Thoughts Before Game 5

First and foremost, to all of you Blackhawks front office guys out there reading this, an important suggestion - revisit your radio contract this offseason.

I love the broadcasts on WGN 720, but the Hawks are going to be staples in the postseason for a lot of years, so you cannot have your most important games buried on a garbage AM signal every time they get bumped from WGN when the Cubs have a night game.

Instead, the Hawks need to work out a deal with WGN where the Hawks get moved over to WLS 890 or WBBM 780 on those nights, to megastations with significant signals that can be heard loud and clear anywhere in greater Chicagoland.

For a team who's had so many issues in the past with their game broadcasts being unavailable, the current set-up cannot be repeated next year. Especially because so many Hawks fans are used to listening to the games on radio thanks to all of the TV black-out years. So take advantage of your incredible bargaining position this offseason and work out something with WGN and one of the other two power stations to ensure the Blackhawks get the radio coverage they deserve when playing in these huge Stanley Cup playoff games. And don't give me all the excuses as to why "things just don't work that way" - that's thinking like a front office guy, not a fan. You can make this happen if you want to - it'll just take some work.

(if only the front office guys really did read this...)


Now to the actual hockey. Unfortunately, thanks to the above-discussed terrible decision to bury the Hawks on AM 560, my plans to listen to Game 3 on WGN as I drove to Cleveland were ruined. I caught a bit of the game on a Detroit station, but not enough to really get what happened. The limited takeaways I got were that the Hawks played well early, got the Wings way off their game and buried in the penalty box, and took full advantage for a commanding lead.

What's upsetting is that they gave it all back with one bad five minute stretch. So what happened? Did the Hawks take their foot off the Wings' throats and allow them to turn the pressure around the other way? It's a classic coaching mistake, one made repeatedly by coaches of all sports. Play aggressively to get a lead, then conservatively to defend it.

Umm, what? If you have outplayed a team in one approach, why would you change that approach? It's working - KEEP DOING IT! No idea if that's what happened here, but if it is, I'm gonna punch JQ in the ovaries the next time I see him. The prevent defense mainly prevents you from winning - it's as true in hockey as it is in football, hoops, soccer, lacrosse, jai alai... you name it.

Still, it was nice to see that the Hawks didn't let the momentum get away (I was at a playoff game back in the mid 90s where the Hawks had a 3-goal lead entering the third against either Detroit or Colorado in a key playoff game... and ended up losing by two). They stopped the bleeding and the capitalized when they needed to, thanks in some small part to Huet's solid play. It was only six shots, but coming off the bench after about three months worth of inactivity when even a single goal ends your season is pretty tough to do.


Unfortunately, Huet couldn't keep that flow going, as from what I saw in Game 4, he looked miserable. I've always compared him to Belfour in that he makes a lot of great, unorthodox saves, but then kills you with a softy. He's totally hot and cold - either capable of looking unbeatable or extremely average.

Can you win with a goalie like that? Well, a lot of teams went pretty far with Belfour in net, and the Stars even won the Cup with him there. Is Huet that good? Can the Hawks build enough around him to win despite his occasional mistakes? Or is it about luck - do we have to hope Huet gets on a hot streak at the right time to carry us?

Hard to say. Obviously his Game 4 performance left a lot to be desired. It was a very, very winnable game with a number of Wings out and all the momentum in the Hawks favor. For Huet to give up so many easy goals is a real slap in the face to everything the team has been doing this year, especially in the playoffs.

It sounds like Khabi will be out again in Game 5, which means Huet has one more chance to salvage his reputation in Chicago. On some level that's unfair - as I said, the guy hasn't played regularly in over two months. Khabi returned from his injury on March 15th and proceeded to play nearly every game after that. So is it fair to expect Huet to come in, as cold as they come, against the best team in the world, and get it done?

Especially when the team in front of him isn't playing its best hockey? Some of it has been unlucky bounces, some of it has been poor play, but the results from a goalie's perspective has been the same - the Wings have had a boatload of great chances to score. Khabi was playing absolutely amazingly and still gave up 9 goals in 2.5 games against the Wings. Can you blame a rusty, out of sync Huet for struggling against the Wings?


Whether Huet's failure was of circumstances or because of the limits of his ability is a really big question, both in the short term and the longterm. Longterm, if you don't have faith that Huet can be a Cup winning goalie, you have to work really hard this offseason to repair the damage done in signing him last summer. It's possible - his contract isn't terrible and is only for three more seasons. Huet's still got a solid reputation and there are always teams in need of a veteran goalie.

But given that the salary cap is actually going down next year - and at a fairly significant $2.5M (on a $56M payroll), the Hawks might have to eat a bad contract in return. But if it comes in the form of a solid 4th line centerman or veteran stay-at-home defender, that might be worth it.

If Huet is gonna be shown the door, you also have to get to work bringing Khabi back into the fold at a reasonable price for a reasonable number of years. He's 36 year old and has a lot of miles on his odometer. Khabi's also shown both this year and last that he can't be counted on to play more than 40-50 games, and could very easily get hurt at key times. Is that someone you can afford to go forward with?


Short term, Huet's got to prove he can get the Hawks a big win when they need it tonight. Even if the Hawks play great, the Wings are going to have a lot of chances. They're just too good not to. Especially when they're back home, smelling blood. They blew a pair of clinching home Game 5s last year, so the Wings are not going to take the game lightly.

That means it's up to Huet to get it done. He's got to make the big saves and the pedestrian saves, and he's got to do it when the Hawks need it most. Stonewall a big breakaway, make a couple of routine saves shortly after the Hawks score. Do the things that keep the momentum going in the right direction or even secure it back for the Hawks.

I said going into the Hawks' two games at home that they had to win Game 3, but they could afford to lose Game 4 and still have a chance. Not a good one by any stretch, but a chance. At the very least I had full confidence they could get the game back to Chicago. I still believe that. I'd feel better if Khabi was in net and playing well, but hockey is a funny game - just when you think a goalie is there to be destroyed, he pulls an amazing game out of his ass.

I can see that happening tonight. Or I can see Huet playing solid enough and the Hawks offense not being ready to call it a season. They have to know that this game is the toughest one they will face. If Hawks can win Game 5, they're back home with a bit of momentum for Game 6, back to where you'd expect them to be - down 1 game with 1 to play at the UC. And if they take that Game 6 in front of an unreal home crowd, then they've got all the momentum in the world - they're a young team who's confident and hungry facing a team who's not used to adversity, who has to deal with the pressure that a Game 7 loss would be an uberfailure for them all.


So whether it's Huet, the offense, some lucky breaks, or just shitty play by the hated Red Wings, somehow the Hawks have got to win tonight. Do that, and we're back in this thing as much as we ever have been.

Thoughts Before Game 3

Gotta admit that my confidence is wavering that this series is going 7, but not fully. The only thing that's happened is that the Hawks lost any room for error in tonight's game at the UC. Even had they slipped one in during OT of Game 2, I still would have figured we'd be locked up at two a piece heading back to Detroit. But now we can't afford to lose tonight if we want to have any chance to win this series.

I still believe that's possible. The Hawks showed in Game 2 that they can play the Wings even. Sure the Wings still look like the better team, but remember two things - the Hawks definitely play better at home than on the road, thanks in part to the greatest fans in sport, and with each passing game, the Hawks gain that much more experience, confidence, and comfort.

The problem is that in hockey you can outplay a team and still lose, so it's distinctly possible that the Hawks will come back to the UC, outplay the Wings twice, yet still be looking at an elimination Game 5. But that knife cuts both ways - the Hawks could get outplayed by Detroit, yet still steal a victory thanks to a bit of luck and the energy of the home crowd.

The biggest thing for us to hang our hats on: the never-say-die mentality the Hawks have displayed is about more than just in-game comebacks. I have full faith they'll dig down to that same place and come back in the series.

Remember, the Hawks lost all the momentum in the first round when they went into Calgary up 2-0 and couldn't take either game, looking horrible early in both. Yet they played their best game of the series in Game 5 and cruised through Game 6.

Same thing in Round 2 - the Hawks got beat up pretty good in Game 1 and were down early in Game 2 to a team most predicted would end their season. Yet the Hawks brought an avalanche of goals on one of the best goalies in the game and took a key W. Then, with a chance to take control of the series back home, the Hawks lost Game 3 without putting up much of a fight and were minutes away from their season all but ending in Game 4 before they scored a late goal and won in OT, again cruising straight on through Game 6.

