinee in the United Center.
Best of all, those 21, 537 all got free Egg McMuffins by virtue of the Hawks tallying the first goal of the game.
About two minutes before the puck dropped, the fans inside the United Center learned that the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Detroit Red Wings, making the Hawks the 2009-10 Central Division Champions. After several Western, Smythe and Norris Division titles, this is their first since the division was renamed the Central. In fact, this is the first division title for the Hawks since 1993.
Let's get right to it...
THE GOOD:
The Fourth Line. Again. I don't know what the hell lit a fire under these guys' asses, but the McMuffin-winning goal was Tomas Kopecky. Guy's got 10 goals, you believe that shit? If I didn't see the numbers with my own eyes, I wouldn't, that's for sure.
Antti Niemi. Solid in net. Also collected his first NHL assist on a Patrick Kane goal that brought back memories of Steve Shutt, a lightning-quick shot that snuck in under the crossbar. Ken Dryden once said his only standing ovation in the Montreal Forum was when he was announced as getting an assist. I don't think the United Center fully appreciated what had happened.
Team discipline. One penalty in two games. A return to committing to team defense, including reducing second shots. The Hawks are starting to wall up in front of Niemi, which will make his job easier. This was playoff hockey they were playing today.
Dustin Byfuglien. He scored the dagger-in-the-heart goal late in the third, but I was noticing how many times I was mumbling, "Nice play by Byfuglien." We all know his game comes and goes, but it's here now. He's no Norris contender, but he's solid enough to skate with one.
THE BAD:
The notion that Jerome Iginla is somehow a leader in the mold of Gainey, Messier and Armstrong. After four first-round exits in a row, the Flames can pretty much start booking tee-times after getting no points in this one. He was completely invisible in this game, which is the type of game where the Captain needs to step up.
THE UGLY:
The Hawks don't see the Flames until October. After the Hawks clinched a playoff spot last week, there were meatballs running around calling games "must" wins.. The Hawks are just down to "it's nice to" wins. Sure, the #1 in the West seed would be nice. Not worth risking a knee over though. The Flames were supposed to be playing for their lives. There was no urgency to their game until after the third period was underway.
The Hawks, meanwhile, have pulled it together. They are playing now the way everyone wants to see them playing once the playoffs commence.
Everyone except the rest of the NHL.
Posted by Forklift at 4/4/2010 5:33 PM 
Categories: Chicago Blackhawks, Game Recap, Calgary Flames
Tags: Chicago Blackhawks Antti Niemi Too Much Kopecky Dustin Byfuglien Calgary Flames Jerome Iginla
Categories: Chicago Blackhawks, Game Recap, Calgary Flames
Tags: Chicago Blackhawks Antti Niemi Too Much Kopecky Dustin Byfuglien Calgary Flames Jerome Iginla
I don't want to see Iginla ever light up the Hawks, and he wilts against them for whatever reason. That aside, I admire his game and he's a guy that any team would be lucky to have. Perhaps he's just not "the" guy or perhaps the Flames mgmt just hasn't surrounded him with the right players. Pretty fucking sad given the longevity of his tenure as Flames captain.
He's a great player but seems to lose his game against the Hawks. I'm ok with that.
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I truly butchered that first sentence but I don't care. Hawks win the central and they're hot on the Sharks' heels for the #1 seed. Let's Go Hawks!
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Aside from this being another MUST WIN for the Hawks, also a NICE TO WIN, EH win for the Hawks.
The panel of hockey experts on the Calgary feed (the lads from SportsNet) finally admitted that there are other Finnish goalies besides Kipper, and guess what, some of them, like Nemo, are pretty darn good. Oh, they also admitted the Blackhawks are good.
How about that.
Now, to the key aspects of this game.
(One) Was the BBQ apron promotion alluded to by The Forkmeister happening today?
(Two) Did/do the fans have their choice of Egg McMuffin or Filet o' Fish?
(Three) Not to take anything away from Iggy, but what did the rest of the Stooges do?
(Four) Is Jay Bouwmeester the most overpaid defenseman in the NHL?
(Five) Does Mr Byfuglien know he wears Dirk Graham's number?
(Six) Is Patrick Kane an un-effin-buh-lee-vabull shooter or WHAT????
(Seven) Did CT make it back from Bloomington?
Norris, er, Central Division Champions. Feels good.
PS Da Boss to Buff for the stake through the heart was excellent.
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1. There are 2 aprons on my kitchen table.
2. Filet-o-Fish sales will plummet now that Lent is over. Only CT's tartar sauce addiction will keep the sandwich as a viable product.
3. I don't think the Flames bus showed up until after the second period.
4. Maybe not the whole NHL, but certainly outside the confines of Madison Square Garden.
5. We made a decent amount of "sure, give the Black guy Graham's number" jokes after they switched Big Fugly from #52.
6. I refer to my Shutt comparison.
7. You never make it back from Bloomington, man. You always carry that shit around with you.
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Getting back from Bloomington is easy, it's Normal that's tough.
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Shon the non-believer(s). This is for you Fork.
http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c277/FroDogNextChamp/?action=view¤t=One.jpg
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Fro-
You're beyond retarded.
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Shouldn't you be working on a 3 part-series retrospective on Koko B. Ware?
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Koko B. Ware was before my time.
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Mister Fork, your prompt amd poised perspective continues to reinforce the position of HockeeNight as the ultimate source for all things Blackhawk (at least on the WWW).
"Un grand merci", as Pierre Duguay might say.
To address more pressing matters, is it not incumbent upon the Blackhawk Boyz to approach the coming contests with urgency and expediency, given that the top seed is within striking distance?
Furthermore, the Vancouver Nuckleheads having dispatched Metro Marty Havlat and the Mild, they are scrambling to climb out of the number three slot and thus avoid the Motown Mob.
The Hawks' personnel situation still being what it is, affronting the Yeti or Burger Kings would be preferable for Les Hawques. This could be conceivably accomplished with a first or second place Conference standing (neither being a given at this point). That is, unless the Babcocky Bunch falter.
Therefore, observers can use the term 'must win' with impunity, and reasonable accuracy, to describe the remaining tilts.
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Couldn't have said it better myself.
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