A Day Late, A Dollar Short: Predators 4, Hawks 3 (OT)

Full disclosure - my broadcast was interrupted many, many times, so I missed large chunks of this one, so all I'll do is note a few observations.
Track Meet Trick.  As they did vs. CAL The Hawks were lured into playing a bit more wide open than they should or can do.  Witness Arvidsson's frequent bolts from the NASH zone one of which was executed perfectly, not only resulting in a goal but, coming mere seconds after The Hawks had tied the affair at ones, set back our momentum for a spell. He got a bit greedy, though, and was caught well out of position on the sequence leading up to Large Arthur's late goal.  Nevertheless, The Hawks might have been wiser to play it more cautiously and hope for a bounce, as they spent far too much time chasing down Arvidsson & Forsberg et al.
Better Off Without Seabrook?  Scratched due to illness, Seabrook was replaced by Davidson, who had another decent outing, his last shift being his best  as he made things very tough on The Preds forwards.  I'd hoped we'd see the second PP unit a little more just to get a sense of what that would look like without Mr. Ponderous slowing things down to a crawl but it was not to be.  I'd love to see Jokiharju get a crack at that gig, a low-risk proposition given Seab's zero contribution in that role, lately.
Newish Line Combos were trotted out and I mostly approved.  DeBrincat moving up the order makes perfect sense, since all of his recent points have been gleaned on the PP and I was pleasantly surprised by the Saad - Kampf - Caggiula trio.  I'm not sure that line has the hands to really shine but they were the only Hawks line entirely at or above 50% Corsi and, at the very least, The Preds failed to generate much against those three.
Duncan Keith had his best game in a month or more.
Dylan Strome, meanwhile, remains frustrating.  For all the offense that he eventually provides the missed opportunities due to gacked passes that should be easy is pissing me off.  With just a little more care he could be doubling his and his linemates' opportunities.

Next: At home vs. Vegas on Saturday and a shot at some redemption after being comprehensively roughed up when they last met.

Hanoi Rocks - A Day Late & A Dollar Short

Not Good Enough: Jets 4, Hawks 3 (OT)

So close....
The truth is, though, The Hawks needn't have been on the wrong side of this one.  Shots were close, chances were closer, but The Hawks made too many bobbles to seal the deal.
Too Much Meh.  Only a few Hawks had truly bad nights (Strome, Martinsen, DeBrincat, maybe) but even fewer had a great night (maybe only Toews and Crawford).  There were just a lot of seemingly insignificant things that did or didn't happen that added up to an overall weak effort.  Saad was flying all night, made a brilliant pass to Toews to put The Hawks up 2-1, but was awkward around the net.  DeBrincat was stepping on the puck and lazy on the backcheck.  Murphy wasn't terrible but had his weakest game of his short season.  Strome couldn't hit water if he fell out of a fuckin' boat.  Perlini took a lot of shots, all indiscriminate without a thought to where his linemates were.  None of these shortcomings sunk The Hawks on their own but they added up to enough weak, failed or thoughtless plays that led to goals against or opportunities missed. The small plays matter, and The Hawks blew a lot of these details.
Signs Of Life: I thought we exited our zone and moved north as well we've done all year.  They're persisting with that silly push-'em-back stuff but at least they were brisk on on-target tonight, actually hitting Kane with a pass when he was already at speed, allowing him a greater chance of barging into The Jets' zone.
Carl Dahlstrom might be alright.  
Could We Try Someone Other Than Keith to start OT?  I know Gustafsson has his defensive issues but, good lord, so does Keith these days. We're 4-and-5 in OT games and Duncs has been on the ice in only one of those wins but in 4 of the 5 losses.  Change it up.

Next: Sunday at home vs. The Sharks.  With a little fine-tuning we'll be alright.

Blood Orange - You're Not Good Enough

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Vol. VII: Habs 3, Hawks 2

Straight to it, then.

The Good
Patrick Kane scored twice, his first goals since Nov. 24th and just his second and third in the last month.  I don't think it's hyperbolic to suggest that as Kane goes so go the Hawks, so this is kind of a big deal.  Kaner also cracked a smile for the first time in ten days.
Connor Murphy played his first game this season after back surgery in September and was arguably The Hawks' best D-man tonight.
The Hawks outshot MTL handily and the shot attempts were even more lopsided.  HOWEVER....

The Bad
...The Hawks "enjoyed" a whopping 15 minutes of Power Play time which is when they managed to run up the shot clock.  At evens The Habs were outshot by a mere 23-21 and Corsi was dead even.  This signals two issues: first, when your opponent plays shorthanded for almost an entire period and that massive advantage nets you only one goal something is terribly, terribly wrong.  By the time MTL took their 5th or 6th penalty The Hawks, one would think, should have had those guys on the ropes, exhausted and easy to exploit.  Nope, didn't happen.
Second, had Les Canadiens not been short for so long one can only imagine what would have occurred.  
Anisimov left the game after being given a rough ride by Habs captain Shea Weber early in the third period.  I expect we'll have to wait until at least tomorrow to learn the extent of his aches & pains.  His early exit coincided unfortunately with Strome's trip to The Room to be stitched up after being sliced open by Jordie Benn, leaving Toews and Kampf as the only available centers for the ensuing four minute PP.