So I'm not in panic mode yet, nor will I be if the Hawks get down in Game 3, be it early or late. They've shown they can come back, and more importantly, they've shown they ride those comebacks for games worth of momentum. I believe the Hawks can win these next two games, and could even follow it up with a victory in Game 5 in Detroit. I even think the Hawks can lose Game 4 and still be in this - they showed in Game 2 they can hang with the Red Wings in Detroit.


What needs to happen? First and foremost, the Hawks defense needs to tighten up in a BIG way. They've played fairly well, especially given the talent they're facing, except for a few glaring mistakes. But the Wings absolutely have destroyed the Hawks on nearly all of those mistakes, and that is the difference in the series.

Really - look back. Half of the Wings goals have come directly from a blueliner making some monster mistake that the Wings immediately put into the back of the Hawks net. Cleary and Franzen with the Wings' first two goals in Game 1. Then Cleary again in Game 2, followed up by the OT winner by Samuelsson. All four of those goals - some of the biggest in the series - were scored 100% because of Hawks defenders falling, losing the puck, missing a pass, etc.

So the obvious takeaway is that the Hawks defenders - all six of them - need to keep their focus, play a tighter game, and ensure whatever mistakes they make can be kept from becoming prime scoring chances. But the less obvious takeaway - the Hawks defenders (with a big assist from the forwards and Khabi) are otherwise doing a very solid job on the Wings.

Review how Detroit's scored their 8 goals - four were the result of bad turnovers, one was an empty netter, and one was on the power play. That leaves just two goals where the Hawks were beat in normal five-on-five play by being out-worked by the Wings. Two goals in two games against the best offense in the league in front of their home crowd. Not too bad.

Sure that can be viewed as some creative accounting. But I think it tells the story of this series. The Wings have outplayed the Hawks for the great majority of it, but unless the Hawks make a mistake, they've been able to keep them at bay. A lot of this has had to do with the amazing play of Khabibulin, who has chosen the biggest stage to play his best hockey ever in a Hawks uniform. But the Hawks also have been doing a solid job of working in their own zone to keep good position and not give the Wings unmolested chances on net.

And they deserve to be commended highly for it. The Wings are just a nasty, nasty good team. I've never seen a squad with better puck control in my life. The Hawks play a good, active, physical defense, and yet the Wings almost never lose control of the puck. They make tape to tape passes, keep control along the boards, and don't lose possession when they're skating through traffic. It's absolutely un-freakin-believable. I've seen a lot of good teams playing great hockey, but the way the Wings control the puck is something I've never before witnessed.

And yet, the Hawks were a fortunate bounce away from leaving Detroit tied at 1 and in control of early party of the series. That tells you something.

What makes it even more impressive is the fact that my best guess at a weakness for the Wings has turned out to be, by far, their biggest strength. Chris Osgood has put behind all of his mental and physical struggles during the regular season and once again found his Stanley Cup winning form.

That's pretty damn crazy. Osgood won a Cup with the Wings in 97-98, and earned it - posting a 2.12 GAA and .918 save percentage while losing only six games in four series. However, in the next three years he couldn't take the Wings past the second round, then was out in the first during stops in New York and St. Louis the following three seasons.

After the Strike he returned to Detroit in a back-up role, first to Legace and then to Hasek. It wasn't until the playoffs last year that he finally was made a full-time #1 goalie again, replacing a worn-down Hasek and backstopping the Wings to the Cup with a remarkable 1.55 GAA and .930 Save %. This year he again has been as strong as ever in the playoffs, with an NHL-best 2.32 GAA and .925 save percentage in the postseason.

I can certainly attest that Osgood has been nasty this year in the playoffs. He looked solid against a tough Anaheim team and has been remarkable against the Hawks. While the Wings have outplayed the Hawks, this series would look a heck of a lot different if Osgood hadn't been standing on his head. The Hawks could easily have two more goals in each game - if not more - had Osgood been merely solid, instead of exceptional.

Kind of a strange ride - to win a Cup with great play as a 25-year old, be fairly average in the postseason for the next decade, and then play your best hockey as a 35- and 36-year old. And I can't stress this enough - Osgood is not merely profiting from good players in front of him. The Hawks have had plenty of amazing chances where Osgood was the only one left to stop them, and he's come through almost every time.


So what's the answer to all of this? How does a team solve a great goalie playing behind a great team? I think the Hawks just need to put their balls to the wall and unleash the hounds of hell. The one time in Game 2 that the Hawks had the Wings completely on their heels was late, when they were down a goal and realized they had to sell out to get it. The blueliners attacked like crazy and the forwards flew en masse to every puck deep or along the boards.

The Wings just couldn't handle it - for the first time all series, they weren't able to get any sustained pressure in the Hawks' end and were giving up a lot of chances in their own. And most importantly, the Hawks had success - they scored the tying goal and had some good shots at the winning one.

Now is the time for JQ to show his mettle. I called him out before and I thought he responded well (obviously not directly). I said the Hawks needed to let loose their offense against both Calgary and Vancouver, and that's what he eventually did. The results speak for themselves.

In this series, JQ hasn't had the Hawks playing back, but he also hasn't had them attacking all out. And while the Hawks have been able to hang with the Wings, it's no mistake that they're down 2-0. The simple fact of that matter is that if the Hawks keep trying to just hang with the Wings, they will lose this series. There is no way they can win 4 of the next 5 games, two of which are in Detroit, by hoping to outplay the Wings at their own game.

When we try to play a disciplined game where we out-execute the Wings, we're playing into their hands. They're more experienced and better both offensively and defensively. With Osgood standing on his head, they're also our equals in the net. So what happened in Games 1 and 2 will just keep happening - we'll hang with them cause we're pretty talented too, but at the end of the day, they'll out execute us and win. Maybe not every game, but certainly at least two of the next five.

So JQ, if you're reading this - it's time to bring the fury. You cannot beat the Wings with simple execution. And we aren't a defensive, grinder team who can hope to trap and make the game ugly - you want to get the Wings out of their game, but it doesn't make sense to totally take yourself out of your own in the meantime.

That's why I believe the Hawks' only option is to turn this into an all-out attacking affair. If you do, the Wings are gonna capitalize on a lot of your mistakes and score a bunch of goals. Know that. Accept it. Move on.

But if you're coming with the thunder, the Hawks will score even more. While we can't keep up with the great puck possession, offensive execution, and all-around great defensive play of the Wings - they cannot keep up with the end-to-end, balls out feast or famine attacking game of the Hawks.

Simply put, every single player on the Hawks is better suited to a track meet than they are an execution style game. Conversely, the Wings players and system are better suited to an execution game than a track meet. Sure the Wings can skate and score, but they're preferred method to do so is in their amazingly efficient and effective offense system with a great defense backing it up. That is what they practice. That's the style they get into every game. That's the way they've dominated the regular and post-season for two straight years.

And that is EXACTLY why JQ needs to quit thinking he can beat them at it. Instead, take advantage of the fact that Detroit doesn't have the same level of talent the Hawks have in terms of a track meet game. The Hawks run four lines and six defenders out there who can flat fly. The Wings have two such lines and a couple of defenders.

Don't confuse the Wings high-scoring with an ability to play and up-and-down game at the highest level. If we've learned anything from watching the Wings so far, it's that they win on system and execution as much as pure athletic skill. So take away that system from them, make them work in a game that favors the Hawks, and all of the sudden the playing field tips in our direction.

Because when it comes to a track meet, the Hawks also have the experience factor. They are tried and true when playing that style, having just utilized it with great success in the high pressure situations against Calgary and Vancouver. Detroit is the exact opposite - not only have they not had to play that way, but they've had great success in a totally different system. Hence, it'll really throw them off to not settle into that huge, soft, loving comfort zone they have with their own style of game.

JQ, look back at the tapes of the Flames and Canucks series. Look at the 3rd period of Game 2. Now look at the tapes of all the 131 wins the Wings have had these past two seasons (yes, 131... so far). It should be obvious - unleash the full potential of your offense, get your young kids feeling the all-out flow of the game, and get the Wings out of their controlled, well-executed offensive and defensive systems.

Do this, and you will break Osgood. Sure, you'll give up some counter-attack goals along the way. But as the Wings have shown, they'll get those no matter how you play them. If you can get a boatload of goals yourself and keep them from getting into their offensive system, there's no question the Hawks can overcome those counter-attack goals.


Don't go out playing their game. Don't go out without showing them the best hockey the Chicago Blackhawks can play. As the great Governor Tarkin once said, "I think it's time we'd demonstrated the full power of this station."

