Despite Everything: Hawks 4, Jets 3 and Sunday's Big Boy

Weird, weird game.  The Hawks seemed, at turns, completely baffled and asea, yet at other times, instinct appeared to kick in and they prevailed despite all shortcomings.  It's late so let's get right to the stuff.
- Hasn't Andrew Shaw been everything you want in Andrew Shaw, lately?  I'm loving him on the fourth line where offensive expectations are lower and he can be a pain in the ass pretty much full time, which is exactly as it should be.  Throw in his reliable knack for tip-ins and tap-ins on the PP and he's more self-actualized than Eleanor Roosevelt.
- How is it that Rozsival ended up evens tonight after being so far out to lunch on practically every shift?
- Special Teams were less than special tonight to the point where one has to wonder how long Quenneville can persist with Versteeg playing on both the PP and PK.  Joel, meet Antoine Vermette; he was killing penalties when Versteeg was in Midget hockey. 
- It's hilarious and fortunate that Ondrej Pavelic can make highlight reel saves all night until it really matters and, only when it really matters, cough up a hairball. 
- Whether he's actually injured or not Johnny Oduya should be granted a two week vacay every winter.  Send him to Thailand for all I care but, when he returns he's outstanding, so please continue.
- I guess we're going to have to endure a game or two with the new guys, Baun and Paliotta.  Common sense would suggest that the opportune time to do this would be now, whilst Nordstrom is banged up, but when has common sense prevailed when the lineup card is filled out?
- As I suggested, above, The Hawks didn't look like they deserved to win tonight, yet neither did The Jets.  Take the points and scram, I say.  Nashville and St. Lewis are not yet out of reach, so let's hope the lads don't give themselves too much credit for this win and put their shoulders to the wheel tomorrow.

To be honest, no one really stood out for me, but one play in particular was critical in the result; Duncan Keith's keep-in to set up Shaw's goal.

                                                       Join the Canadian Club.

About Last Night: Cheese Steak Gobbling Morons 4, Hawks 1

First off, The Flyers played well.
That aside, just because The Flyers didn't stink doesn't mean The Hawks still shouldn't beat the tar out of them.  But they didn't beat and here's why.
- The lineup made even less sense than the hot mess that Quenneville conjured up for Monday's game in Carolina and that's saying something.  Yeah, we all get that Bickell was awful and looked likely to be scratched tonight, but Teravainen being sat down is mysterious.  He had been climbing the depth chart, line by line, every few games and apparently practiced with Toews and Saad this morning.  Instead, we're treated to Shaw on L1 and Desjardins AND Carcillo in the lineup.
- Yes, fucking Carcillo, who has now played two games in the last month.  Hilariously, he played 2½ minutes more than Nordstrom who has been in the lineup consistently and has done nothing particularly wrong. 
- Something is wrong with Toews.  He doesn't have his usual giddyap and has not been stellar at the dot.  What's more is that he is either puzzled an/or annoyed by Q's inane line shuffling.
- Someone has to unplug Rozsival's iron lung tonight.  Let the old boy drift off peacefully in his sleep...

Good Enough to Win (and not one bit more): Hawks 3, Hurricanes 1 and Monday's Big Boy

So, how do you get outshot by 19, make a series of bonehead plays yet still win the game?  First, surprise a rather easily exploitable defense and, second, have Corey Crawford as your own last line of defense.

The Good
- Corey Crawford, full stop.
- Patrick Sharp appears to be emerging from the fog, despite appearing to play on a different line every second shift.
- The Hawks' D did a decent job of limiting second chances, clearing rebounds and blocking access to the dirty areas.  I suppose it's the least they could do after their role in 44 shots against.  Bear in mind that The 'Canes are offensively pathetic but, given the fact that these guys were great against the two NY teams and horrifying against Dallas, who knows what to expect from one night to the next?
The Bad
- Coach Quenneville had assembled four lines that worked tremendously in two games against top teams but, at the first sign of trouble (see Dallas, above) he shook up the top three lines once again.  Tonight's result flatters to deceive but I fear that Q will trot out the same combos (sans Bickell) on Wednesday vs. the only slightly less pathetic Flyers.
The Ugly
- Desjardins in for Bickell on Wednesday?  You betcha.

Yeah, Shaw's awesome with no goalie in the net or when he's able to corral a sweet pass, but here's the real man of the match.

                                                                   Superbad.

About Last Night

A brief word:
On Wednesday, David Rundblad played 14 pretty decent minutes, was +1 and The Hawks defeated the top team in The East.
Tonight, Rozsival plays 17 minutes, stands around looking confused, is a team-worst -2 and The Hawks lose to a non-playoff team.

Not to put this all on Rozsy but COME ON.  How good does Rundblad have to be or, more alarming, how bad does Rozsival have to be for this to end?

