Hawks & Bruins: 17 Seconds, But...

Chicago Blackhawks fans will remember the film, 17 Seconds that chronicled the Hawks Stanley Cup win in 2013 against the Boston Bruins. In game six of the finals, the Bruins led game six, 2-1 with 76 seconds left in the third period. The Hawks pulled goalie, Corey Crawford hoping to score the equalizer goal, but what followed is known as the "greatest 17 seconds in Chicago sports history. The Blackhawks scored two goals in 17 seconds to not only tie the game, but the go-ahead goal that stood as the Stanley Cup winning goal. This goal will be forever associated with the Boston Bruins and though it didn't have the same important significance of a cup winning goal, the 17 seconds was reversed tonight. The Bruins broke a 3-3 tie with a goal from David Pastrnak with 17 seconds left in the third period to beat the Hawks 4-3. 

Takeaways:

• Chicago played a pretty solid road game, keeping the Bruins at bay 5 on 5 and defensively played well. Alec Regula was steady and didn't look out of place with about 12 minutes of ice time, while the top 4 (Jones, Murphy, McCabe and de Haan) each played over 20 minutes. It took a fluky, lucky bounce to produce the game winner and as Colby Cohen pointed out on the broadcast, a missed call on the previous face-off (before the icing) where the puck was gloved by the Bruins, Eric Haula near the face-off dot, which should have been a penalty. Bad luck and a heartbreaking loss!

• The power-play produced goals for both teams, the Bruins finished 2/3, while the Hawks were 1/3. The Hawks had two man advantages in the first period and the referees pulled the usual "even up" plan of issuing the next three penalties against the Hawks. This was costly as the Bruins scored twice on those power-plays, a team that is ranked 7th in league. The takeaway is stay out of the penalty box! The Hawks did get a power-play goal in the third from Hagel to tie the game at three.
• Alex DeBrincat remains hot, he scored his 34th goal of the year putting him 6th in the league for goals and he's scored in his last 4 games. With Patrick Kane's assist on the goal, he has 12 points in his last 5 games.
  
• Brandon Hagel continues to be a force, scoring his 19th and 20th goals of the season. His first goal was a beauty, using his speed to score on a wraparound. Hagel's tireless effort is attracting the attention of contending teams and there's reports of teams offering a 1st rounder and more (?). As a late round draft pick he has exceeded all expectations and to trade this underdog will be a disappointment. He personifies the type of player the Blackhawks sorely need more of, an important player to build around. He's the hardest worker on the team and finally his effort is being rewarded this season contributing significantly to the offensive. I'm definitely on Team Hagel!
  

• Kevin Lankinen played well and made some huge saves to keep the score even in the third. If it wasn't for the late goal, he could have been a star. In his last six starts, he has given up 4 or more goals and has won only one game since November. It's not that he's played badly, it's more a combination of tough luck and unfortunate bounces.

Up next: Hawks travel to Canada, more specifically in Ottawa for a Saturday night game against the Sens for a 6:00 pm CST start.

Goals Galore! Hawks & Jets Win Big!

Dylan Strome's first of three goals early in the first.

 

Both the Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets were involved in games where eleven goals were scored in each game and both teams came out on top. The Hawks took a 5-0 lead in the first period, to cruise to a 8-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks, while the Jets kept their playoff hopes alive with an impressive 7-4 victory over the Stanley Cup champion, Tampa Bay Lightning.

Takeaways:

• I attended the Jets/Lightning game in person, it was my first game since COVID restrictions were lifted to allow 100% capacity (15,000). I'm guessing there was probably less than 12,000 (they don't announce the attendance), where we sat there was three people to the left of me and the entire row was empty to the right. There were quite a bit of empty seats, especially the upper level and the lineups to the washroom were reasonable. Masks are still enforced, but on March 15, it will be optional, but recommended. 

• For the past few games at home, I thought I heard some noticeable "boos" during the, "glorious and free" part of the Canadian national anthem, when watching on TV. It was confirmed live in person. Apparently, someone let in some freedom convoy supporters. You were vaxxed to attend the game, right? (see past post: Does the NHL have a Russian problem?)
  