Thoughts Before Game 2

It'd be pretty easy to write off the Hawks already. The Wings are the defending champs, they looked great all season, they've played well in the playoffs, and they seem to have the Hawks' number. On top of that, the Hawks are on a national stage for the first time and have to be pretty content with what they've accomplished already.

I think that's all nonsense. The Wings are an extraordinary team, but they've got their flaws. Just ask the Anaheim Ducks, who exposed enough of them to get a 2-1 lead with Game 4 at the Pond, and then play them to a 3-3 tie 57 minutes into Game 7 in Detroit. And the Hawks have their strengths - just ask the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks. They combined for 91 regular season wins and 198 standings points. But neither could last longer than 6 games with the Hawks.

So of course I respect the hell out of the Wings. But even after what I saw in Game 1, I am not about to tear up my Game 6 tickets. In fact, I'm going to go ahead and just say it for all posterity - this series will go 7. While everyone's talking sweep or being generous by including a 5th game, I say that's not how hockey works.

The Hawks are a legit team who went through a pair of capable, veteran squads with playoff experience. They've got talent, grit, a solid coach, and strong goaltending. And they have tapped into something a bit special for this playoff run.

That makes them a worthy Western Conference Finals opponent, even for the vaunted Red Wings. And worth Conference Finalists don't get swept out as some sort of foregone conclusion. Instead, I think the Hawks will take advantage of their home games and maybe even a surprise win in Detroit to force a Game 7. At that point, all bets are off.


So what happened in Game 1? The Hawks caught a few bad breaks - Versteeg hit the post early, Cleary beat Khabi for a soft goal, Seabrook played one of his worst games in years. They also had a hard time getting into the flow of the game - only the inspired 4th line of Eager, Burish, and Sharp was consistently evident out on the ice.

But most of all, they ran into a damn good team. Why is it any surprise that if the Hawks weren't playing well (outside of Khabi and that 4th line) that the Wings would take it to them? The Wings are good and they're playing good hockey. They're back somewhere they've been a million times before and doing it in front of a great home crowd.

But nothing I saw in Game 1 suggests that the Hawks can't win Game 2. And if they do, the Game 1 loss means absolutely nothing. The Hawks will be going back to the UC exactly where they wanted to be - tied 1-1.


So what will it take to win Game 2?

First off, Seabrook and Keith need to play a much stronger game. Look across the ice at the consistently productive shifts - offensively and defensively - that the ancient Lidstrom still takes every time on ice and you'll see what the Hawks need from their top blueline pair.

Second, the top three lines need to take a cue from the 4th liners and realize that the Wings can be beat if you are willing to out-hustle and out-work them. Burish, Eager, and Sharp were by far the least talented line the Hawks rolled out there, and yet they were the ones controlling the puck best and creating the most chances. How did that happen?

It happened because like they've done every game these playoffs, those three guys were going 100 MPH for every second of every shift. The rest of the Hawks need to do the same thing. Kane and Buff are the two best examples - when those two guys really commit themselves and go all out, they become absolute forces on the ice. But both love to sit back and disappear, looking lazy and disinterested while the game passes them by.

Similarly, both the Pahlsson-Versteeg-Buff and Bolland-Havlat-Ladd lines need to bring the inspired checking-line play they exhibited at different times this season. Pahlsson and Versteeg each had great chances they couldn't deliver on in Game 1, so that line isn't far off. If they get Buff going and show the same attitude that brought them back from the brink against the Flames in Game 4, this series will have a different look.

Same with the Bolland-Havlat-Ladd line. As impressive as Havlat was early, and as much as he's shown flashes throughout the rest of the playoffs, he hasn't been the bigtime impact player the Hawks need right now. In the regular season Havlat was making plays on both ends of the ice, using his skill and incredible hockey sense to be involved everywhere. But in the playoffs he's been content to hang back on the defensive end with one eye always on a breakout. The most effective way Havlat can help the offense in his own zone is by making good defensive plays. That changes the puck possession and often leads to those very breakouts Havlat's hoping for.

Third, the Hawks need to continue to do the little things in their own end to keep the Wings in check. While 5 goals seems like a lot to give up, the reality was that the Wings had the puck in the Hawks end a lot and didn't get as many great chances from it as you would have figured. If you were paying close attention, you noticed that the Hawks were keeping good position, were getting their stick in on pucks, and were being physical and hustling to keep the Wings from manufacturing great chances.

Think about the Wings first two goals - Cleary's was a breakaway and Franzen's directly from a bad turnover. It wasn't until their third and fourth goals late in the third that Detroit finally was able to get a goal by out-playing the Hawks in their own end. If the Hawks can continue to hold the Wings to only one or two goals that they've actually worked for, I think they'll be in great shape.

And the final thing that needs to happen - Khabi needs to play like he did after that first goal. As solidly as the Hawks played in their own end for the most part, they still allowed 43 shots. And a decent amount of those 43 were prime scoring chances. A big reason the game was still within reach up until the final minutes was because of Khabi. The guy stood on his head, making great save after great save, and throwing in repeated solid ones just to be sure.

Khabi has played well, for the most part, this post-season. But the stakes have most certainly been amped up and he needs to answer the bell. If he does, look out. First tho, as I mentioned in point 1 - Keith and Seabrook need to play better, both avoiding costly mistakes as well as disrupting the Wings offensive rhythm. Second, as I mentioned in point 2, the Hawks' scoring lines need to make an impact, which will significantly decrease the amount of time and the quality of chances the Wings get in the Hawks end.

If those two things happen and Khabi plays like he's shown himself capable, the Hawks are gonna win some games this series. I've said it before, but it bears repeating - Khabi has shown he can carry an unlikely team to a Cup. And there have been long stretches where that same Khabi has been evident. There's no question he's been recharged by this young, competitive team. He showed it in Game 1, doing everything he could to keep them in it. If he can keep that up - avoid those bad goals and make those stunning saves - the Hawks will be in every game and will definitely steal a couple.


So yes, I'd have liked to see the Hawks keep the Wings offense a bit more in check and get their own attack going a bit more. And I'd have liked to see the kind of mistake-free hockey that they're gonna have to play to prevail in seven games against a team like Detroit. But it was just one game, and a game we could afford to give away. But now we've only got one chance left to steal home ice advantage.

Just like they did with Luongo, it's time the Hawks deflate the legend that is the Detroit Red Wings.

Game on.

Hawks v Red Wings - Conference Finals Series Preview

"It'd be easy to be satisfied with the Hawks year as is - 4th in the West, a strong offensive and defensive performance all season, and a series win over a very capable and accomplished opponent. But as the Anaheim Ducks reminded us yet again - ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS."

That was the opening line from my second round series preview - seems even more apropos now. Sure the Ducks fell short, but the fact that they took the defending champion Wings to seven games and were tied at 3 with three minutes left, shows that come the NHL playoffs, you really can throw the regular season out the window.

So sure the good money is on the Wings, but are any of you really gonna doubt what the Hawks can accomplish? This is a team that in the last series scored 11, yes ELEVEN, goals when they were losing. Against one of the top goalies in the league, a team with far more playoff experience, a team who was thinking defense first.

And that was after scoring 8 such goals in the opening series against a similarly challenging foe.

Yes, the Red Wings are wicked talented and they've got boatloads of experience. But the Blackhawks bring something pretty impressive to the table as well - the most impressive and genuine "never say die" attitude I've ever seen in sports.

And in the NHL, something like that can be enough. The Hawks have every ability to win this series. They have a defensive unit that some have called the best in the playoffs, including a pairing in Keith and Seabrook that one prominent national writer has already demanded be Canada's #1 unit in the Vancouver games in 2010.

They have multiple scoring options - seven forwards have seven points or more this post-season - meaning you can't hope to shut down one line and be safe. They can skate with any team in the league but also can be get physical and bang with any one. And they've got a guy in net who's been playing well all year, been particularly strong in the playoffs, and has already carried one team to a Cup.


So what stands between the Hawks and a title? A team who racked up 112 points (including a league best 53 points on the road) thanks to the NHL's top offense (295 goals) and a respectable defense (244 goals against - good enough to be in the top half of the league). A team who scores on 1 out of every 4 power plays (tops in the league) and offset one of the league's worst PK units by notching the second fewest penalty minutes. And a team stocked with veterans, starting a multiple-Cup winning goaltender, and fresh off a title run last year.

