Minor tweaking going on

[gmalis1]

Well, after all the Hawks and Q are upset about leaving points on the ice, Q has a little minor tweaking going on.

Nikolai Khabibulin will get the start in goal tonight vs the Islanders. That's not a surprise, since the Hawks have a back to back and more compressed games coming up. That and Habby hasn't played in eons now, so Q gives him the start. I expect him to play okay, will probably give up two or three goals and then lose in a shootout.

A little line juggling as well for the Hawks. Marcus Kruger moves up to the third line center playing alongside Saad and Shaw. Joakim Nordstrom moves to center on the fourth line with Bollig and Ben Smith. So it looks like Jimmy Hayes is the odd man out in the organ loft.

Who will be the eighth defenseman is still a mystery. Rozsival, Brookbank or Kostka?

Hawks penalty killing still a work in progress. Saw a lot of Handzus out there with Kruger the last game and that seemed to be better, but how long can Handzus stay healthy?

Hawks falling a bit behind division leading Colorado already...yes Colorado. Patrick Roy has them fired up and playing inspired hockey...taking down the Bruins last night IN BOSTON.

As the Hawks have a good Islanders team and a really bad Sabres team back to back at home, it would be really nice to come away with all four points and get back into the mix again.

 

[anotheridiot]

Hopefully this wont be a rivalry game with playoff refs and they will just drop the puck on faceoffs. You see the third and fourth lines with at least two centers on them. They should be ready to be tossed.

I'm thinking Kostka gets the nod tonite, just hope they play Rosie enough to stay sharp for later in the season, but when the three games in four nites comes up soon they will all need to be sharp.

Organ loft lol. You know there is just a room with a keyboard in the upper corner of the united center? Its pretty sad that they synthesized a pipe organ thru 300,000 watt amplifiers to match a pipe organ? Thats probably the saddest fact about the united center after the majestic organ was sold to a collector in vegas.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I don't get why he would start Khabibulin against the Islanders & Crawford against the Sabres. I would've done it the other way around.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

I don't get why he would start Khabibulin against the Islanders & Crawford against the Sabres. I would've done it the other way around.

Yep same here.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Hawks falling a bit behind division leading Colorado already...yes Colorado. Patrick Roy has them fired up and playing inspired hockey...taking down the Bruins last night IN BOSTON.

As the Hawks have a good Islanders team and a really bad Sabres team back to back at home, it would be really nice to come away with all four points and get back into the mix again.

I wouldn't look too much into the standings 3 games into the season. But I agree, we do need to take at least 3 points in this back to back.

 

[gmalis1]

I'm guessing the Hawks start Habby because the Islanders are starting their backup goalie tonight too.

As to the organ loft reference, I'm glad someone got it. It was a tongue in cheek comment, referring to the old pipe organ loft at the beloved old Chicago Stadium where the Blackhawk healthy scratches used to watch the games from.

Oh, and Rozsival gets the nod tonight to play with Leddy on the D. Three guys to play one spot...this won't work the entire season, no matter how many games are scrunched into the season. Not quite sure what the thinking is here, except that Brookbank and Kostka would never clear waivers in order to move them to Rockford.

 

[gmalis1]

Hawks beat the Islanders 3-2. Once again outplayed the opposition but squeaked by with the victory. Hawks go up in the first period with goals by Joakim Nordstrom (his first) and Toews, but the Islanders tie it with two goals in the final minute. Once again, Hawks having major problems finishing periods and games strong. Just no excuse for that.

Michal Handzus with the game winner in the second period and it stood up through the rest of the game. A few anxious moments at the end of the game with the Isles pressing, but the Hawks survived.

Hawks perfect on the penalty killing. Islanders 0 for 3 on the power play. Q matching up Kruger with Handzus and Toews with Hossa on the PK. Better results. More pressure evident and better shot blocking in the shooting lanes.

Latest Blackhawks in Q's doghouse? Bryan Bickell, come on down. After a very shaky start, no goals so far and a defensive lapse at the end of the first period resulting in an Islanders goal, Bickell relegated back to the third line. Saad moved back up with Toews and Kane and that line was very dangerous the rest of the night. Saad was a beast, Toews played great and Kane had a really good two way game.

Handzus moved to the fourth line and Kruger played with Hossa and Sharp, and that line was also very dangerous most of the night.

Third line had Shaw, Bickell and Nordstrom. I thought Joakim had a great night tonight. He seemed more poised, had some very good quality chances and when Bickell joined them the third line also had some really good scoring chances.

Fourth line had Handzus, Ben Smith and Bollig...and they held their own.

In a way, I actually liked the groupings for the four lines. They all seemed to have good chemistry together. I also liked that the Hawks had two possible players who can take faceoffs on each line. And the Hawks won the faceoff battle 35-30, but more importantly won more faceoffs in their own end when shorthanded. And Nordstrom, a natural center, is really pretty good in the dot. Toews dominated there tonight though. He was outstanding.

Khabibulin in goal tonight and he was fine. Two goals against pretty much not his fault. Also not much action, only 17 saves on the night. But as the backup, he did well.

Hawks play the winless Sabres tomorrow night in the first of 18 back to back games. Figuring Q keeps the lines as they ended tonight, but more tinkering in store if things don't go well. We talked about the flexibility he has with this team, and he's not afraid to show it. Good job by him.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Q has a great sense of the game.

Looks like you touched on it all. Good win tonight against a quality team.

 

[anotheridiot]

well last year the dominant line was Toews, Saad and Hossa after Q broke up Carcillo, Toews and Kane. I am expecting Kane and Toews to be split soon. One of them should keep playing with Bickell. I wouldnt mind seeing Hossa a healthy scratch tonite. He is not scoring and is concerned with his back with back to back games, dont forget this is the third in four nites and the canes are in on Tuesday and the blues Thursday. So sitting him early in the season seems like the right move to make with the 35 year old.

somehow I think Smith should be playing center and not wing. I know Q is trying to find his centers, but keeping smith at wing I dont think is his strong position..

