Not So Good Finish

[gmalis1]

Game 2. Hawks jump out to a 2-0 lead against the Lightning after 2 periods. Blackhawks dominating the game thoroughly.

Lightning get ZERO shots on goal in the first period. Yes, that's right ZERO.

Hawks have scoring chances galore, but can't cash in except for the two goals.

Lightning get a goal in the third on a sloppy play by the Hawks. Then the only power play of the night for the Lightning and they cash in. Hawks penalty kill has some serious problems, now allowing four goals in seven tries.

Hawks with more really good chances the last 7 minutes of the game. No dice. Can't poke one through Ben Bishop. OT comes and goes.

Final result...Hawks lose in the shootout 1-0 and lose the game 3-2.

A game the Hawks seemed to have total control of, they wind up losing. Not very good at all. Power play looked it's usual poor result again. They will get credit for a power play goal, but the puck hit a partition on the glass behind Bishop, he went to play the puck and the puck squirted out in front of the net for an easy tap in for Saad. Aside from that, nothing.

Hawks need to be plenty concerned already about both ends of special teams. Noticed Ben Smith with Kruger on the ice for the penalty kill. Didn't matter. Tampa scores within seconds.

Hawks getting beat up on the dot all night it seemed. Both Tampa goals coming on lost faceoffs in the Hawks zone.

This was a frustrating game to say the least. Not only shouldn't the Hawks have lost this game, Tampa shouldn't have even been in it. A two goal lead with less than ten minutes left should be money in the bank for the Hawks.

Now on to a bruising game against the Blues in St Louis. Should be a good test.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I thought the Hawks outplayed the Lightning, just ran into a goalie that was feelin' it in Bishop. Can't be too upset about the loss, at least the Hawks got a point out of it, so it isn't a total loss.

Blackhawks & Blues should be a great game, really looking forward to seeing that matchup.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Thanks for the in depth recap. I missed the game last night due to Notre Dame being on.

I did flip over just in time to see that tap in goal by Saad.

From what I've heard, sounds like the same issues as last season. Failing on power plays, losing at the dot, and can't close out games. I don't know why closing out games is such an issues with us, but it is.

Anyways, it's only game 2 of an 82 game season, this team needs to look ahead to the Blues game. Should see a fight in this one, the Blues are not shy about playing the Hawks physical.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Pretty good matchup for NBCS's Wednesday Night Rivalry game. Really don't know what to expect, both teams can play a high octane offensive style as well as a grueling defensive game. Should be a good one.

 

[anotheridiot]

Corey has a hard time when he does not get alot of action. As far as the power play goal, St Louis picked the clearing attempt out of mid air, almost instantly fed Purcell for a no chance for Crawford.

This schedule is also shit, far too much off time for the hawks between games.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Corey has a hard time when he does not get alot of action. As far as the power play goal, St Louis picked the clearing attempt out of mid air, almost instantly fed Purcell for a no chance for Crawford.

This schedule is also shit, far too much off time for the hawks between games.

Lol. I think you're still use to last seasons hurried schedule.

 

[anotheridiot]

Lol. I think you're still use to last seasons hurried schedule.

I am stuck on the schedule being 82 games in 167 days, which is a game every other day with 21 days off for the olympics pace. The pace is the same as the shortened schedule. Eventually 15 back to back games including 8 instances which are three games in four nights. Just seems like three games in 9 days are wasting alot of days.

 

[averagejoe]

Hawks @ Blues 10/9

Well you can add this game to another bad finish.

It's too bad too. Because the Hawks dominated most of the play in the third. Then give up a 3-on-1 with 21 seconds left.

 

[gmalis1]

Stupid Brent Seabrook pinching in from the blueline with 30 seconds left in regulation and gets caught in the slot area. Idiotic. Blues get a 3 on 1 and score with 22 seconds left. Pin this one all on Seabrook. Moronic play very late in the game.

And now that Dave Bolland has been traded, I'm on the "I hate Jimmy Hayes" crusade. He's awful. Can't skate. Led the team in passes...all to the Blues. Does he even look to see where he is passing the puck to? Won't hit anyone, won't go to the front of the net...all he does is wander around the ice.

Another tough night in the dot again. Marcus Kruger is getting to be pretty useless there, especially when Q has him out there to take a faceoff on the penalty kill. He loses every time and the puck goes directly back to the point. Maybe Frolik should have stayed and they should have gotten rid of Marcus Kruger.

Sheldon Brookbank needs to go through waivers. Awful. And if they are gonna rotate three number 8 defenseman all year, that won't work. Too much time off in between even with a condensed schedule to get everyone playing time. I can see rotating a number 8 every other game if need be, but every third is pushing it. I realize that Brookbank was there for extra grittiness, but if you can't play effectively then get off the ice.

Hossa had a tough night as well. Puck bouncing over his stick all night long and he turned the puck over for the first Blues goal. Only Sharp, Kane and Toews played well. Lots of quality chances but failure by the Hawks to elevate the puck all night long really cost them.

Hawks have some serious problems replacing Stalberg and Frolik. Smith/Hayes isn't cutting it. And Kruger with Nordstrom and Bollig isn't getting it done either. Plenty of possessions, but hardly any shots at all. Hawks succeed by dominating third and fourth lines, but tonight they had plenty of play but no substantial shots at all. Not sure I know the answer to that problem. But so far I'm giving a D to the AHL'ers of Smith, Hayes and Nordstrom.

Second game in a row the Hawks couldn't protect with the game closing out. Same problems as usual. Weak at the end of periods. First blowing a 2-0 lead to Tampa and then not getting at least a point tonight.

As you can tell, I'm pretty pissed. There's no reason to be losing games which you statistically dominate for most of the game and out-chance the other team. There's no finish to this team.

Oh yes, and chalk up yet another power play goal given up. Real problems there.

 

[anotheridiot]

Thats odd, Eddie O was pretty impressed with Hayes. Skating around doing nothing? He was skating around trying to make a pass with nobody going to the net. No hits? he had 4 in 12 minutes, seabrook had 4 in 22 minutes. I dont know how you can chastise Smith, he played in one of three games. Maybe Smith should be replacing Krueger and not sharing games with Hayes. I cant blame Jimmy, you know how stan uses the big bodies, keep them in the corners during the season, put them in front of the net in the playoffs. He did it with Buff, he did it with Bickell.

We all know Krueger hardly shoots, teams know he is gonna make the pass first. Again, only 4 short on faceoffs again when it looked one sided, but the losses were lost clean. Also the first game where the linesmen took over the game throwing guys out of the dot in 3/4 faceoffs it seemed.

St Louis is a good team, a physical team. More problems with Toews getting in fights and cross checked on the right wrist because we dont have any deterrents. Like you say, they dont play hockey that way. Brookbank and Bollig and opposing goaltenders having their games of their careers playing against the champs while crow gets beat between the legs twice.

 

[HockeyDoug]

Hate to see wasted points, especially to a division rival.
Not a bad game overall, I like the Hawks chances in a game like that. Sharp, Hossa, and Seabrook just not on their games yet, I'm not holding my breath for Seabrook.