Historically, the Wings offer a good parallel for what we're seeing with the Hawks. After winning four Cups in six years in the 40s and 50s, the Wings didn't win another until 1996. That included a stretch of 13 years (in the 70s and 80s) with only playoff appearance. Sounds awfully familiar to our Hawks historic ups and downs.

Since breaking through in 1996, the Wings have won four of the 12 Cups awarded. So it's encouraging to know that the Wings were able to overcome a long Cup drought and a brutal stretch of non-playoff teams to become the powerhouse we know today. Slightly less encouraging - while the Wings did begin to turn things around in 91-92 when they became an annual 100-point team, it wasn't until 96-97 that they actually broke through and won a Cup. Here's to hoping it doesn't take the Hawks another 5 years before they hoist the chalice.


Like the Hawks, the Wings don't really have a first and second line as much as they have nine really strong forwards that Coach Mike Babcock can and will juggle around to spark his team. Unlike the Hawks, this is a very experienced team. But don't confuse experience with age - of the Top 9 forwards, only Tomas Holmstrom is over 32. This is a group of players right in the prime of their playing days, and their numbers this year bear it out.

If the Hawks continue to make the type of mistakes they have the past two series (the dirty little secret of all of their come from behind games was that the Hawks' own dumb mistakes and poor play put them behind in the first place), the Wings offense will make them pay and pay dearly. However, if the Hawks tighten up, bring a good strategy, and get great play from Khabi, I'm curious to see if the Wings offense still can be effective.


Based on the lines below - a best guess based on what Babcock has been doing for the better part of the post-season - the Hawks are looking at a top line with a pair of 30-goal scorers in Zetterberg and Franzen. And both guys have been clicking the post-season, with 29 points between them.

Both players are also very tough in the face-off circle, winning over 53% of their draws. In fact, that's something that will be a MAJOR issue in this series - the Wings have incredible face-off men. Not a single one of their top 7 face-off guys finished the year with under a 52%. Even strong centers like Toews and Pahlsson will have their hands full, while weaker links like Bolland, Sharp, Versteeg, and Burish are going to have to step up in a big way.

Joining them on the top line will be Cleary, a former Hawk and quietly solid 20-goal scorer type. He's decent sized and will sit in front of the net looking for garbage. In fact, it was his work in front of the net that resulted in the series winning goal against the Ducks in Game 7. Franzen also has some size and given how the Red Wings can attack, the Hawks' blueliners will have to be ready and able to clear out guys camping in front of the net. So far that hasn't been a major challenge for the Hawks, but in this series it will be.


The "second" line is just as potent, if not more so, with Hart finalist Datsyuk and 40-goal scoring carpet-bagger Hossa. Datsyuk is the complete package, a scorer, play-maker, and amazing defensive forward who also is top notch on face-offs. Hossa, who took a one-year deal to give himself a shot at a title, is a proven sniper. They're joined by Holmstrom, a steady vet who can still get it done.

While this line hasn't been too dangerous in the playoffs so far, that might just suggest that they're ready to break-out now. However, if the Hawks can keep them in check, the Wings become a bit more vulnerable. This team is built to get scoring out of multiple lines and against the Hawks offense, they'll need just that. But if the second line doesn't step it up, the Wings will face similar struggles to what they saw in the Ducks series.


It's not as if things get so much easier after the top two lines, as for a third line, the Wings put out the type of guys fully capable of being a #2 for most teams. With a bit of youth and some size, the Wings get serious production out of their third-liners, and that's carried over into the playoffs. Equally important is these skaters' ability to match up with the guys from the top two lines to give Babcock flexibility to juggle his lines for maximum effect. A lot of the Wings' turnaround in the Ducks series was contributed to new pairings that exploded in Games 4 and 5.


While the NHL is known for its player turnover, somehow Draper, Maltby, and McCarty are still skating with the Wings. McCarty isn't active, but did skate in 16 games this year. Draper and Maltby were both full-time 4th liners for the Wings this season and did their standard respectable job of it. Draper showed his age, missing all of the playoffs until Game 7, but still is a beast in the face-off circle and combined with Maltby, give the Wings an incredibly experienced 4th line to chew up some minutes.

The question is can these old-timers, even when bolstered by some youth, keep up with the Hawks speed, even the Burish-Eager-Brouwer line? Or can they make up for it with guile? If Kopecky can return from a broken face suffered in a beating from Francois Beauchemin (really - who gets their face broken by a guy with a name like that - the Wings are soft, my friends!), that'd help, as will the continued solid play of the very green Helm and Abdelkader.



The Red Wings blueline took a hit when Lilja got a concussion that continues to saddle him with headaches, keeping out of the entire post-season to date. A solid stay-at-home defenseman, the Wings have had to shift their Top 4 a whole lot more than they'd like, especially in that Ducks series, and that can take its toll.

This is a major point of interest for the Hawks. Given how strong their offense is, the pressure they bring, and the number of dangerous lines they run out there, the Wings will need to be at top form every shift on the blueline. Lidstrom remains as strong as they come, but at 39 can he continue to be as sharp given all the minutes he's logged? Rafalski already missed 5 playoff games and at 35 has own age issues draggin him down.

Not to say the Detroit blue line isn't strong - it is. But Columbus and Anaheim combined couldn't match the firepower that the Hawks bring. Are the Wings ready for the offensive attack? Especially given that Lidstrong, Rafalski, Kronwall (a very solid young offensive defenseman), and Stuart (a classic stay-at-home type) are playing the great majority of minutes.

Babcock has tried to ease their pain a bit by upping the minutes of unproven Ericsson, but will he continue to play well this series? Lebda is serviceable, but it's clear that Babcock doesn't love to use him any more than he needs to. And if any of the Top 4 do go down, the depth left over is non-existent, as Chelios and Meech barely saw the ice when they dressed in place of Rafalski.

While the Wings most definitely will try to offset the Hawks offense with their own - both by scoring and putting the Hawks on the defensive - the Detroit blue line is gonna have to show up to get them past the upstart kids. And they most certainly can - they've proven that time and again. Just like the Flames and Canucks, they'll try to make up for physical short-comings by playing smarter and executing their strategy better.

They'll have help from a very athletic group of forwards that will neutralize or even hamper the Hawks blueliners' ability to start the offensive rushes. That will be a major factor to watch. But so will the Wings blueliners ability to keep the Hawks from working in their end. It could go either way - again, gonna be interesting to see how this plays out.



As for special teams, there are three stories of note. First off, the Wings power play is flat nasty. That means that the Hawks need to both be on top of their game on the penalty kill - something they're capable of - but also play smart and stay out of the box. That's been an issue for the Hawks and it can be something that makes this series end before it starts. The Hawks need to continue to be physical - that can take the skilled Wings off their game - but they need to do it intelligently so as not to give the Wings potent PP unit too many chances.



The second story is the Wings woeful penalty kill. Given how well the Hawks have done on the power play, this could be a real Achilles Heel for the Wings - it could allow the Hawks to get those momentum changing goals throughout the series. The third story is wrapped into the first - the Wings don't take a lot of penalties. This isn't surprising from a highly skilled team that has boatloads of experience. The Hawks need to take the game to the Wings, get them on their heels, tire them out and work them over. If they do so, the penalties will come, from exhaustion, desperation, and frustration.


The final swing point of the series - goalkeeping. So far Osgood has been his solid self. Not quite as good as he was last year, when he resurrected his career with another title run, but definitely capable. Still, he has not had to face much in terms of offense, as while the Ducks have a couple of solid scorers, they aren't the full-on potent collection the Hawks are. And the Blue Jackets were more of a grind-em out team.

Can Osgood - who's been inconsistent all season, who posted a pair of 8-goal games, and who had to take time off to get himself together mentally - handle the onslaught the Hawks will bring? Obviously the first part of that question is whether the Hawks can bring that onslaught against the Wings, as they've done to the Canucks and Flames.

But if the Hawks do, is Osgood up to the challenge? While Kiprasoff was over-worked and out-matched, Luongo was well-rested and has all the talent in the world. He was supposed to be the best, yet the Hawks made him look foolish, brought him to tears (literally). Can Osgood do any better, given his checkered past this year? If he isn't all there, then I think the Wings will be in for a rude awakening, even more so than when they were down 2-1 against the Ducks, with Game 4 in Anaheim.


Should be a hell of a series between two highly talented clubs - one the experienced and proven winners, the other the hungry upstarts. Say it loud, say it proud - DETROIT SUCKS! DETROIT SUCKS!