The Ugly
Well, The Hawks lost.  In a game that, at a glance, looks like they dominated but, in reality, was practically handed to them they managed to find a way to lose anyway.  One could argue they were goalie'd by Carey Price but, with the opportunities given to them, The Hawks should have closed the deal.  Weber's goal was legit but Domi's and Tatar's were made possible by GUESS WHAT - shite defensive coverage, Kruger giving up on Domi for the first goal against and Keith failing to bother Tatar on the third GA.  He was right there, too, but was content to just kinda hang out behind Tatar.  Maybe Tatar tips that one in regardless of any pressure Keith applies but ol' Duncs didn't make life hard for the guy whatsoever.
The Power Play Failed Again.  One PPG out of eight tries, while actually an improvement, is still rubbish.  The main problem tonight, in my view, was that Seabrook was absolute garbage, generating little, letting pucks slip by him at the point and taking too long to tee up shots that either sailed wide or were easily blocked.  With Seabs at the point there's no movement, the entire effort is entirely predictable and any goals The Hawks glean with that unit are going to be despite him rather than because of him.  Seabrook soaked up 10 minutes of power play ice time too and, even with that massive advantage, still rocked 26% Corsi!  Could someone please point out to Coach Colliton that Henri Jokiharju was not only available for this detail but that he gets his shot away far quicker than Seabrook, hits the net more frequently and has excellent mobility, as opposed to Seabs' two settings, "Dead Slow" and "Stopped".  It pisses me off that a better option is right there, sitting on the bench, but Colliton doesn't seem convinced that Jokiharju is up to the task.

Next: Another well-deserved beat-down by Winnipeg, Tuesday night.  Count on it.

The Danish Symphony Orchestra - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Big Come Down: Six Losses And Counting

At this point I have no real idea of what's going on or what to say about it all.
In three of these six abject failures The Hawks were in the thing, had a chance to win or at least get to the coin-toss round, but managed to find a way to screw it all up.
And after each loss we see this:

Lookit that face, that defeated, bewildered expression.  He has no more idea why The Hawks are failing so hard than I do.  There's not a lot of pride or will left in this group.  They only show urgency in brief spasms of realization that they can and should be winning some hockey games.  Then one of them makes an ungodly, unforced error, promptly ending any thoughts that can actually compete.

Sick of seeing & hearing this guy, too.

Keith's assessments of goings-on are even worse, maybe because it's more frequently him making the back-breaking gaffe.  Who does he think he's kidding, jawing about "a full 60-minute effort"?  Any team is allowed to have lulls and it's only sometimes been these lulls that have done them in. The greater sin has been crap like Seabrook sending a pass straight onto an opposing player's stick right in the goddamn Danger Zone™, or Rutta not putting any snot on his outlet passes.  Or forwards drifting lazily into The Hawks' zone, oblivious to opposing players sneaking in behind them.  Or Gus, or Manning or Forsling, standing idly around The Hawks' net, often with their back to the guy who's about to score.
And with every mistake that results in a goal against you can sense the energy leaving these guys, any momentum gained just cast aside.
Kane is losing his desire.  Despite playing almost 28 minutes in Vegas he was only occasionally a factor, just kind of going through the motions a lot of the time.  Even with his soul half-sucked out of him he's been good enough to notch some helpies but has netted only one goal in the last month.  Yeah, he's not "feeling it" as the kids say these days.
Crawford has been so-so.  He's made some incredible saves in recent games but he's also allowed one or more goals in each of those games that he simply whiffed on.  His reaction to the Engelland goal on Thursday was encouraging, at least.  He hasn't given up, yet.
And even leaving out his spectacular giveaway vs. VGK, Seabrook has been garbage in his own end, struggling to even get the puck up the boards reliably.  Yeah, five more years of this horror show.

What else?
Connor Murphy is poised to return which will require another D-man make way.  It's a three-way tie for last, there, as Forsling, Rutta and Manning should all be in the conversation regarding who is demoted, waived, traded or placed on an ice floe.  I like Forsling's offensive side but, going back to a preseason post in which I asserted that there isn't room for Goose AND Gustafsson on the roster, Gus is clearly the one to keep of these two.  The decision makers seem to like Manning despite his general lack of any ability, so his long con will likely continue.  Henri Jokiharju has not, it seems, endeared himself to coach Colliton, so maybe HE ends up in Rockford, fer gawd's sake.....
Dylan Strome might be a real thing but Brendan Perlini definitely is not.

NEXT: Back to The UC on Sunday against not-terrible Montréal.  Someday I hope to refer to The Hawks as "not terrible" but today is not that day.