When He's Good He's Great: Hawks 1, Rangers 0 and Wednesday's Big Boy

Okay, so if The Rangers represent the best of the Eastern Conference, we're looking not too bad right now.  I liked all four lines in this game, with each combo creating chances at various times and really looking like cohesive units.  I don't know if Desjardins over Versteeg is necessarily a good choice on the long term but, then again, what's 'Steeger accomplished, lately?  Andrew Shaw somehow evaded suspension after head-butting The Islanders Brock Nelson on Tuesday and promptly turned in a superior effort against The Rangers.  I am loving Shaw on the fourth line, with his fourth-liner grit and second-line hands.  What's not to like?
The defence, for me, was fine.  Rundblad in for Rozsival is always welcome and encouraged and, while he was caught flat-footed a couple of times, Rundblad managed to use his stick and body to prevent The Rangers from completing their plays.  I thought Oduya was very good as he continued to push matters offensively.  As long as he's paired with Hjalmarsson he'll get away with it, too.
Scott Darling was a bit lucky in earning his first NHL shutout, as three pucks did beat him, but there's that whole "you gotta be lucky to be good" thing.  Well, that happened, so good for him.

This guy can disappear for weeks and then, suddenly, he pulls a rabbit out of his hat and has one of these games where he's creating chances, denying the opposition and looking very much like the future hall-of-famer he is.  Brad Richards earns secure trousers yet again.

                                                            MSG is my bitch.

One Man Gang: Hawks 4, Islanders 1 and Tuesday's Big Boy

Seriously?  Four points from a maximum four points, +4 and 76% at the dot...who else could tonight's Big Boy possibly be?

                                                  Admired by man and beast alike.

The Stuff
- Sharp played with Toews & Hossa for for the first time since October.  With all the line shuffling and goofy mid-game scrambles we've all endured, how was this reunion overlooked?  Those three guys just did what they wanted...
- I sincerely hope that Andrew Desjardins on the PK doesn't become a habit.
- Corey Crawford has been godlike the last two weeks.  Please don't peak too soon, sonny...
- Vermette makes 3x as much dosh as Richards and cost us a first-rounder, so play the lad, for goodness' sakes.  The power play will not implode if Vermette participates, I promise you.
- Oh, Andrew Shaw, who told you that you were voted "most likely to headbutt someone"?
- The Isles were not really themselves tonight, missing a few key guys such as Leddy and Halak.  Back up goalie Neuvirth delivered a back up goalie performance.  Take the two points and go East.

Power Restored? Hawks 6, Sharks 2 and Saturday's Big Boy

See what happens when assets are properly managed?  Today's lineup, to my eye, included three strong lines and one good-enough line which, on most days, can beat anyone out there.  I also want to mention ice time; with only a few exceptions the minutes-played for each Hawks player seemed completely appropriate.  Richards, Teravainen and Sharp were above 15 minutes, Bickell played more than 9 minutes and Coach Quenneville resisted leaning too heavily on Shaw and Versteeg.  The exceptions?  Maybe Vermette deserved more time but, not being on either special team, he was probably just crowded out today.  Rozsival, sadly, saw his TOI jump back up to 19 minutes, but we can't get everything we want, can we?
The Good
- How nice to see Sharp get some bounces and probably a shot of confidence after a strong performance.  His intermission interview impressed me, as well, when he referred to his on-ice struggles and "that off-ice BS".  If I or any other Hawks fan is growing weary of all the Sharp rumours imagine how he feels.  His emotional tone suggested to me that Sharp still cares very much and that scoring in the first period (a what a beaut!) probably felt like a piano just slid off his back.  It also sounds as if his father is or has been unwell which cannot have been doing much for his concentration while that has been a concern.
- Corey Crawford continues to do all that is asked of him.
- I thought Keith was pretty good today.  He was efficient and kept it all rather simple, despite that 10 seconds of derring-do that so impressed Pat Foley.
- Teuvo Teravainen continues to show more poise and confidence which each passing game.
- The power play struck twice and, apart from one dodgy PP in which The Hawks failed to get anything going, looked competent with confident puck movement.  Andrew Shaw failed to make the scoresheet but was instrumental in two goals.
The Bad
- Precious little.  Rozsival had one nightmarish shift and a few isolated "yikes" moments, but otherwise I failed to notice him, which is as it should be.
The Ugly
- Andrew Desjardins cannot really skate, can he?  Oh well...

Two goals, his first in forever, and a determined effort all afternoon to drive to the net gets Sharpie The Belt today.

                                                  Now, don't get all misty on us.

Baby Steps: Hawks 2, Coyotes 1 and Thursday's Big Boy

There's no point in qualifying any wins at this time.  "Oh, they should win, it's just The Coyotes" doesn't play, these days, as The Hawks are as likely as not to mess up gimme games like this.  It seems to be a different condition each time it happens: hot goalie at the other end, in which we get the shots on but not the goals.  Or nobody appears to care and we're outshot by, oh I dunno, The Oilers?  Or Rozsival stands still for three goals against. 

But we got the win last night, that's the most important thing, and these scrappy wins count as much as a 5-1 victory.  Withe St. Lewis blowing hot and cold (though, mostly hot this week) and Nashville self destructing, slightly, take the points when you can get 'em and maybe, just maybe, home ice to start the playoffs isn't out of the question.