Se7en

"7's the key number here. Think about it. 7-Elevens. 7 Dwarfs. 7, man, that's the number. 7 chipmunks twirlin' on a branch, eatin' lots of sunflowers on my uncle's ranch. You know that old children's tale from the sea. It's like you're dreamin' about Gorgonzola cheese when it's clearly Brie time, baby. Step into my office."
"Why?"
"'Cause you're f-in' fired! "

How do you top a come-from-behind OT winner in the opening game of the playoffs? Or a season-saving goal with under 3 minutes to play? And do so by a long, long way? Even with the distinct possibility of handshakes last night, I didn't think there was any way I'd walk out of that stadium thinking I'd seen a game every bit as intense and dramatic as all the other Hawks playoff games combined.

Yet that's what happened at the UC last night. I saw seven different incredibly exhilarating goals, each spread out enough to not have bled into any of the others, and every single one of them appearing to be a major game- and series-changing score. So why don't we relish this moment by walking through each one:

6:47 left in the 1st, down 1-0

The replays focused on the goal itself - which was impressive - but watching the play unfold, if you were paying close attention you saw that the real accomplishment was the way Kane absolutely pantsed the Canuck defender at the blue line. Against this kind of defense, in this type of game, you just don't see that happen. As the defender came over to block Kane's path by stepping in front of him against the boards - a move the Canucks have used successfully all series - Kane combined his stellar quickness and agility to slide around the blueliner, creating a ton of space to work with as he continue into the Canuck zone.

From there, Kane showed aggressiveness in taking the puck to the net, putting a sweet shot on goal that beat Luongo and tied the game up. Given how the Hawks had out-played the Canucks until that point and yet were down 1-0, this was much-needed to keep both the team and the crowd feeling it.

16:06 left in the 2nd, tied 1-1

Rick Rypien had just really laid out Eager, something countless players have attempted but few have succeeded at. Worse yet, it didn't seem like the Hawks would make him pay, as less than 30-seconds remained on the resulting power play. But that's when Versteeg did what Versteeg always does - combined his hockey smarts, his grit, and his talent to make multiple big plays. Buff and another Hawks forward were battling behind the Vancouver net to gain control of the boards, when Versteeg used that uncanny sixth sense of his to see exactly how the play would unfold.

So he abandons his responsibility out in front of the net to go to the exact spot where the puck scoots free and then doesn't waste a second before firing a no-look pass out to Seabrook on the point. With the Canucks having collapsed down to win the battle along the boards, Seabrook was wide open to create a great chance.

That move alone would have been a beauty, but it wasn't enough for Versteeg, who then circles around, comes off the boards, takes the pass back from Seabrook, finds an impossible angle for both himself and his shot, and buries it behind one of the best goalies in hockey. The Hawks now have their first lead of the night and one of their earliest leads of the series.

9:43 left in the 2nd, up 2-1

The Hawks wasted little time extending their lead and even less taking advantage of a great hustle play by Ladd to draw a penalty on the Canucks best killer, Willie Mitchell. Just 14-seconds into the power play, after some great cycling by Havlat and Barker up top, Toews finds himself with the puck and a lot of space in one of his favorite spots - just outside of the goal, a step or two off the goal line. He skates in, puts a shot on, and then follows up to score on his own rebound.

You kids at home, remember those two lessons well and you'll find yourself on the scoresheet in many a game. First - put the puck on net when you have a chance. Take a split second to get off a good shot, but don't wait around for that perfect angle, that sure-thing opportunity. Instead, if you've got a clear look at the goaltender, put it on him. And second - follow up those shots, be them yours or someone else's. Especially with your own shot - often times the defender is positioned to block your shot, but not in a good place to keep you from getting free and banging back the rebound. That's what happened with Toews, as he walked in free and clear and put his own rebound past Luongo, giving the Hawks what looked like a commanding two-goal lead.

14:19 left in the 3rd, down 4-3

In the playoffs you need to get contributions from everyone, including your 4th liners. Mostly that means some grit, energy, and solid defense. But every once in a while you like to see them score, especially in a key situation. It just totally changes the feel of the game when a shift that shouldn't have lead to much instead results in a momentum-changing score.

That's what happened when Burish found paydirt in the third. So much had been going on in the game, the momentum had swung so far, so quickly, that it wasn't clear what the Hawks had gotten themselves into before Burish scored. Leading 3-1 at the halfway point of the contest, the Hawks had just given up three straight goals late in the game. That's something they hadn't done all post-season. Most of the scoring flurries they had weathered came early, allowing them time to rebound.

But here the Hawks were, a half-game away from an improbable Western Conference Finals birth, defending a two-goal lead in front of some of the most rabid fans in sport, and they proceeded to cough up three straight goals in less than a period.

Thanks to Burish, I didn't have time to register the magnitude of the letdown the Hawks had just suffered. There's always that instant defensive response to a goal, that initial thought about how you can get it back with a bit of work and luck. Generally the game continues for a few minutes and the reality of how tough it is to score sets in, upping the nervousness and concern.

Here, a great shift by everyone on the ice erased the Canucks' lead before it really registered. Despite losing the draw, both Eager and HJ do yeoman's work along the boards to keep the play in the Vancouver end. Then Burish jumps about a foot into the air to knock a puck down with his mitt, Eager cycles it down to Sharp, who continued to flash his under-appreciated playmaking skills by beating the defender in the corner before coming out from behind the net for a chance.

When the puck sneaks off of Sharp's stick, Burish is in perfect position coming in towards the play at the net (see what I mean - crash the net and good things will come), snags a perfect unintentional pass and takes advantage of the traffic in front of the net to beat Luongo, evening the score at 4 a piece.

7:00 left in the 3rd, down 5-4

I could pretty much just copy the paragraphs above about not having time to fully realize the severity of the situation. With under 8-minutes to go in a hard-fought game, the Hawks again give the momentum back to the Canucks and look to be letting the series slip away. Again though, before you can comprehend what happened, the Hawks erase it.

Campbell gets credit for starting the chance, highlighting the impressive way he's stepped up his game in every way when it matters most. He takes a puck in the neutral zone and skates hard into the Canucks zone, getting all the way below the goal line before coughing it up around the boards.

Kaner is in the right spot to tip it back around the net toward Brouwer, who can't quite handle it but, like Campbell, shows how he's raised his game when the team needs it. Brouwer hustles hard after the puck and rotates it back down behind the net. Again - kids, learn from this - Brouwer didn't have much for options, so he cycles it down low, knowing it gives his team that much more of a chance to make a play and keep it in the zone.

Guess what - that's exactly what happens. A Canuck blueliner easily gets Brouwers dump behind the net, but then he inexplicably dilly-dallies rather than skating up the open lane. That mistake allows Kane to pick his pocket behind the net, then bounce a wrap-around in off of Luongo to once again destroy what should be significant Vancouver momentum before it gets going.

6:11 left in the 3rd, tied 5-5

I sound like a broken record here, but when you score this many goals, you're gonna get a lot of repeat occurrences. Plus, if you keep doing the small smart, hard-working hockey things, you're gonna keep getting goals. It's really that simple.

Again, Campbell is aggressive in the offensive zone and pushes the puck back behind the Vancouver net. Toews is behind the net on the other side to receive it and cycles it out to Havlat. Havlat gets it back to Toews, who is in his wheelhouse just over the goal line aside the net. And again - you put it on net, good things happen. Toews was trying to sneak it through the crease to Sharp, camping out in his favorite spot diagonal from the post. The puck never gets there though, as it bounces off a Canuck defender straight into the back of the goal.

Was it what Toews meant to do? Not specifically, no. But Toews definitely meant to put the puck on or around the net. To use a bastardization of a football cliche, Toews knew that three things could happen with that pass across the crease, and two of them were good (it gets through to a wide-open Sharp or takes a fortunate bounce as the pass is broken up).

This goal has epitomized what Toews brings to the table. It showed both his main goal-scoring skill (he's great around the net) and his playmaking skill (seeing Sharp across the way), but it also showed his incredible hockey sense. Much had been made of Toews not getting on the score sheet during the series, something the charitable fans wrote off to a flu. But sick or not, scoring or not, Toews was an impact player in this series even before he netted two last night.

That's what makes him special - he's that rare breed of scoring playmaker who also does the little things. He's one of the best face-off men of this playoffs. Despite limited minutes and being at less than full speed, Toews has made countless big little plays that go largely unnoticed. I can't tell you how many times I notice a forward come back to make a key play in the defensive zone - the kind that doesn't get attention - and then realized that it was Toews who had done it.