• The Jets took an early 2-0 and 3-1 lead before the Lightning tied it 3-3 at the end of the first period. Lots of goals and an exciting opening period. The second period was scoreless and I must admit it was one of the most uneventful periods of the season. Not much going on, with the Jets struggling to do anything and the Lightning content to kill off the period. When the Jets scored the go-ahead goal in the third, the crowd and the team woke up and suddenly, the Jets played with urgency and realized they could win this hockey game. 
• I was disappointed by the play of Tampa Bay. They seemed to coasting out there and going through the motions most of the night and only put in an effort when they were losing. Their stars, Stamkos, Point and Kucherov were non-factors with their lower lines accounting for their scoring. Nikita Kucherov, especially was either giving the puck away or falling, which is uncharacteristic for him. The game against the Hawks a couple nights ago could have gone either way, but the Lightning scored in quick bunches twice. I kept waiting for them to turn it a notch after the Jets took the lead in the third, but maybe they have no urgency in their game because they are solidly in the playoffs and don't feel they need to play harder than they need to.
  

Hawk Thoughts:

• During the second intermission of the Jets game, my daughter messaged me and said, I was missing a crazy Hawks game and that they played, "the best period of the season"! I checked my phone and saw the Hawks scored 5 in the first and 6-0 early in the second, but then I saw the Ducks scored 3 quick ones within three and a half minutes to make it 6-3...(I have to admit I had flashbacks of past blown leads, but from 6-0, no way!)
  
• When I got home after the Jets game, instead of watching the highlights, I replayed the whole first period, then skipped to the goals for the second and third. Sounds like a much more exciting game than the one I went to...at least for Hawks fans!

• What a crazy game it was! Kaner had 6 points (1-5), a career high with five of those in the first period. Dylan Strome notched his second career hat-trick and an assist and the other member of the line, Alex DeBrincat had a goal (his 33rd) and 3 assists. In total the Kane/Strome/Cat line accounted for 14 points! Rounding out the scoring, Toews scored a shorthanded goal, Carpenter scored his third and Hagel scored a beauty early in the second period. Interestingly, despite all the goals, the Hawks didn't score a power-play goal.

Up next: The Hawks are in Boston for a 6:00 pm start. The Jets travel to Jersey for another "must" win game against the Devils. Go hockey!

It Was Close...While It Lasted: 32 Seconds!

 

It was close for a while, as the Hawks were only down by one goal at second intermission, but after a 32 second breakdown by the Hawks early in the third period they found themselves down 6-2. At this point it was game over as the Lightning coasted to a 6-3 victory. There's a reason the Lightning have won the last two cups and if I was betting, I would put the mortgage down for a third. Last season, Tampa Bay took 15 of 16 points from the Hawks, so clearly they are over matched. The score again reflected much hasn't changed since last year.

Observations:

• When I say close, I mean the Hawks could have been up more than the 1-0 after the first period. Some grade A chances, as the Hawks were buzzing on the fore check and held the Lightning to limited chances. An early save off Kirby Dach with the butt end of his goal stick set the tone for the night Andrei Vasilevskiy would have. "You have to be good to be lucky and lucky to be good"...or something like that. A save off Patrick Kane in third might just be the save of the year. Wow! Vasilevskiy has yet to lose a regular season game to the Blackhawks in his career! (see above)
  

• The three goals the Lightning scored in 32 seconds set a Tampa Bay record for three fastest goals. the previous record was 42 seconds in 2008 against the New York Islanders. 
• Turning point: Even before those three goals, I thought the turning point of the game was later in the second when the Hawks were up 2-1, they had back to back power-plays and didn't score. They could have made it 3-1, but instead, the Cat took a penalty and seconds after they killed it off, Hedman scored to tie it. A minute and a half later, they scored again and ended the period up 3-2. Giving up goals in bunches are killing the Hawks this season and quickly swings the momentum. From this point on the Lightning controlled the game and the three quick goals in the third clinched it. Again, the score sounds worse than how the Hawks played, apart from the two major lapses, they kept it close...-ish.
• Erie linemates: The Hawks, Dylan Strome, Alex DeBrincat and the Lightning's, Taylor Raddysh all scored a goal. They were linemates on the Erie Otters in junior and the trio put up incredible numbers together. Strome was drafted the highest at 3rd overall in 2015, while the Cat went 2nd round (39th overall) and Raddysh 58th overall, both in 2016. This might be the first time all three scored in one game together in the NHL.
  