Nine Inch Nails - The Big Come Down

No Good: Predators Plenty, Hawks Who Cares?

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.

Linda Ronstadt - You're No Good

Close....: Hurricanes 3, Hawks 2

This was the first game in which head coach Jeremy Colliton attempted to make any significant changes to not only The Hawks lineup but also to their approach.  While they still lost, and really only played a half-game, having lost their focus somewhat around the middle of the second period,they earned a consolation point, which is better than nothing and hopefully something to build on.  Behold!

Big Line Shuffles: To summarize, Toews found himself between Schmaltz and Kane, Kampf centered DeBrincat and Kahun and Anisimov anchored a "what do we do with these guys" trio with Hayden and Fortin.  On the back end, Keith and Seabrook were reunited while Gustafsson and Jokiharju were a new duo.
So how did that go?  Mostly ok.  The first line had a lot of zone time and some dominant shifts, so it was a little surprising to me that the only offence they generated was a tip-in goal, but it's one game, early days yet.  Each of the other three lines had their moments and, unexpectedly, the fourth line of Johnson, Martinsen and Kunitz were the most dynamic of the other three trios, undone only by a general lack of finish.  I'll circle back to the D in a bit. 
I suspect that Schmaltz was not the first choice to join Toews & Kane but, with Saad ailing, he got the call.  He was good, impressing with his puck pursuit and willingness to hang around in front of The 'Canes net.  Maybe not a statement game, as such, but he's sure given the coaches to think about once Saad returns.
Andreas Martinsen impressed me by not trying to be something he is not.  He charged around, laid some big hits, took a lot of shots and kept his feet moving all the time.  That's about all we can realistically hope for from him and, in that sense, he delivered the goods.  Of note, his line sported the best possession stats of any line tonight on both teams, with Martinsen ticking along at a gaudy 68% Corsi.  Kind of on this tack, The Hawks were a lot more physical than usual, allegedly making 27 hits.  Now, I'm with ya when you say "HITTING ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS IT USED TO BE" but, given that there have been many a night in recent years in which The Hawks have had zero physical presence, I don't mind this directive.  Just keep it clean, boys.
As BAD as Keith was on Saturday, and it was very bad, he was that good tonight, one spectacular whiff notwithstanding.  
Gustafsson with Jokiharju: I expected disaster but it was okay, mainly because Jokiharju is so responsible in his positioning.  I wondered if he'd be left to chase down Raleigh forwards when Gus went walkabout, as he does, but he managed to cover really well.  Some mistakes were made but let's remember that the kid is still 19 years old with fewer than 20 NHL games under his belt.  He's remarkably poised, I think, and quite confident in his ability to skate or pass his way out of danger.  It doesn't always work out but, given his relative experience, he's doing well.
Overtime, Deployment and Hunches: Well, inserting Kampf in the second unit there didn't pay off, but I can see why Colliton went that way.  Kampf had a strong game, overall, and is far quicker than Anisimov, the only other realistic choice to "center" a unit in OT.  Maybe too much, too soon for Baby Huey, as he gambled and lost (as did Colliton, I guess) but what ya gonna do...?   I'm not pleased with the result but I like that they're trying new things, especially being as the same-old hasn't been getting results these days.
Cam Ward was good in his "homecoming" game, but a little soft on the game winner, I thought, perhaps because of Seabrook being more of a distraction than anything.
DeBrincat had his best game in about two weeks, and it wasn't only about the goal.  He hasn't looked fully invested lately but, apart from a pair of weak plays, was far more engaged than he's been of late.  I liked how he worked with his linemates and what about that pass from Kahun?  He seems to have a supernatural sense of what's going on behind him, sometimes.

Next: The Blues on Wednesday.  Stick with the plan, I say, with Saad drawing in for Hayden or Fortin, should he be ready to go.  We're due, but we have to get a full 60-minutes of concentration, something we've not had since the Edmonton game over a week ago.

Thomas Dolby - Close But No Cigar

The Fun Machine Took A Sh*t and Died: Flyers 4, Hawks 0

#105: Don't Cost Your Team a Chance At a Win By Doing Thoughtless Things That You Know Better Than to Do
What an utterly disappointing attempt at hockey that was today.  Despite making the worst giveaway in recent memory, gambling and failing on an all or nothing pinch against a much faster opponent and failing to make any passes today, it wasn't all on Keith.
The Hawks outshot Philly, slayed them on faceoffs and, apparently, crushed them in Corsi....yet they never looked like winning this game after the first period.  Lots of shots, lots of zone time, but we can count the number of true quality chances they earned on one hand.  Even then, the best looks they did get were each compromised in some way.  Seabrook charges hard into the slot but is off balance just as he sets to shoot.  Manning (!) is unable to snare a skipping puck as he too barges in on the rush.  Toews loses the handle momentarily when in primo position.  Schmaltz hits a post... and that's about it.
There Were No Second Chances.  I don't believe a single rebound was collected & converted by The Hawks in this game.  Nobody apart from the puck carrier was driving the net.
The Power Play is Complete Garbage.  We saw some light at the end of a long, dark tunnel back in early-mid October, but what happened to the quick puck movement, the brisk one-timers and always having a guy there for tip-ins or rebounds.  How has this all been forgotten?  They even trotted Kunitz out on the PP, he of 0 G, 2A on the season, presumably to provide some presence in front of The Flyers' net....yet he was never there.