Locking up an open defender, bodying a guy around the net, stepping in front of a Canuck charging for a loose puck - the list of ways he's contributed goes on and on. That type of play from your leading goal-scorer, who also happens to be a second year, 21-year old kid playing in his first playoffs - that's unheard of.

3:43 left in the 3rd, up 6-5

With all the scoring that had gone on, I actually felt more nervous after the Hawks had taken the lead this late than when they were down previously. The best comparison is one of those high-scoring back-and-forth football games where it becomes clear that the last team with the football is gonna win. There were 6 minutes left when Toews gave us our first lead of the third period - it just didn't seem like there was any way we were gonna make that hold up. Our salvation seemed to lie in another score.

Of course, with Kane already having a pair of goals, the idea of a hat trick to seal it was looming large (at the time, it wasn't clear to me that Toews scored the 6th goal, his second of the night, meaning he also had a shot at that dramatic clinching hatty). So when Kane picked yet another Canuck defender's pocket back at his own blue line to start a one-on-one rush, you were already kinda thinking hat trick.

But it wasn't a very good opportunity for Kane himself. The remaining defenseman was positioned perfectly in front of him and seemed more than up to the task. And behind him sat Luongo, who despite the barage, still had shown himself capable time and again of bigtime saves (his play early in the game has since been forgotten, but the reality is that the Hawks could have been up 3-0 after the first, no problem).

So while you were hoping Kane would somehow sneak one in, the reality is that the best chance at that 7th goal was probably in another Hawk skater following Kane in for a good pass or rebound. In fact, Toews was in just that situation, having hustled up ice to trail Kane. And if I can repeat myself again, Toews won't get much credit for it, but in skating hard to get in the play, he commanded the attention of the trailing defenders, which allowed Kane the small bit of room he needed to maneuver.

Know what? I still don't get how Kane did it. The defender played it just right, sticking in front of Kane the entire time. Kane made a nice move to go forehand to backhand, through the defender's skates, but the defender was absolutely right to ignore the puck and instead play the man (another lesson for you kids).

Didn't matter. Nor did the fact that Luongo had no one else to worry about (the hustling Toews was locked up by two different Canucks). Nor did the fact that Kane had no angle and that the beast-sized Luongo had closed down the entire half of the net that Kane had access to.

Nope, somehow Kane backhanded the puck with enough velocity that Luongo couldn't lunge back for it, yet with the pinpoint accuracy to sneak through the defenseman and find the farside of the net.

BEDLAM! Pure, unadulterated BEDLAM! As cavernous as the UC is (it holds 23,000 and features three different levels of sky boxes and three different levels of seating, all set back behind each other, making it one of the biggest arenas in the entire world), the place absolutely rocks during hockey games. Playoff or otherwise, Hawks fans are some of the best in the biz at making noise.

But in a clinching game, to get a hat trick from your beloved young star, the seventh "big" goal of the night, to seal the series and put you into an improbable conference finals? Now that's a level of noise and commotion rarely experienced. Despite already celebrating six different scores already - complete with bear hugs, non-stop high fives, and a stellar yell-along rendition of "Chelsea Dagger" (by the Fratellis) each and every time - there was no shortage of energy to celebrate the magical seventh.

And not just for your standard goal-celebrating period. No, we celebrated straight on through the entire process of littering the ice with hats and then cleaning those hats up. We rocked both "Chelsea Dagger" and "Rock You Like a Hurricane" (by the Scorpions), and then "Chelsea Dagger" one more time for good measure.


Yes my friends, last night the Hawks were seven times awesome. And that allowed me to roll out the classic There's Something About Mary hitchhiker rant about 7-minute abs. And of course to reach pure sports ecstasy seven different times during the game. But the reality is today's Commit 2 The Indian is not brought to you by the number seven. Nope, it's actually been brought to you by the number 8.

As in 8 more wins to the Cup.

Thank You Foley & Tallon II!

What a freakin way to win! Under three minutes from a near death sentence and you score an improbable soft goal. Then not even three minutes into the OT, with the crowd still at a fever pitch, you grind out the series-resetting one. Really, there's nothing better in hockey than that scenario - tying it late and then winning in sudden death. Especially when you get both goals close together, so the excitement from the first rides straight on into the thrill of the second. Throw in the crucial nature of the win and you've got about the best type of hockey game you're ever gonna see.

Awesomely, this is the second time the Hawks have done it this post-season. Game 1 of the Calgary series, with all the pressure and anticipation of the first playoff game in 7 years, the first time being favored in a series in almost a decade and a half, was similar. But last night's was even better.

The stakes were higher - a loss would have sapped any last vestige of momentum and given the Canucks ultimate confidence, plus a commanding 3-1 series lead with two games left in Canada. The opponent was better - both the Canucks as a team and Luongo as a goalie are up near the very best in the NHL right now. And the timing was even more dramatic - not even 3 minutes to go, with the Canuck fans already thinking Western Conference Finals. Ditto for the perfect timing of the second goal - crowd still rocking from the first goal, but with enough time having passed in OT to create the excruciating suspense, especially after the absurd Canucks scoring chance just moments before.


Yes my fellow Hawk fans, this was, short of clinching a series, as good as it gets. And I want to thank two men for making it so for me. Not Ladd and Havlat, or even Khabi or the architect, Tallon. Nope, I actually want to thank Tallon II, and his partner in crime, Foley II.

I'm referring to the Hawks radio team. These guys are freakin amazing, as the high compliment of comparing them to Foley and Tallon suggests. John Wiedeman does the play-by-play, and as I've mentioned here before, he sounds like a younger Foley. Not just in how he calls the game, but the sound of his voice is incredibly close to what we all know and love with Foley.

But more impressive - the guy is absolute bat-shit crazy about the Hawks. Just like you and me, he's been totally taken by the current iteration of this team. The intensity in his voice last night as the Hawks had chance after chance in an effort to save their season was incredible. It made the goals even more exciting than they already were, because as the play was developing, Wiedeman was amping up his call of the game to a perfect crescendo. You could really hear the goals coming, so you already were on the edge of your seat when he did scream "GOAL!"

And did he ever scream. This dude called both Hawks goals like you and I would - as an intense fan who was so excited and elated by what just happened. Loud, fast, high-pitched, barely comprehensible - he was celebrating the score every bit as much as we all were. It was just unreal.

Making it even better was that he wasn't alone - Troy Murray was just as insane about it. Murray, like Tallon before him, is an ex-Hawk who was both talented and had the toughness and grit that Chicago sports fans so identify with. Also like Tallon, Murray still bleeds for the Hawks, years after hanging up the skates.

Together John & Troy were celebrating the goals like crazy, babbling in pure elated excitement. And there was nothing "professional" about it. I don't mean that negatively, I mean that they were not doing a job last night. They were pursuing their passion.

Again, that is a high compliment. They aren't cheesy homers just rooting along for the Hawks. They call an intelligent game, clear and evocative, inter-mixing their full support of the Hawks' cause with necessary critical commentary. These guys know their stuff, they call it like it is, and they do so with both personality and passion for the team.

But most importantly, when the most memorable of moments are happening, these guys shed all that and just called both dramatic goals like a pair of fans. Check it out Ladd's winner for yourself:

http://caster.wgnradio.com/news/laddgoal090507.mp3

(If it plays a bit choppy, just keep trying it - the full recording will play for you.)

Just listen to Wiedeman's voice breaking - that is not intentional, that's the sound of a diehard fan in pure ecstasy. I'm glad I could even find this cut, but I wish I had a cut of the first goal and a longer recording of this one. Because in both cases, John & Troy are at that level of chaotic elation for a good while.

Which is necessary, because you know I was going ape shit right along with them. I was walking through the parking lot of the Cell, listening on a little personal AM radio, when Havlat put his in. Didn't matter that I was the only person in the parking lot with any clue as to what was happening in the Hawks game - I joined in with the celebration, yelling and dancing around as if I was right there in the UC crowd.

For the second goal, I was stopped at a red light - perfect timing to throw full concentration on the game and to just let loose when I heard the score. Yelling, high-fiving the others in my car, and honking up a storm. The whole time John & Troy were in my ear, whooping it up just the same.

So among the many things I feel lucky about with the Hawks, the radio team is certainly on the list. Especially in situations like last night. Not just that I couldn't be in front of the TV for the big plays, but because even if I could, I'd have had to listen to neutral national announcers. Sure Eddie O. is doing color, which means we get way more insight into the Hawks than a normal national analyst, but unlike on his local calls, Eddie can't be a partisan. So while I'm sure they called a solid game, it's not same as hearing your guys call the game from your perspective.

