Plenty of times in the last month+ one could easily say "take away that first period and we'd have been okay." How about even the first five minutes, like tonight? Without that stupefying five minutes maybe The Hawks do win this one 2-1. Okay, maybe not but, holy shit, how long is this going to last, this giving the game away in the first period?
And give it away they did with, guess what - a complete lack of defensive awareness, letting Predators forwards come and go as they pleased in the danger zone™ in front of The Hawks' net. Other teams must look forward to playing The Hawks these days, like some naughty kids who are left in the care of their deaf granny. We get to do ANYTHING we want!
And if the lack of defensive give-a-shit doesn't do them in it's the unforced errors and straight-up giveaways, like Seabrook flinging the puck right onto Johansen's stick, or any number of weak and/or dumbass pass attempts by Forsling and Gustafsson. Hell, Toews didn't make a pass stick until late in the third period.
They're not paying attention to anything.
Not to what the other team is doing.
Not to what their teammates are doing.
Not to what they themselves are doing. Or trying to do.
And because of this The Hawks suck. They're a bad hockey team.
I wonder how much of this has to do with the culture within the team. They sure talk a good talk about correcting what was wrong after a loss (so, obviously, there's been quite a lot of this kind of chatter) but nothing changes. They trot out for the next game and do exactly the same shit that lost them the last game and the one before that, and the one before that.....
No one's feet have been put to the fire for this, not seriously, anyway. Scratch Chris Kunitz or Jan Rutta all you like but what's that? Nothing. Let's try sitting Toews or Keith or Seabrook - they've been as bad as anyone but apparently immune to any consequences. Even Kane, who has single-handedly won a few games for The Hawks this year, has just seemed listless the last few games. I don't know that I'd have the stones to scratch Kaner but something has to happen to shake these guys out of their vegetable torpor.
Before I wrap this up I want to mention Keith. Sure, he got a rough ride and a response was not unreasonable. However, the extent to which he responded was a bit ridiculous, though I expect there was a lot of pent up frustration that came out there. Whatever, the game was over for The Hawks by then anyway and, wouldn't you know it, they actually played better without Keith, for awhile, anyway. Chew on that bit of truth. Keith has been dogshit since mid-October.
There have to be consequences for this shit show that The Hawks have been putting on. Sit the fuckers that keep coughing up the puck, that fail to backcheck and that take zero care in passing. Get a shuttle bus running to and from Rockford if that's what it takes, 'cos they're clearly not understanding why they keep losing. I have no idea what Jeremy Colliton's coaching style entails, really, but he'd best get into a skull cracking frame of mind or the whole thing is just going to spiral downward even further. Otherwise, what are we going to do....just wait until some of these long term no-movement contracts expire and hope for better things after that? I sure hope not, 'cos Seabrook, for example, is practically worthless right now and we're stuck with him for another FIVE years.
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