• Frustrated: After Fleury gave up the fifth goal to Corey Perry, he took his frustrations out on the goal post. Nights like this I wonder if Fleury has second thoughts about saying he would like to stay in Chicago. He must be thinking how less frustrating it'll be playing on a contending team. I'm sure in the upcoming weeks or days, they'll be more rumours and trade talk. Stay tuned!

• 

• International Women's Day: Was celebrated early at the UC with the ceremonial puck drop from Chicago area members of the Olympic silver medal women's hockey team. Upstairs, Caley Chelios handled colour in the booth with Pat Foley. Chelios spent the last five years working colour/reporting on the Lightning broadcasts, before returning home for the Blackhawks broadcasts. She's been a bright light for the broadcast crew all season with her insightful analysis. Hear Caley's message.
  

Up next: Hawks vs Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday 7:30 pm. I'm going to the Jets/Lightning game the same night, so I won't be watching the Hawks game live, hopefully the highlights are worth watching!

Hawks Blow Lead: The Philly Jinx Continues

 

 

Well, the losing streak in Philadelphia continues! After this afternoon's loss to the Flyers, the Hawks still haven't beaten the Flyers in Philadelphia since 1996. It's now 17 straight regular season games! The last time they beat the Flyers was in the playoffs, more specifically the Stanley Cup clinching game in 2010. This is a game they should have won, the Flyers had no business winning this game. I guess the best remedy for losing slumps is to play the Hawks as many teams probably consider the Hawks in the same regard as the free square on a bingo card. I thought they played good enough to win, so much for the "winning" streak!

Observations:

• Blown lead: Holding a lead has been difficult all season and the Hawks entered the third period with a 3-2 one goal lead. Especially against a team as bad as the Flyers, it's so frustrating! This used to money in the bank back when the Hawks were a winning team, to hold and protect a lead. Contending teams can protect leads, another reason why they are not contenders.
  
• Bad luck: On the Flyers 2-2 tying goal, Calvin de Hann's clear around the boards hit the referee and deflected in front of the goal, a pass or two later it was in the back of the net. The melee that followed, for whatever reason ended up with the Hawks short handed. 

• ABC/ESPN sucks: I'm sure many Blackhawks fans (and most fans in the league!) agree, the American national TV broadcasts suck! I much prefer the regional NBC sports Chicago broadcasts, even without Pat and Eddie, not only are the play-by-play announcers are way better, but the camera work is stellar!  The ABC/ESPN camera angles drive me crazy! I can't blame the camera crew, as some of the camera angles during this game were so off, it's whoever is editing and directing this telecast doesn't know anything about hockey. I prefer the standard camera at center that pans across left-to-right and the odd closer in view to capture action along the boards or behind the net. There was way too much extended behind the net views and especially during the power-plays, but not only behind the defending teams net, but a long view from the far end of the ice. I don't want to see views that are similar to my distant season tickets seats from the upper deck, some short short are fine, but to have this view for well over a minute squinting at the screen to see the action in the far end is very questionable. At times, I was wondering, what am I watching? It only occurs during the national broadcasts!

• There were some positives: It was nice to see Dylan Strome score a couple of goals, some much needed production from a player I think is worth hanging onto for the future. He definitely has some chemistry with Kane (and DeBrincat) and the fact he played over 17 minutes means he's gaining trust with the coaching staff. Lankinen played okay, though the winning goal wasn't great, the shot had him looking the wrong way. He's had a lot of bad luck so far securing wins this season.
  

Up next, the Hawks return home for a Sunday evening game against one of the top teams in the league, Tampa Bay Lightning. Judging how they've been playing this season, it's a good thing they don't have to play them so many times this season, like last year.

