JQ, GET YOUR GOD DAMN HEAD OUT OF YOUR GOD DAMN ASS!!!!

So my boys Versteeg and Pahlsson join forces with Buff to almost single-handedly bring the Hawks back from a 3-goal deficit in half a period, only to have Joel Quenneville prove me right in a way that I really wish he hadn't. Had I written this post last night, the string of expletives I would have dropped on that mustachioed buffoon would have been long and impressive. Instead, a good nights sleep has allowed me to take a bit of time and relatively calmly explain my anger at being exactly right.


When the Hawks fired Savard without cause and gave the job to JQ, the proffered reason was Savy's lack of experience versus JQ's accomplished resume. Immediately I saw through that load of horse crap for exactly what it was - Savy was someone else's guy, while JQ was "their" guy. The Hawks brass was just too damn impatient to find out if they had something special in Savy, and instead handed over the reigns to JQ in an ill-timed and unjustifiable coaching transition four games into the season.

Could Savard have done what JQ did with this team? Hard to say, but I believe so. I think it was a hell of an accomplishment to take a bunch of kids from a longtime sorry organization and get them to believe they could actually win, as Savard did last year. Despite a lack of firepower and significant injuries all season, Savard got the Hawks within knocking distance of a playoff spot.

This year JQ elevated them to the next level, no question. But how much of it was JQ and how much of it was the natural progression of all the young players combined with the very significant additions of Campbell, Huet, and later Pahlsson (with whom they went 10-3-3)? Can you really say that JQ did anything special with these guys? Or did he just continue what Savard and Tallon started?

To be honest, all of that is secondary. Savard is gone and it's impossible to know what kind of coach he could have become. The real issue was that if you're going to get rid of Savy, why bring in a guy who's done nothing but fail in the playoffs? The stated and lone goal, which I firmly believe they are genuine about, is to win the Cup. Making the playoffs and being a contender won't cut it for this regime. So why bring in JQ, a guy who's been great at getting his team to the playoffs but has never done anything there?

Nine times (prior to this year) he's made the playoffs. Once he's made the conference finals. Never has he made the Cup finals. So no Cups, no Cup finals appearances, and only one conference final - that's the resume of a guy you hire for his playoff prowess? He's the guy who's gonna win you a cup? Really?

And to be clear, JQ had some very strong teams - they put up 114, 103, 99 and 98 points twice. And that was before the OTL rules inflated the numbers. We're talking five different legit contenders and four other very respectable squads, and all he's got to show for it is one trip to the conference finals. That's the bottom line on JQ. Don't ever forget it.


So it was no surprise to me last night to see JQ watch his team absolutely give a close-out game away, then roar back in it through a mix of talent and grit, only to give it away again thanks to JQ's horrendous approach.

It's really, REALLY simple. The Hawks have absolutely dominated the Flames all series long when they've played from behind, erasing deficits in three of the four games. But they've gotten spanked all series long early in games or when it's tied, putting themselves behind in all four games.

So what is the painfully obvious conclusion? That JQ's normal strategy - i.e. how to play the game when it's early or you're tied - is terrible. Despite matching up great against the Flames, despite all the Flames injury issues, despite being hot and the Flames being cold, JQ's approach has allowed them to outplay us all series long when everything's even.

However, as soon as we get down, JQ is forced to abandon his strategy and unleash his ultra-talented squad. They play aggressive and focus on one thing only - scoring goals. All the pressure is brought to bear on the suspect Flames defense, while the Flames potent offense is taken almost completely out of the game.

The result - the Hawks erased a late one-goal deficit in Game 1, erased an early two-goal deficit in Game 2, and erased a whopping three-goal deficit in Game 4. In the heat of playoff hockey against an accomplished veteran squad with a great coach. Freakin impressive.

Yet knowing this, knowing his team has all the momentum from that three goal comeback, knowing that the Flames are officially done if they lose go down 3-1 in the series by blowing a 3-goal lead, what does JQ come out of the second intermission and do?