That's about all I have the stomach for.  It's still the early days of the Colliton administration but he'd better get busy kickstarting this crew, 'cos they're free-falling right now, and Colliton's first two games were no different than Quenneville's last five.  Last season's excuse was not having the goaltending to compete night-in, night-out.  Well, the goalie is back, and playing pretty well, so what's that leave?  Colliton had better prepare himself for some extreme remedial work with these guys 'cos, right now, the culture on this team is terrible.

QotSA: The Fun Machine Took a Shit & Died

Sixes And Sevens: Leafs 7, Hawks 6 (OT)

That was sure interesting.
Despite the result and despite signaling some legit issues, there are several positive takeaways from this match.
1) The Hawks are scoring
2) Henri Jokiharju looks to be the Real Deal
3) The Hawks battled back in each of their first three games.  One could view that as less than good, but I'm choosing to believe that The Hawks have somewhat more resolve than they've displayed the last couple of seasons.  They're battling hard, for now, anyway.
Let's get to The Bits

The first ten minutes of the game was perhaps the best game The Hawks have played in a year.  Sure, it's a pity that they failed to maintain that relentless pressure but, even with the lulls and lapses, The Hawks' offensive game has been surprisingly good.
Cam Ward, on the other hand, was confounding.  While he made a handful of excellent stops half of the goals he allowed looked quite saveable.  John Tavares is undeniably great but even he shouldn't be scoring on the short side from that angle and 4.62 / 0.843 is not a stat line I'm at all comfortable with.  It feels weird to type this and even to think this, but I'm looking forward to Bergie getting a start, soon.

Come at me, bro'.

Kane & Toews continue to be the straws stirring The Hawks' drink right now.  Maybe not on every shift, but they'll be along, they'll be along soon enough....
Erik Gustafsson defied all logic & predictions by logging a third consecutive solid effort.  No significant errors, unforseen poise in all aspects of his game and the best Hawks d-man where breakouts were concerned.  Proceed, Gus.
Dominik Kahun took a step forward tonight with two helpies and a great chance in the second period.  The only thing better than his pass to DeBrincat was the look on his face after the goal.

John Hayden - goal or no goal, played well enough that I don't expect to see Martinsen back in his spot for awhile.  Johnson's spot, maybe, but not Hayden's.
Henri Jokiharju appears to have shaken off all of the apprehension he was carrying during the preseason.  He made only one serious error and notched three primary assists.  The only thing keeping Hank off the PP unit is Q's loyalty/comfort where Keith & Seabrook are concerned, and that could change really fast.
Alex DeBrincat suffered through an uncharacteristically weak game.  Yes, he scored, a tap-in that was far more about Kahun's sweet pass, but DBC was yippy off and on throughout the contest.
A topsy-turvy game for Brandon Manning.  He had three good looks, one of which resulted in a goal, but was wildly inconsistent in his own end.  Edzo likes that Manning brings a little snarl to the backline and that's fair enough, but tonight it took him all of 20 seconds to give the puck away with a mindless, no-look evacuation play.  A little later he attempted another clearing play, straight up the middle (which is bad enough) that instead struck Saad in the head or upper body (which is definitely bad).  He completed the trifecta on Matthews' second goal, caught standing alone at the edge of The Hawks' net, too slow and too far away to take away Matthews' chance, there.
Duncan Keith, too, had an up-and-down game, turning in some not-great shifts in which it took a few tries to clear his zone (or The Leafs scored) but, on the flip, he's actually getting shots through to the net!  Last season that was as rare as Pope shit.
The Power Play took a step backwards tonight.  While they've still yet to score any PP goals both units were moving the puck extremely well and getting good chances in the first two games.  Tonight, though, looked a lot like the PP we've endured for the last two or three seasons: too static, too rigid in their positioning and taking predictable shots from predictable locations.  Despite failing to cash in either the OTT or STL game, I loved the puck movement and that they were just kind of freestyling out there.  It sure looked tougher to defend against than what they got up to tonight.

And so, we'll reconvene on Thursday (or more likely Friday 'cos I have a late game on Thurs), with a trip to Minny to reacquaint with the annoying Wild.  Over & out.