And it's in those exhilarating, insane moments like the two goals last night that you realize how much you want to hear a familiar voice evoking the exact passion and excitement that you're feeling. Last night John & Troy gave me just that.

With more and more Hawks games being pushed over to national broadcasts as the playoff go on, I'm even more grateful to have John & Troy's great calls to fall back on. Hopefully their calls sync up well with the TV, so I can mute the national guys and listen to the Hawks radio call. Maybe not this year, but some point soon the Hawks are gonna score even bigger goals than what they scored yesterday, are gonna win bigger games than what they won last night. And when that happens, I want to hear the voice-cracking passion of a Hawks diehard yelling along with me.

Canucks Game 2 Thoughts

Damn it feels good to be right!

That's not a toot of my own horn - just me absolutely reveling in the fact that the optimism I had after Game 1 proved to be accurate. The Hawks were the far superior ice hockey team in Game 2, at least when they keep themselves out of the box. And it feels freakin great to know that the Hawks control their own destiny - I firmly believe that if they play as they should, they will make an absolutely improbable Western Conference finals.

I really think the Hawks superiority when they stay out of the box could not have been proved more clearly - the Canucks burst out to a 2-0 lead after the Hawks inexplicably opened the game with multiple horrendous penalties. But as soon as the Hawks got into an extended stretch of hockey at full strength, they absolutely buried the Canucks. Five straight unanswered goals, every single one of them well-earned. No softies, no fluke bounces - just the Hawks out-skating, out-physicalling, and out-executing the Canucks on every level, and then beating one of the best goalies in the game.

It's really this simple - six of the seven Canucks goals (ignoring the empty-netter) this series have come either on the power play or during stretches in which the Hawks have been killing off significant penalty time. But when the Hawks stay out of the box and are able to settle into their own game, the Canucks have no answer for the myriad offensive weapons they bring. And when the Hawks are bringing their offensive fury to bear, the Canucks can't get their offense going. The rare times when Vancouver does get something going, Khabi is more than up to the challenge.


I can't wait for Game 3. Back home, JQ can dictate line match-ups all game. The crowd will be absolutely electric. And the Hawks will be skating with supreme confidence. They know they can come from behind. They know they can beat Luongo consistently. And they know that if they just stay out of the box, the Canucks have no chance.

But even if the Hawks blow one of these, I'm not worried. This team has shown they can pour it on when playing on the road. Think about this stat - of their five road playoff games this year, the Hawks have scored three straight goals in four of them. Yep. Read that again - four out of their five road games, the Hawks have scored three unanswered goals in the boiler room of playoff hockey.

Game 4 against Calgary, the Hawks roar back from a 3-0 lead to put three straight up in the second period. Game 6 against Calgary, the Hawks answer the bell with three straight goals to end the Flames season. Game 1 against the Canucks, the Hawks bounce back from a slew of terrible penalties to score three straight and tie up the game. And Saturday night, the Hawks again respond to an early deficit caused by bad penalties with five straight goals to take a commanding lead in a huge game.


In my mind, only three things can happen that would keep the Hawks from moving on to the Conference Finals:

1. Luongo stands on his head. That's an absolute possibility, given how talented he is. From what we've seen in the first two games it doesn't seem likely, but goalies can turn it on anytime, so this possibility has to be respected. And when a goalie gets in the zone few things can overcome him.

2. The Hawks continue to take dumb penalties. The Hawks aren't this kind of team, so it was surprising they came out in Game 1 and made the mistakes they did, but extremely surprising they repeated them in Game 2. I'm hoping that back home, with all the momentum and confidence, as well as the lessons learned from the first two games, that they'll play a smarter game and keep themselves out of the box.

3. JQ calls off the dogs. At this point I'm fairly convinced that Queneville gets that his team plays its best hockey when he lets them attack all out. Even when they had a 5-2 lead on Saturday, the Hawks were still pushing the puck deep into the Canucks end looking for another goal. It just never seemed like they took their foot off the pedal - even as the third period got under the 10-minute mark, the Hawks remained aggressive. So unless JQ has a major moment of dumbassness, I see the Hawks keeping the pressure up. But if they don't, that opens the door for both the Canucks offense to get going (it is most certainly potent if you give them chances) and for Luongo to get into a zone.


In all, I don't see those things happening. They're not totally improbable, but my best estimate is that the odds are slightly in the Hawks favor that none of those things play out. And if that's the case, I expect the Hawks to take this series. They're playing well and they have a boatload of talent. Look back and you'll see that they've gotten production from almost everyone on the team. Top liners like Toews, Kane, Havlat, and Sharp have all carried the team for stretches. Emerging stars like Bolland, Seabrook, and Versteeg have made their mark. Grinders like Buff, Ladd, Burish, and Eager have contributed significantly. And of course, Khabi has shown himself fully capable of getting the big saves the Hawks need, when they need it most.

It might seem like I'm reading a lot into one game, but I think it's more than that. The Hawks outplayed the Canucks in Game 1, only losing because of the slew of dumb penalties. And they dominated them in Game 2. On top of that, the Hawks had more points in the season and played the Canucks evenly head-to-head. The Hawks bested a more talented and accomplished opponent in Round 1. And now, the Hawks have home ice advantage.

Add those things up, and I think the Hawks are the favorites from here on in. Now they just have to continue to play up to their potential.

Canucks Game 1 Thoughts

Well, obviously you'd like to see the Hawks cap off that stellar comeback with a W, especially after also losing the last time they performed that feat. But all in all, I'm not too displeased with what happened.

The Hawks had room for error in these first two games - all they have to do is take one in Vancouver and they've accomplished their goal. Now that room is gone. That's all that happened last night.

At least I hope. The one fear is that the Canucks were rusty and that was the game to steal. Now they've got their legs back under them, will assert themselves in Game 2, and take a commanding lead in the series, Luongo will then steal one in Chicago, and we'll be looking back at a lossed opportunity that lead to disaster.

But while I do believe that's a distinct possibility, it's also possible that what you saw last night is what these two teams are. And in my mind, that means this series is there for the Hawks to win or lose, exactly like the last series was. It's not about the Canucks - the Hawks will dictate their own success or failure.


To that end, I do not think the Canucks won that game. Luongo was solid and they capitalized on their chances, but that wasn't what carried them to victory. Ultimately, it was that the Hawks made too many mistakes - the Hawks lost this game. Keith took a horrendous penalty at a terrible time, leading to the first goal. Campbell and HJ weren't on the same page for a moment, giving them their second goal. Keith didn't pick up his man on the third goal (seen too much of that - don't camp out in front of the net if someone is coming free right behind you). And it kills me to have to say it, but Versteeg made a terrible decision and a terrible pass to set up the winning goal.

Obviously the Canucks did a lot to help force these mistakes, but at the end of the day, I think this game came down to the Hawks making one too many mistakes to overcome.

But I'm feeling good, because if that same Canucks team comes out for Game 2, they are gonna lose. The Hawks aren't gonna take all those stupid penalties, they aren't gonna make all those defensive mistakes, and they aren't going to have to reign in their offense for half the game because they're short-handed.

My intitial impression - unless Luongo steps it up (very possible), the Hawks continue to make uncharacteristic mistakes (not likely), or the Canucks take their game up a few notches (possible), I think the Hawks take this series.

I felt the Hawks out-physicalled the Canucks, I felt they out-skated them, I felt they had much more offensive pressure, and I felt they played far superior defense. Even the goaltending was even - in fact, given how often the Hawks were killing penalties, you could say Khabi out-played Luongo.


I think the Flames series got the Hawks into the right mindset, physically. Because they had to learn quickly to take every opportunity available to hit the Flames - lest they be hit themselves - the Hawks have become very proficient at it. Last night, I felt the lessons they learned from the Flames series allowed the Hawks to out-hit the Canucks significantly. But it wasn't just the abuse they laid - the Hawks also were out-working the Canucks for pucks. Vancouver had no answer for Buff and Eager - when those guys went along the boards with the puck, the Canucks could not get them off of it. Quenneville seemed to notice also, giving those two a lot of ice time down the stretch.

It's possible the Canucks will adjust to the more physical play, just as the Hawks did last series, but I'm not sure they have a very physical team. The Hawks responded to the Flames because they had a latent aggression they were able to tap into. Not just the obvious ones like Eager, Buff, and Burish, but Toews, Versteeg, Sharp, Ladd, and the entire blueline not named Campbell all seemed to relish the chance to ramp up their physical play.