He totally abandons the aggressive approach that got them back into the game and becomes more conservative then I've seen this team play ever all season. The entire third period was played in the Hawks' end (at least until the Flames scored). The Blackhawks defensemen just hung back and tried OVER AND OVER AND OVER to complete ill-advised, low percentage Hail Mary passed down the wing. Hawks forwards dumped the puck at the first sign of pressure.

There was no true effort to establish themselves in the offensive end - everything was about staying back and defending their own goal. The result - not only did the Hawks have ZERO offensive pressure in the third period, but the vaunted Flames offense was allowed to just pepper the Hawks. It was like a period-long power play - the Flames just kept working the puck in the Hawks' end, getting chance after chance, while the Hawks did their best to clear the puck up ice so they could get fresh legs in to try to keep the Flames for scoring.

WHAT THE F ARE YOU THINKING, JQ?!? GET YOUR DAMN HEAD OUT OF YOUR DAMN ASS! Don't blame this on the players - every 30 seconds they're back sitting on the bench within earshot of JQ - if he didn't want them hanging back selling out for defense, it was damn easy for him to say so.

No, this was 100% on JQ, who's gotten totally bitched this series. The Hawks have been good only when they've had to go away from his strategy and instead play aggressively to get back into a game. Yet with a series victory essentially one goal away, JQ goes totally away from what's worked and instead chooses the worst strategy I've ever seen in hockey.

I'm not exaggerating, I've never seen anything stupider than what JQ had his team doing last night. Long pass after long pass down the wing. No blueline support on the rush. Full commitment to defense, but not even in an effective way. There was no trap, no wall on the blueline - just a seeming desire to avoid going into the Flames end.

And it was SO obvious it wouldn't work. The Hawks defense had been shaky all night, and in Game 3 also. Same with Khabi's play. The Flames offense has been flat outstanding in Calgary - it was painfully clear that if they just kept getting chances, the Flames were gonna ultimately put one in the back of the net.

And that is obviously what happened. After the goal, the Hawks mounted another furious comeback, finally bringing pressure in the final minutes of the period, but by then they were trying to go to the well once too often, and didn't have the legs nor time left to make it happen.


So now we head back to Chicago, with the impressive theatrics of Games 1 and 2 nullified by a terrible trip to the Saddledome (which really looks like a saddle - who knew?). The one saving grace - that impressive comeback salvaged a bit of confidence and swagger for the Hawks. Had they been squarely beat in both games, I'd probably give the momentum edge to the Flames. But by coming back as they did, the Hawks have something they can build on. Something they can harness in conjunction with the insane crowd they'll open in front of.

The question is how long will that momentum last? If JQ once again coaches from a cranial-anus position, the Flames are gonna once again get up early and the momentum will be squarely in their corner. However, if JQ rescues his mustachioed face from his posterior, maybe he'll realize that he needs to let the Hawks skaters loose from the opening whistle.

Forwards, defense - everybody needs to play like their down a couple goals late. Pinch hard, push the puck at every opportunity, don't worry about line match-ups and short shifts - just focus on taking the game to the Flames. Put them on their heels in their own end, create chance after chance on a beatable goalie and a subpar defensive squad. Eliminate their potent offense from the equation by keeping them buried in their own end, fighting for their lives.

And when you get the lead, JUST KEEP AT IT! Don't settle back and try to milk the clock. Keep the pressure on. In this case, the best defense is a good offense. The Hawks are not a veteran, grinding lock-down defensive team. Respect that. Know that all things even, the Flames offense will beat the Hawks defense. Don't ever forget it. So put the odds in your favor by keeping the match-up about the Hawks offense and the Flames defense, where the advantage is overwhelming for the Hawks.


This series starts fresh on Saturday, with the Hawks being in the enviable position of having both the first and last game in front of the best fans on Earth. They've got the superior team, at least when they approach the game right. And, counter-intuitively, they even have a bit of momentum, thanks to the three goal deficit they erased on the road and the home crowd they're returning to.

It's up now up to JQ to get his head out of his ass and take the game to the Flames. Will he do it? Or will he continue to prove me unhappily right that he's an inferior post-season coach who the Hawks were idiotic in hiring? I've never wanted to be more wrong.