Sixes and Sevens

Questions Abound: Canucks 5, Hawks 2

Okay, so The Hawks were a bit unlucky in this one, but not to the tune of three goals.  I have questions!
1) Did no one involved in coaching or decision making notice those couple of power plays last week in which The Hawks moved the puck and moved their feet and they scored some goals?
If so, why are we being forced to endure the same old get-the-zone (eventually, if at all) and play-catch-while-we-all-stand-still?  This is ridiculous.
2) Has the so-called Push-em-Back power play breakout scheme ever worked?  This is such a huge waste of time and, almost hilariously, they mess it up half the time, anyway (I'm lookin' at you, Gustafsson).  Yeah, I understand that they want to have Kane, primarily, enter the o-zone with speed, but what's the rush?  IF they manage to gain the zone everyone just takes their positions and stands there, anyway.  It might be smarter to decline power plays, going forward.
3) When was the last time Keith completed a pass?

Otherwise...
The Hawks crushed VAN in Corsi and chances.  Only one Hawks player was south of 50% Corsi, most were 60-70%, yet....
The Hawks' goaltending is garbage, full stop.
Sharp was stymied once and hit a crossbar.
Hinnie had a sure thing tipped away.
Seabrook maybe should have a penalty shot? (which he would have gacked, but that's not for now)
Schmaltz was excellent, so there's that.

But, wow, The Hawks have allowed 26 goals against in the last five games and were -14 in that run.  I need a drink.

Forty Minutes ACTUALLY Well Spent: Hawks 3, Bruins 1

From a distance, it might look as if The Hawks didn't do things a whole lot differently than yesterday; they were right there with The Bruins for two periods and were kinda kicked around in another.  However, they managed to avoid completely collapsing in the second period, which was largely dominated by BOS, the power play was working and a few Hawks players turned in stunning performances.  What ya' waitin' for?

The Power Play: those first two PP and the early part of the double-minor in the third period were terrific, and it was easy to see how those shifts were different than 96% of what The Hawks' PP has delivered in, oh, four years - speed.  They moved the puck urgently.  Passes were fast and on target, and the puck carriers refrained from dawdling about trying to decide which stationary teammate they would attempt to pass to.  I loved it, and I just hope that it wasn't a mirage, 'cos that's how their PP can and should look ALL THE TIME.
They did lapse back into their plodding ways, midgame, but old habits and all that...
Toews was a beast today, shooting hard, chasing down pucks and making smart passes, and Kane was almost as good even though he disappeared for most of the second frame.
Keith had his best game in about two weeks and Erik Gustafsson put together a second consecutive game in which he drove the play from the back end so well that he is, for now, the point man on the first PP unit.  He seems singularly able to consistently locate Kane in greasy areas and has, lately, been getting good, low shots on or around the net.  I rather wish he'd not stand around wondering what to do in The Hawks' end of the ice quite so much but, for now, I'll take this.
Forsberg was fine even if he wasn't really tested that often.  The one goal against was a legit shot, so it was good at least that he didn't let any junk past him.

Yeah, The Bruins were a little under-manned and were somehow more penalty prone even without Brad Marchand, but the win is ours and there were many positive takeaways from the game.  I'm very eager to see how the PP performs in Winnipeg on Thursday.

Forty Minutes Well Spent: Bruins 7, Hawks 3

For much of this game The Hawks managed to stay with The Bruins, a vastly superior team by most measure, but could not muster up a full 60-minute effort.  Again.
Yet they hung in there, leading until early in the third period, when an untimely double-minor to Kane helped to open the floodgates.
To be honest, The Hawks defense struggled throughout the game; apart from Gustafsson's offensive contribution we got next-to-nothing from that bunch.  Keith has oscillated from mediocre to outright awful the past week, today being closer to awful than average, while Seabrook and Murphy simply flailed today.  Five of The Bruins' goals were scored in-close with one or more Hawks defenders looking on helplessly.
That the two best Hawks today were guys that a) returned from the minors today and b) was recalled only weeks ago might shine a light on who's motivated and who's not.  John Hayden said the correct, nice things about the team's compete level, but he's not kidding anyone.

There's not a lot more to say about this one; The Hawks got schooled, eventually, by the better team.
We'll try again tomorrow.