Hawks Win! An OT Win Makes Everything Seem Better

 

It was a good night at the United Center last night with lots going on. There was several players returning from injury, a former Hawk makes his return, another former Hawks gets honored and the Hawks win in OT!

• This game against the high powered Oilers featured some key returnees to the lineup. Tyler Johnson hadn't played since late October, Jonathan Toews and Riley Stillman missed over a month and Calvin deHaan returned after healing some aches and pains. The Hawks had one of their most complete lineups since Coach King took over, which meant more balanced lines and no rookies or Gustafsson on defense. Johnson was a little rusty and his ice time was low, but his skill level is noticeable and it's too bad he's been out for so long. Toews is so important to this team on so many situations and with Stillman and deHaan back, the hope is that the defense will be a lot more sturdier and consistent.
• Duncan Keith made his return to Chicago since he was traded last off-season. He played 16 seasons in a Hawks uniform and it's still weird seeing him on the Oilers. He has to be regarded as one of the greatest defensemen in Hawks history and it's sad he'll probably retire on another team. The video tribute was touching and I'm sure he'll be back for a legacy night/jersey number retirement ceremony when he does hang 'em up.

Returning back to Chicago: Keith, Hjalmarsson and Toews (back from injury)

• It was Hammer time or more specifically Niklas Hjalmarsson Legacy Night, with the Hawks honouring his ten years as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. As rugged and as resilient as they come, Hjalmy was a steady influence on D and was considered one of the best defensive defensemen in the league. He didn't win any awards, but he was a key member of the core that won 3 cups, that included Keith, Toews, Kane and Seabrook. That guy took so much abuse and fearlessly blocked shot after shot every night. Great to see him back!
• It was the battle of the Kanes! The Hawks, Patrick Kane scored a goal and set up Alex DeBrincat's game winning overtime goal, while the Oil's, Evander Kane scored two, the second in the last minute to tie the game at 3-3.
• It's funny, no matter who coaches or is GM of the Oiler's, this team has been and still is a two player team. The GM's have promised to bring in more scoring depth, but the fact is McDavid (79 pts.) and Draisaitl (78 pts.) each have more than twice as many points as the next top point getter, Nugent-Hopkins (37 pts.). Maybe the addition of E. Kane will help, but if the Oiler's are serious about going deep in the playoffs (or even making the playoffs!), they have to find more scoring or it'll be a repeat of the last two years. (strategy: shutdown McDavid and Draisaitl = victory).  For that matter, they might want to upgrade their goaltending too, that also killed them last playoffs and will cost them making the playoffs, bank on that!
  

• Good games from, Kirby Dach and Sam Lafferty. Dach has steadily improved the defensive part of his game and made many good back-checks, he was physical and he actually shot the puck when he had an opportunity. A strong finish to the season will be a relief for Hawks fans. Sam Lafferty's play has been impressive since he joined the Hawks and his speed and efficient forecheck should at least keep him in the lineup on the fourth line. He was rewarded with his second goal of the season early in the game and I really like how he plays the game, hopefully he can contribute more offensive.
  
• We it me or was there a lot of wiffed shots? Many optimal changes were missed because of heeled shots and fans on one-timers. Was it the ice? Or just strange luck? It cost the Hawks late in the game when Seth Jones tried to flip and clear the puck after a clean faceoff. He wiffed it and directly passed it to the front of the net that lead to Evander Kane's game tying goal. Ugh!!

Next game, an afternoon encounter with the Flyers in Philly on Saturday. Of note, the Blackhawks haven't won a regular season game in Philadelphia since 1996. Ugh ugh!!

Does The NHL Have A Russian Problem? And Other Things To Ponder

The world has a Russian problem, that's for sure, as Russian troops invade deeper into the Ukraine and citizens scramble to escape the country or stay to fight. The rest of the world (with the exception of China, natch) has issued sanctions and banning of Russian teams in international events, including all IIHF international tournaments. Of course, with the exception of the Olympics, the IOC will continue pander to the Russians and are proceeding with their participation in the Paralympic games as the ridiculously stupidly named, ROC (Russian Olympic Committee).