I didnt like him benching Leddy and Rosie and playing keith 25 minutes again. I really dont think you need to tell these guys this is a new year, they got their rings and move on, but Leddy constantly gets questioned with his passing, but he is the one stuck playing with a different partner every nite with this turnstile of Rosie, brookbank and kostka. Sure seems like maybe its time to wake up seabrook by separating him from his security blankie keith and pairing one of them with leddy and letting the other one get the different partner every nite. Those seem to be the two worst pairs now, but who is gonna keep playing keith minutes? Leddy gets benched for his part time partners bad decisions more than his own.

The hawks have recalled Pirri for tonites game and assigned Hayes down to get more ice time.

 

[JBM73]

I don't get why he would start Khabibulin against the Islanders & Crawford against the Sabres. I would've done it the other way around.

After watching most of both games I think I realized the reason - the Hawks were fresh for the NYI game providing better D in front of Khabibulin. They ran out of gas against Buffalo and Crawford bailed them out late. I think Q probably knew this might be the case.

 

[HockeyDoug]

After watching most of both games I think I realized the reason - the Hawks were fresh for the NYI game providing better D in front of Khabibulin. They ran out of gas against Buffalo and Crawford bailed them out late. I think Q probably knew this might be the case.

I hadn't thought about it like that. This makes the most sense. He protected Emery in various forms last year when both were healthy too.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

After watching most of both games I think I realized the reason - the Hawks were fresh for the NYI game providing better D in front of Khabibulin. They ran out of gas against Buffalo and Crawford bailed them out late. I think Q probably knew this might be the case.

I guess that makes sense. Compensate for fatigue against the Sabres. Still tho, you would think you would want your better goalie to go up against a high octane offense like the Islanders and your backup against a struggling offense like the Sabres. Still tho, they won both games so I can't 2nd guess the decision.

 

[anotheridiot]

I doubt Khabi would have gotten the start against the islanders on the road, but bottom line, you gotta give the guy some big games too just in case crow misses some games. I dont think they want to put Raanta in the net right away if he does come up for a few games. Pretty sure if crow goes out for a long time they will make a move and not try to ride Khabi for two months, but you gotta be ready if he is the only choice.

 

[HockeyDoug]

I hope they don't see Raanta anytime soon. Let him get as many starts in Rockford as he can. He needs to get used to N. America anyway.

 

[anotheridiot]

another game of bad finish and almost giving it away in the third. Seriously outplayed most of the second as well. Rosie with two bad penalties. Where is Kostka in this mix?

 

[averagejoe]

At least the Hawks are consistent. They always seem to let other teams have a chance at the tail end of periods/games.

I think every team is gonna play the Hawks a little tougher, a little scrappier, a little more wide open. After all, they are the defending champs. It's a good motivator (for the other team) if you can play the Hawks close, or steal a win.

As for the 8th defenseman, I'd personally like to see Rosival. Never seems to be the guy to cough up the puck. His patience and puck control is under-rated IMO.

 

[Cobiemonster]

At least the Hawks are consistent. They always seem to let other teams have a chance at the tail end of periods/games.

I think every team is gonna play the Hawks a little tougher, a little scrappier, a little more wide open. After all, they are the defending champs. It's a good motivator (for the other team) if you can play the Hawks close, or steal a win.

As for the 8th defenseman, I'd personally like to see Rosival. Never seems to be the guy to cough up the puck. His patience and puck control is under-rated IMO.

Yeah everyone's going to play the Hawks hard - and it is an 82 game season so for people to think they're going to dominate every game like they did in the shortened season, they'd be crazy to think that

And Rozsival is a solid d-man - steady presence

 

[JBM73]

At least the Hawks are consistent. They always seem to let other teams have a chance at the tail end of periods/games.

Agreed. I really noticed this last year when, despite the gaudy W-L record, there seemed to be a LOT of one goal games. Very few dominating wins.

 

[gmalis1]

Seems to be reverting to the pattern from 2 or 3 years ago...the couple of years after the 2010 Stanley Cup champs. Have a lead, then cough it up in the third period.

My mantra is always "finish the period strong". Too many times the Hawks get sloppy in the last 2-3 minutes of a period and give up a late goal...and that seems to carry over to the third period.

What is really disturbing is that the Hawks seem to have just tons of offensive scoring chances but just can't seem to cash in to get them that really comfortable three goal cushion. The chances are there, but they just can't bury them.

Pretty sure that will rectify itself as the season goes on. The scoring will increase. Right now they are 14th in the league in scoring, but third in the NHL in shots. The chances are there.

And lets face it, if the Blues don't score that one goal with 22 seconds left for the win, the Hawks would be at least 4-0-2 right now instead of 4-1-1, which would be outstanding. So one blemish in the record early on isn't all that bad.

I'm thinking Michael Kostka gets the nod tonight as the eighth defenseman. Figuring the Hawks go with some extra muscle against the rough and tumble Blues. Wondering if Maxim Lapierre plays tonight before his hearing with the disciplinary committee on Friday, or is he suspended pending the hearing? Either way that was another vicious hit on Danny Boyle, smashing his jaw into the dasher on the boards and knocking him cold. That was a very scary sight seeing him lay motionless on the ice.

Good luck to the Hawks tonight at home against the Blues. The Madhouse on Madison should be rocking and rolling.

 

[JBM73]

Hawks looking to put together full game - Chicago Blackhawks Blog - ESPN Chicago