Big Trouble: Ducks 6, Hawks 3

Yeah, big trouble.  Never mind losing the game because, really, does that even matter now?  Even worse is that too many Hawks players are simply no longer invested in the season, the team or each other.
Dumb, dumb plays abounded.  
The so-called first line failed to hit a pass longer than 10ft until late the second period.  The worst of the three was Kane, floating passes not feet but yards off their mark.  
Seabrook was absolutely awful, his lowlight being that old chestnut, the drop pass to no one, this time completely defusing a power play.  
Keith had more poor shifts than good shifts and Oesterle was flat out brutal, with a shiny -4 next to his name to show for it.
You know things are grim when Connor Murphy was the best Hawks d-man, hands down.
And Anthony Duclair - does anyone know what the hell he's trying to accomplish, ever?  The decisions he makes are just baffling.  Please, Stan, don't even think about re-signing the lad.
The goalies gave it a good shot.  Forsberg, naturally, allowed his customary unforgivable soft goal and he really should take more care to keep his stick on the ice, but even with the clutch of good saves they made, neither he nor JF Berube belong in The NHL.  But, that's who we have, right?
Not All Bad?
Of course not.  The Schmaltz line had a pretty good second half of the game, although I have to say that Schmaltz was invisible to me until he scored.  If this season doesn't utterly crush the spirits of Schmaltz, DeBrincat and Hinostroza there's a slim ray of light on the horizon.
And Kampf's trio did well, with the caveat that they have so little ability to score that the effort hardly seems worthwhile, but they sure tried.  Not sure what to say about Matthew "Charlie Bucket" Highmore as he's not done anything dazzling, yet, but he's not giving the puck away, at least.  Until he shows some offensive acumen, though, he may as well be Tanner Kero.

The neanderthals in the post-game show had a lot to say about The Hawks' non-reaction to Toews' dust up with arch-nemesis Ryan Kesler.  The notion that Toews needed to respond to Kesler's invitation to drop the gloves is incredibly stupid, but I get it, and maybe it served as a release of sorts for Toews.  The studio goons harped about Toews' teammates' lack of acknowledgement when the captain emerged from the penalty box and Jamal Mayers asserted many times that The Hawks "should be embarrassed".  I think they were embarrassed to have let in two more goals while Toews was indisposed, and I imagine their enthusiasm for the game in general had just about bottomed out.  Sure, a few stick taps would have been appropriate, for whatever little that is actually worth, but I'm also guessing that this team is simply emotionally drained and they cannot wait for the season to end.  The hands and feet go through the motions but the head & hearts aren't there, really.

I Get an All-Star Break Too: Two Posts in One, NO Coupon Required

Alright, catching up after a busy couple of days and two more games done & dusted.
It could have been worse, right?  Oddly, I feel like The Hawks had the Toronto game slightly more in-hand than the Detroit game even if they did appear to dominate The Red Wings.

Statistically, there was virtually nothing to choose between the teams in both games, with Corsi coming up pretty much dead even for both matches and shot totals almost identical, as well.  
On Wednesday The Hawks got a decent game from Jeff Glass, beaten only by a deflection, a PPG on which Keith and Oesterle kinda pooped the bed and a penalty shot, which is basically a coin flip.  Downrange, though, The Hawks had lots of trouble mounting any offence to speak of.  We hear endless chatter about netfront presence, and that's all fine & good, but does that have to mean all three forwards standing in or around the crease?  Can't they be a little bit old fashioned and spread out a little bit?  At least the latest New Look Power Play was working, hitting for two out of four chances.
Don't Trust The Stats #71: Officially, Oesterle led all Hawks in Corsi with a 62% share, but he was rubbish in his own end.  Keith was slightly better in general but was culpable on two TOR goals.  It happens. 

With the consolation point salted away it was off to Detroit to meet the usually toothless Red Wings who nevertheless shut out The Hawks a couple of weeks ago.  Goaltending was the main difference here, as Jimmy Howard was touched up for three GA in nine minutes of work, while Anton Forsberg had hisself a fine game in The Hawks' nets.  It's true, also, that The Hawks eased up after the halfway point of the game, allowing The Wings to get some looks that they really needn't have had. 

On the plus, though, we got goals from someone other than Kane.  Maybe this was thanks to The Red Wings deploying what passes for a checking line against the Schmaltz - Kane - Saad unit, allowing the Toews - DeBrincat- Duclair mob to basically go nuts.

That opportunity wasn't wasted, with DBC notching his second hat trick of the season and Duc potting his first goal as a Hawk, to go with a pair of helpies.  

So, maybe a bit unlucky to get one the single point vs TOR and maybe gifted the win against DET by Jimmy Howard being just bad enough and The Wings not being deep enough to counter if The Hawks could get more than one line clicking (which is never assured).  It kind of evens out, I guess.

What else?
Loving Hinostroza, lately.  It often seems like he has no plan but the energy and determination he brings gets him by.  Eleven points in nineteen games, all while averaging 12:45 per night, is a welcome contribution.
Saad was virtually invisible in both of these games.
Seabrook made an ass of himself bitching about the non-call on the icing play vs TOR.  He's got to be less casual than that and had no one to blame but himself.
Glass was a bit lucky that Van Riemsdyk bowled him over and The Leafs' apparent goal called back, 'cos interference or not, he wasn't making that save.
Let's face it, Jordan Oesterle has no business being on the PK unit - he's just not that good defensively and lacks the strength to handle any opposing forward who chooses to camp out in front of The Hawks' net.  I like the rest of his game but he's often a mess around his own net.
Similarly, as dramatic as his first game in almost two years was, Erik Gustafsson has otherwise been pretty bad; decent enough offensive instincts but a disaster in The Hawks' zone.

