So...good win?

No, not really.  The Hawks got two points in the worst possible way against the Islanders tonight.  They played lousy hockey tonight, giving up 4 goals to a team that averages less than 2 a game and getting outshot 23-7 in the 3rd period.

Yeah, it's tough to be pleased with tonight's effort.  There were a few bright spots, but the Islanders are a team that the Hawks should beat, and while they did get 2 points, it's hard to find many bright spots. 

THE GOOD

Jonathan Toews - Tazer dragged the Hawks kicking and screaming to a win tonight, getting a short handed goal on a great individual effort in the second period, an assist on Patrick Sharp's power play goal in the third and scoring the only tally by either team in the shootout.

Sean O'Donnell - to be honest, I'm struggling to find silver linings, but O'Donnell played pretty well and had a nifty assist on Andrew Brunette's goal in the first period.

THE BAD

Tough to single out anyone in particular here.  Corey Crawford gave up 4 goals, but saw 41 shots on the night.  While Jonathan Taveres is a hell of a player, there's no way the Hawks should have let the rest of the Islanders run as wild as they did.  "Long Island" was finding open space in the slot all night, and on more than one occasion it was because a Hawks forward simply lost track of his defensive assignment in the zone.  You can get away with this shit against the Islanders (barely), but it needs to be shored up before Chicago faces a real team.  So, they've got until tomorrow.


THE UGLY

"It wasn't pretty, but they got the job done" - Steve Konroyd on the post game show.  I guess that about sums it up.


FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS:

Who is a better fighter than Abobo?  NOBODY!

If you grew up playing the NES in the 80's, this is the greatest thing ever:




Up next: the Hawks play the Blues tomorrow night in St. Louis.  I'll be watching Corner Gas, so some other jerk will be recapping.