Mid-week Thoughts:

• Does the NHL have a Russian problem?: This question is complicated. Most people don't have a problem with Russian players playing on NHL teams, they are contracted to represent their team and just because your country is attacking another country shouldn't mean they should be punished. BUT, when players such as, Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin openly and proudly support Putin both politically and personally, questions have to be asked. These members of Team Putin are in an awkward situation as they can't openly oppose the Russian leader without possible repercussions back home to family and friends, but Ovechkin's response of "No more war please" and "We just hope it’s going to be end soon and everything is going to be all right" can be taken in so many ways, I don't believe he is sincere to the people of Ukraine, but sounds like "ending soon and going to be alright" is more to do with a quicker in and out invasion and everything will be alright for Russia. I could be wrong? The NHL is concerned about the well-being of it's Russian players and it is suspending it's relationships with business partners and Russian language social and digital media sites. CCM announced on Monday they will stop using Ovechkin and other Russian players for global promotions. I expect more similar announcements soon.

• Blackhawks have a new GM, what now?: Well, not really new, as Kyle Davidson just had the interim title removed as he's been the acting general manager since October. It is important though because this is now Kyle's team to shape and mold without feeling it wasn't his right to do so before. He made one major move as interim GM when he fired coach Jeremy Colliton and replaced him with current interim coach, Derek King. It's probably the safe choice as he has been in the system on many levels, so he has the inside knowledge of the organization and from what I've heard he is a progressive independent thinker, so hopefully he can tune out Rocky's meddling. With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, it was important to get in place a permanent GM since the Hawks could (and should) be very active at the deadline. This has become a lame-duck season and an opportunity to rebuild bringing in future talent at the deadline and the draft and playing the younger prospects that are the future of this team, should be the top priority of this organization. Good luck, Kyle, you'll need it!

• Paul Stastny donates to convoy protesters. Really?: I know people have the freedom to donate to whatever cause they support and if they want to give you his explanation of why, even better. BUT, his comments have been more than puzzling and backhanded to our country and government. "I know what Canada was like, and I can see where Canada is going, and I think that's what scares me. It's not about myself or my wife. it's more about our kid's futures, and you want their future to always be better than yours". He added, "It's more just the freedom to decide what you want to do to live and not have an overreach of a government that does too much because, eventually, the more that they can grab, the more they can get". He has a distrust of mainstream media, which he believes has spun the COVID-19 pandemic to a fit a government narrative. For Stastny and other convoy "freedom" fighters, you would think the recent news of the invasion of the Ukraine would put into perspective what real oppression and loss of freedom really means. We live in a relatively civil democratic society without the threat of a real enemy attacks from outside and what this pandemic has exposed is our own privileged view of what we think freedom means. Christ, Stastny has earned more than $80 million in the NHL, living a rich privileged life in one of the most freest societies. His open support of a cause that occupied Ottawa, annoyed citizens in Winnipeg, blocked borders, harassed and mocked health care and retail employees, this became more than protest of freedom, but a embarrassing display of spreading of misinformation and an excuse for racism and hate. To think our government is overreaching by mandating COVID protocols, vaccines and mask-wearing to help keep you and your family safe, Paul, I hope you get traded back to the U.S. at the trade deadline. Bye!
  

No Tricks: Need Goals! No Goals

After scoring eight goals last game against the New Jersey Devils, you'd think the Hawks could score at least one goal, nope! After a scoreless first period where the Blackhawks looked competitive, the Blues scored three straight in the second period and one more in the third to coast to a 4-0 victory at the UC Sunday afternoon. Another painful loss at home!