The Hawks are now "only" four points out of a playoff berth but have four teams to catch and pass.  Corey Crawford has apparently been sighted around The United Center so maybe, just maybe, The Hawks might have a shot at this thing.

Give It Away Give It Away Give It Away Now: Lightning 2, Hawks 0

Let me just mention the worst offenders to kick off the fun.
Toews.
Keith.
Oesterle - twice.
Gustafsson - and that one was spectacular.

Passes to no one, or even nowhere, most of the time with no particular pressure 'pon them. 
Only one of these egregious turnovers actually resulted in a goal against but all of the others, at best, slowed The Hawks attack, caused them to regroup and took away their momentum.

With the many changes in the lineup I guess I'd concede that at  least the coaches are trying stuff, but  the fact that guys like Kampf, Jurco, Gustafsson and even Hinostroza and Oesterle are A) in the lineup and B) granted the amount of icetime they've received tells you everything you need to know about how fragile and....ordinary The Hawks have become.  From time to time Gustav Forsling looked as if he would be a player who had made a giant step forward - now he's in Rockford.  Ditto for John Hayden.
The fact is that it doesn't really seem to matter who suits up.  We'll get some good games from some of these Guys just as we'll get stinkers from The Core, but the results end up the same.
Toews and Oesterle each played 23+ minutes tonight.  Were either of them any better than Hinostroza or Kempny?  I'd argue that they were not.
And I don't mean to take anything away any of The Guys when they do have a good outing.  Jurco and Hinostroza both had a good game, but the fact remains that even when Jurcs and Hinnie play out of their skin it's still never going to be enough.

The Hawks laid a beating on Tampa in the possession dept. tonight, but what does that matter when it generates almost no quality chances?  Jeff Glass lost the game yet made five or six saves that were tougher than any shots Vasilevskiy faced.  Two A+ chances and a goalpost - that's what The Hawks mustered up in 60 minutes.
Toews entire line had the puck in their feet all night.
Sharp was late to almost every attack and couldn't hit water if he fell out of a damn boat.
Oesterle's fall-back tactic whenever he was out of options or ideas was to pass to Keith, regardless of where Keith was, which direction he was facing or whether he had a forechecker bearing down on him.
Etc.

Yeah, The Hawks got screwed when the officials failed to catch the glove pass leading up to Kunitz' goal but, even discounting that, they still lose 1-0.  Outside of Kane and the occasional player who gets hot for a short while, they've got nothing.
And I fear that things will get worse before they get better if there is no significant change, and the change that needs to made most does not revolve around a player.

Can't Stand Up For Falling Down: Red Wings 4, Hawks -8

What I really wanted for the headline, here, was a shot of Oesterle somehow falling under Duncan Keith, sending them both sprawling to the ice whilst Hank Zetterberg neatly dished to a streaking Anthony Mantha.  Alas, it was not to be, but y'all can see what I'm driving at.

This rubbish effort was against a team that ain't making the playoffs, no way, no how and facing arguably the weakest starting goalie in the league.  Yet, The Hawks came away with nothing but embarrassment and a touch of sunburn on Jeff Glass' neck.
They made it easy for Wings starter Petr Mrazek, not forcing to him make any especially tough saves and virtually no second saves.  We couldn't even get lucky enough to get a cheapo tip-in goal 'cos there was really only one shift in which The Hawks had traffic in front AND got some shots on or toward the net.

Glass was not great.  The odd thing was that he actually made a clutch of saves tougher than anything Mrazek faced, but he also let a few savable shots past him...

The refrain is largely the same: poor shot selection/timing, sloppy positioning and no one getting to the danger zone at the right times.  Don't they practice this shit?  What's even happening here?

The Hawks are in 10th place right now but, with five days off, they're sure to fall to 12th by the time they reconvene on Saturday.  The Wings weren't the only non-playoff team out there today.

Insufficient: Wild 2, Hawks 1

It's a full day removed from this lackluster disappointment, now, so I'll be quick about it.
Once again, The Hawks played one tremendous period and then packed up & left town.
This, in a so-called four point game versus a team with whom they are in direct conflict with for a playoff berth.
We had the shots and we received an excellent performance in goal from Forsberg, yet no joy.
Shot selection, positioning and timing were all mediocre, at best.

With the new guy, Duclair, drawing in I expect we'll see significant reshuffling of the forward lines.
And possibly Keith & Seabrook reunited.
And maybe even Tomas Friggin' Jurco.
Please, no, not Jurco.

Franson Placed On Waivers

Blackhawks place D Franson on waivers

Well, I didn't see that coming, but I might well have done now that Coach Q is head-over-heels for Jordan Oesterle.  Franson's most useful role is (was) on the power play and it appears that, between Keith, Oz, Forsling and occasionally Seabrook, The Hawks are sorted out in that department.
Follow up remark: has anyone ever used the word "owns" this many times in this short an article?