That's carried over into this series, and it's given the Hawks a decided advantage over the Canucks. If the Canucks can't match that, they're gonna have a hard time hanging with the Hawks. Because the Hawks obviously aren't just a bruising team - they also are fast and skilled. In fact, I thought the Hawks also looked faster and more sharp than the Canucks.

Not by much, but by just enough. The Canucks are quick and skilled too - no question they'll make you pay for your mistakes. But from what I saw, if the Hawks play an aggressive game but also avoid lots of big mistakes, I don't think the Canucks have the firepower to win with their offense.

The Hawks showed it last night - time and again the Canucks were on the power play, which not only gave them a boatload of chances, but also meant they were facing a very over-worked group of penalty killers. Yet the Hawks allowed only one goal in 14 penality minutes. Don't forget - those 14 penalty minutes came in the first 40 minutes of the game. All 14. And yet the Hawks killed all but one chance.

Even when the Canucks did score, it seemed it was more because of a Hawks' mistake than a good play by the Canucks. Only the first goal was fully earned - and that one has an asterik because it was a direct result of Keith's dumb penalty. But the others, while of course demanding good play by the Canucks, seemed to result more from the Hawks making mistakes. Maybe the fairest way to put it - I'd say the Canucks' play was responsible for half their scoring last night, the Hawks mistakes responsible for the other half.

So if the Canucks can't create their own scoring when the Hawks are playing almost half of the first two periods down a man, can they really have faith they're gonna score consistently the rest of the way? Once the Hawks aren't locked in the penalty box and making glaring mistakes left and right?


But my real faith probably comes down to the final two observations I had from last night. The first - the Canucks cannot stop the Hawks when they bring their pressure. Despite locking down defensively to protect their three goal lead, the Canucks could not keep the Hawks off the board. As soon as the Hawks were able to avoid the penalty box for an extended period and settle into an aggressive offensive approach, the goals just poured in.

The fact is that Hawks offense is just locked in. Only once all playoffs have they failed to register 3 goals - and that was during a game where they shot an amazing 38 times. They're getting offensive chances from all four lines and from every single skater. And last night, they looked good. It was no surprise that they got back into it - the Canucks weren't able to take them out of their game. The Hawks were making good passes, were keeping the puck in the Canucks zone, and were putting the puck on net in productive ways.

The results speak for themselves - 3 goals against a locked down defense and one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. And they were earned - good offensive plays that led to effective shots and rebounds that the Hawks were able to capitalize on (big props to Kane here - he goes in and out of games, but his skill with the puck is undeniable, as most guys won't bury either of those shots).

Let's not forget also - the Hawks spent 14 of the final 34 minutes of the 1st and 2nd periods down a man. So all of that offensive production was grouped around the one time all game that the Hawks were finally able to let loose. I've harped on this a lot, but JQ seems to finally be of the same mindset - let the Hawks skaters take the game to the other team and live with the consequences of plays coming back your way. Because those rare chances for the Canucks will be dwarfed by the number of great chances we have.

I'm a bit scared JQ will see all those mistakes and try to tighten up his D a bit, be a bit more conservative so we don't see a repeat of Game 1. But that'd be a major mistake for two reasons. First, for the millionth time - the Hawks offense is so potent that if you let them go strong, with full support from the blueliners, the Canucks cannot stop them. Even if the Hawks give up a goal or even two because of their over-aggressiveness, they'll score three or four themselves.

Second, the Canucks offense is skilled enough that if you give them chances, they'll score. They showed that last night - while they aren't uber-dangerous like the Hawks, they will make you pay if you give them the opportunity. I'd much rather give them one or two opportunities on the counter-attack then sitting back passively and allowing them to work the puck into our end. They've got playmakers and guys who can bury the puck if you let them sit in our end. But if you keep them back in their end, they showed in the third that they will get taken out of their game.

However, I've got faith JQ will do the right thing and not let himself be scared off by how they got burned at the end of the game. That's because I think JQ respects, rightfully so, that the Hawks need to bring the full arsenal if they are going to consistently score on Luongo. It was clear in the third, after the Hawks tied it, that JQ didn't call off the dogs. The blueliners were still pinching and the offense was still pushing for goals as if their lives depended on it. Unfortunately Steeger made a big mistake and the Canucks capitalized.

But the end results don't always prove that a decision was right or wrong. JQ's gotta have faith that he was right bringing the pressure, and that it was the mistake of getting yourself into a tie situation late and the random bad luck of a poor decision at the wrong time that cost you, not a bad strategic plan.

My faith in JQ doing the right thing is based on Luongo, who serves as the final observation point that has given me confidence in the Hawks this series. When the Hawks went down 3-0, I still had faith they could get back in it, but I never felt like they were gonna win it. It just didn't seem to be there night. Even when they tied it, I just felt what happened was gonna happen - a fluke goal that erases their comeback.

But the one thing I really cared about was seeing the Hawks score on Luongo, and to do so a lot. So when they tied it up, even though I still felt like they'd lose (and I'm uber-optimist when it comes to my sports teams), I was happy about where they were at. Before the 3-goal barrage, I was scared that not only would we lose based on some bad plays, but that we'd struggle offensively and inflate the legend that is Luongo.

Look, Luongo is good, but he's won only ONE playoff series ever. He didn't even make it to the post-season in two of the last four years. So how good can he really be? Not to say he's not amazing and not one of the best in the game - he absolutely is. I'm just saying he's not unbeatable. All last year and the first half of this season, teams found a way to beat him enough to keep the Canucks in the bottom half of teams in the league.

But had we failed to score last night, or only slipped one garbage goal in, Luongo would have started to loom very large in that net. The pressure would have ramped up and every save would have made him look that much bigger between the pipes. It snowballs from there - it's why you see goalies stand on their heads all the time. Because once a goalie starts to look unbeatable, a vicious cycle starts where the offense gets off their game as they force things, puts bad shots on net, and then each save only furthers the frustration.

Instead, the Hawks went the opposite way - three goals in 15 minutes, their first such stretch without a penalty in the whole series. And the goals were well played, but they weren't amazing. Luongo looked very beatable on all three.

On the flipside, I thought Khabi was his equal. He wasn't super-amazing, but he was damn good and kept us in the game. If Khabi can play roughly to the same level as Luongo - and why not, Khabi is the one with the ring - then this series is decidedly in the Hawks favor.


I've got faith in the Hawks - I really think they can tighten up their play and take Game 2. From there, I like the Hawks back home. And not just because of the crowd (which will be amazing either way, but especially if we take Game 2) and the home cooking. But because of last change. The way it works in hockey, after every puck stoppage, the road team coach must put his players on the ice, then he can't change them. The home team coach sees who they put out, and then selects his own line and pairing.

This doesn't seem like much, but in playoff hockey it's huge. It's not always clear, but the coaches are constantly working to get the right guys out there against the opposing team's lines. In fact, that's been my other criticism of JQ in the playoffs - he's been FAR too worried about line match-ups on the road. This has lead to quick shifts that have taken the Hawks totally out of their game as JQ tries to ensure he's got the exact right guys out there all the time.

Look, have faith in your lines. Yes Pahlsson is a nasty shut-down center and has down well with Buff and Versteeg. But the first line is capable against any line, half because of the scoring threat they bring and half because Toews is a solid defender and Sharp a very good one. Similarly, the second line is strong defensively, with Ladd, Bolland, and Havlat all smart defenders. The 4th line is even capable, with one of your main penalty killers (Burish) and another defensive-minded type (Brouwer) out there.

So quit changing so much on the fly and allow your lines to skate full shifts and get into the flow of action. In all three games in Calgary and again last night in Vancouver the Hawks spent a lot less time in the opponents zone and had a lot fewer long, productive shifts. JQ needs to let those guys skate, let them have the opportunity to carry the puck in and establish the offense. But if he's constantly calling for changes to maximize match-ups, he's not letting them do that. Then you get back into that non-aggressive defensive hockey that limits our advantages.


Wow, the point of that rant (which has been boiling up since game 3 of last series) was actually meant to be positive - that if we can steal Game 2, we'll be back home for Games 3 and 4, where JQ doesn't have to worry about matching lines on the fly. And that advantage, coupled with our superior talent and play, can win us both games. Sure, the wild card of Luongo or just random poor play is still there, but I've got faith we'll tighten it up from here on out, and I believe Khabi is nearly as capable of owning this series as Luongo is.

Now the Hawks just have to go out and prove it.