About Last Night
- Wow, two powerplay goals. Nothing looked that different to me than the last bunch of games in which the PP failed, except maybe The Coyotes are bad.
- Oduya was not bad, not bad at all.
- Thanks to that, Rozsival was down to 15 minutes, still a far cry from my wish-upon-a-star that involves The Hawks leaving Rozsy in a home for the aged while they're in Arizona, but it's a good start.

Honourable mention to Johnny Oduya but, for lack of any real obvious candidate, let's go with Brad Richards, with the game winning goal and a milestone point, as well.

                                            Yeah, I ran out of the beefcake photos.

Bertie

"Liberty", better known as Bert or Bertie was born on April Fools Day, 2006, at or somewhere near Abilene Greyhound Park in Abilene, Kansas.  Practically nothing else is known about Bert's early life, as the track in Abilene appears not to have maintained much in the way of records.  It is believed that Bert was placed in a post-racetrack home in the Minneapolis area around 2010, give or take a year.

In the fall of 2013 Bert became available again, having either been removed from his adoptive home or simply returned to the adoption group that had placed him there.  Why this occurred has never been satisfactorily explained. Bert lived in an animal hospital in the Twin Cities area from Nov. 2013 until April 2014 before he was adopted a second time and relocated to his new home in Thunder Bay, ON.

                                                      Bert with his pal Needle.

It did not take long for Bert to endear himself to his new "mama" as well as his doggie-day-care friends.  Bert greeted everyone he met with excitement and was a willing companion for walks, car rides, trips to pet-friendly stores and to grandma's retirement home, where he graciously accepted many a pet and kind word from the staff and residents. He attracted compliments wherever he went and was always a perfect gentleman, warmly welcomed everywhere.  While Bert could relax with the best of them, when it was time for action Bert kicked into high-gear, enthusiastically plunging himself into whatever activity arose, always with unbridled joy.  He especially enjoyed rampaging in the yard with his frequent companion and pal, Needle, where, despite his age and several old injuries, Bert gamely chased, wrestled and frolicked with his younger friend. 

In the fall of 2014, only six months after moving to his new home, Bertie began to experience some pain.  He was diagnosed with arthritis and, with the help of medication, was back on his feet very soon.  Apart from the occasional poor day Bert enjoyed good health and spirits until the end of January, 2015.  At that time, Bert's condition worsened, his medication did not seem to be doing much for him and he soon paid a visit to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center, with the "hope" that his ever-increasing pain was being caused by a repairable back injury.  Sadly, it was learned that what had been ailing Bert was, in fact, inoperable bone cancer and the decision was made to relieve him of any further suffering.  On March 8, 2015, our poor Bertie left us, with his mama at his side and his closest friends, including his boy Needle, nearby.

                                                         Handsome Bert: 2006 - 2015.

About Last Night

Missed the last two games due to dealing with important stuff, but here's what I've gleaned from selective highlights and HARD DATA.

- Despite just squeaking past The Oilers and falling short vs. The Rangers a big bright spot was Corey Crawford stopping 81 of 83 shots.
- Yeah, there's the matter of 83 shots against over a weekend, and one of those teams was The Oilers.  
- I still feel that Coach Quenneville is struggling with asset management and I feel even more confident in this assertion anytime that Daniel Carcillo suits up in favour of anyone not injured or dead.  Also, Rozsival played 22 minutes in each of these weekend games.
- With two lines in constant flux The Hawks will struggle to get consistent results from those lines.  Pick your combos and stick with them for longer than two periods.  Give them a chance to succeed.  One way to avoid this line juggling chaos is to STOP dressing players that cannot be entrusted with a regular shift; Dan Carcillo, 7:29.
- Last night marked the 5th straight game that The Hawks have failed to score on the power play.  This also has to change.  Even without Patrick Kane they have the resources to excel in this department but, for whatever reason, they remain awful. 

Phoenix on Thursday and San Jose on Saturday: failing to win both of these games will not set a positive tone for next week's matches against both NY teams.  It's time to get straightened out.

Catching Up and Feasting in The East: Hawks 5, Hurricanes 2 and Monday's Big Boy

First, that was an easy two points with Cam Ward playing like that.  I have little doubt that The Hawks could have dug deeper if need be, but there was no need.

Second, those were some unorthodox and somewhat unexpected line combos.  Not that they were necessarily bad, but I sure didn't expect to see Saad "drop" a line, for example.

Third, Andrew Desjardins:  I dunno, is this an upgrade anywhere?  Is this Carcillo 2.0?  I guess we'll have to see but it seems like a nothing deal to me.  OF COURSE Smith broke his 100-game scoring drought as soon as he arrived in San Jose.  All that aside, Nordstrom wasn't bad at all in Smith's former role.

I'm tired so bla bla, three points, leading from the front and if it weren't for Toews I'd have to bestow this thing on Rozsival.

                   I will juggle one or more pucks to prevent Rozsy from wearing the Big Boy Belt.

Not to be Snippy or Anything...

"Several NHL clubs have taken to the waiver wire Sunday as they attempt to prepare their rosters for potential trade deadline moves.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames added a player each via the waiver wire Sunday.

Toronto claimed defenceman Tim Erixon from the Chicago Blackhawk..."

The sad truth is that Erixon could play in The Leafs' top-4.