The Unbelievable Truth: Golden Knights 5, Hawks 4

I offer this assessment of The Vegas Golden Knights: they have two very good forwards, three more pretty good forwards and one more young winger with the potential to be great.  Their defense is nothing special.
Upon reflection, that still leaves them better than The Blackhawks.
While I believe that The Hawks have the better lineup they are, somehow, constantly far less than the sum of their parts.
Or, looking at The Hawks' failings from a different angle, they fail to apply themselves consistently, when they even bother at all.  How many games in recent weeks have The Hawks played out of their heads for 25-35 minutes and been utter dogshit for the rest of the game?  Almost all of 'em.

Anything else?
* Hinostroza's three-point night was spoiled a bit, wasn't it?  Sure, the goal caromed in off his pants but his two assists were marvelous.  On the flip, however, nobody forced him to kick off the seemingly endless chain of icing calls that resulted in Keith being stuck on the ice for almost three minutes, followed by a VGK goal.
* The Icing Fest: all unnecessary and borne out of thoughtlessness and/or panic.  There was no particular pressure on any of the guys who iced the puck early in the third period, there.
* Murphy and Seabrook were eaten alive.  Am I wrong or did one of them always seem to be trying to catch a VGK player who had blown past him?
* The House of Glass is a fragile one, indeed.  That said, 2 GA were deflections, one was a breakaway (watch the replay to see Murph try to catch Reilly Smith) and one was mostly down to Toews and Seabrook just standing around instead of doing their friggin' jobs. That leaves only Eakin's goal that I thought Glass shoulda coulda stopped,but even that GA was after all those icing calls and we had a dead-tired Keith out there with parts of a couple different lines.  Well, Glass outplayed Subban, at least.

Tick tock, boys.  We're approaching that time of the year in which The Hawks typically stop giving a shit for about four weeks.  Good god, though, is it possible they could care any less than they appear to, now?

Unhappy New Year: Flames 4, Hawks 3

It was one of the most evenly contested games I've seen in awhile but, frustratingly, The Hawks probably could have buried The Flames had they bothered to show up in the first period.  It's the same refrain: they just cannot muster up a full 60-minute effort.  Ever.
It's late, I'm tired and I'm disappointed, so this will be short.
* Jeff Glass was alright, probably better overall than on Friday.  A couple of the goals were honest enough and Giordino's shot for the winner was darn-near perfect, but had David "Baby Huey" Kampf bothered to do something about Matthew Tkachuk's stick we'd be looking at a win, here.  Sharp is sitting out to make room for this buffoon?
* Speaking of M. Tkachuk...I don't like that guy.  That permanent, punchable smirk makes him hockey's Martin Shkreli.  
* Still liking that 2PP unit, for some reason.  Maybe the fact that they only sorta know what they're doing affords them an element of surprise - if they have little idea what they'll do next imagine how little their opponents know!
* Keith was not good yet played 28+ minutes, not at all a recipe for success.
* Wingels has to stop it with the bullshit penalties.  He's gotten the gate three times in the last five games and The Hawks were scored on each time.
* Kempny and Franson both played alright but, with the loss, you know one or both of them will be scratched on Wednesday, right?
* Richard Panik will never score again.  Ever.

Bad Where It Counts: Capitals 241, Hawks -8

Shots: Hawks 39, Capitals 25
Faceoffs: Hawks 55%, Capitals 45%
Hits: Hawks 17, Capitals 15
Powerplay: Hawks 0/4, Capitals 1/3
Giveaways: Hawks 5, Capitals 22
Corsi: Hawks 60%, Capitals 40%

Looks to be a pretty dominant effort by The Blackhawks, apart from the PP, doesn't it?  Yet...
So what went wrong?  Of course I think I know.  Behold!

The Powerplay

What did I say the other day?  Stale and predictable.  Well, let's add slow to that condemnation.  There is zero urgency, no briskness.  Franson returned to the PP and at least got the puck toward the net, as always, but the forwards always seemed to be off in the weeds and never around the net when the puck was there.  The PP has been rotten for weeks and just seems to be getting worse.

Shooting Locations

Half of The Hawks' shots, and most of their attempts on the PP, came from locations where the shooter was on a 30-40º angle to the net.  Only a handful of quality shots came from the slot or high slot.

Goaltending Beyond Corey Crawford

Errors by Keith paved the way to the first two WSH goals but, as he always does and as mentioned before, Anton Forsberg managed to let in an utterly savable shot and out came the hook.  JF Berubé was about as good as he's likely to ever be, i.e. not good.

New Look Forward Lines

I don't have The Answer, here, but Coach Q clearly doesn't, either.  With all those reassignments he still managed to keep DeBrincat and Kane separate.  And Toews - Hartman - Hayden was just a waste of time.  

Who's next?  Buffalo, on Friday, and I predict The Hawks will be outshot 40-20 and win 2-1.  That would make sense in this season that just makes no sense at all.