Takeaways:

• In the second, it felt like the Blues were toying with the Hawks, playing a game of "keep away" for much of the period. Giveaway after giveaway cost the team with numerous unforced errors from the home side.
• Speaking of unforced errors, the d-pairing of Caleb Jones and Connor Murphy were on the ice for every goal (McCabe might have been on for one?). They coughed up the puck or were forced off the puck in their own zone on more than a couple occasions and makes you want to yell, "get the f**cking puck out!!". The rest of the defense played okay, considering. Seth Jones was fine, Jake McCabe returned, Regula gets overwhelmed at times, but he's been steady and Isaak Phillips just called up from Rockford, played a safe and efficient game.
• Without Fleury in goal, this game could have been a runaway a lot sooner. He made some amazing stops and sometimes it was the second or third chances that went in. Especially while shorthanded, the Blues controlled the play and had Fleury moving side to side to side to side most of the game. I fear the blowouts could become even more frequent if Fleury gets traded at the deadline. Doesn't help that your team can't score in front of you. This season against the Blues in four games, the Hawks have given up 12 goals, while only scoring 4 goals and were shut out twice!
•  Just a random thought, but with the Jones brothers (Seth & Caleb) and Phillips on the back end, it meant that 3 of 6 (50%) of the Hawk's defencemen in the game were black. Not sure how often or at all if that's happened.

• Unfortunately, there weren't many highlights for the Hawks on the ice, but at least upstairs in the broadcast booth, Pat and Eddie were back together. Midway through the third, Caley and Colby said, "How about some desperation, it's kids day at the United Center give the kids something, some desperation", Eddie added, "You need a push-back for the great fans at the United Center", Pat followed with, "for all these great young fans, you don't want the ball pit and bouncy house to be the highlight of the day! Classic Pat!
  

Double Hat Tricks: Want Goals? We Got Goals!

 

"Hat-trick" Kane completes the hat-trick into an empty net

From a fan standpoint, it was an exciting game, from a goalie's point of view, not so much. Thirteen goals were scored between the Chicago Blackhawks and the New Jersey Devils and fortunately for the Hawks they scored eight of them. A see-saw battle with the teams exchanging goals, scoring in bunches. The Hawks opened the scoring, then the Devils scored two straight to make it 2-1 after the first period. Then, with help from the power-play (3 power-play goals!), the Hawks scored 3 (making it 4-2), the Devils 2 (4-4), Hawks 2 (6-4), Devils 1 (6-5), then 2 more into an empty net (8-5). Lots of goals and lots of hats!

Random thoughts:

• Both Patrick Kane and Brandon Hagel scored hat tricks for the Hawks with their third into the empty net. The last time two Hawks scored hat tricks in the same game was in 2003 with Eric Daze and Steve Sullivan completing the task. A nice way for Hagel to celebrate his 100th game in the NHL.
• Kevin Lankinen made his return to the Hawks lineup in his first game since January 22 because of an injured hand. Despite allowing five goals, he made some timely saves and didn't get much help from a depleted d-core who were without Calvin DeHaan and Jake McCabe and lost Murphy briefly after taking a big hit. Speaking of goaltending, the Devils have experienced loads of trouble in net. Injuries have hurt their starters and they've been struggling to keep a consistent starter healthy. Definitely a weakness.
• Nice to hear Pat Foley back doing play-by-play during the TV broadcast. With all the others auditioning for Pat's job, his voice is part of the joy of listening and watching to a Blackhawks telecast. The combo of Pat and Eddie Olczyk will be sadly missed next season and hopefully Eddie can do as many Hawks games as possible. It was first game with Caley Chelios doing colour commentary and she did a very commendable job filling Eddie shoes. She's much more pleasant to listen to than Colby Cohen (though he's ok) and her work as an analyst in the studio with Pat Boyle this season has been a breathe of fresh air. She's been excellent!
• Jerk of the game: PK Subban. Though he was pretty much unnoticeable most of the game, PK was up to his old tricks with a cheap-shot on Brandon Hagel as he scored into the empty net in the dying seconds of the game. As Hagel flew past Subban full speed, PK tripped Hagel and he crashed into the net. An extremely dangerous play, if the net wasn't there he would have crashed into the boards. Notice how Hagel has been the recipient of so many cheap-shots from opponents? His hard working, never stop working, "nose over the puck mentality" play clearly annoys opponents and it's too bad the Hawks don't have more players that play that way.

 

Remember when a first period three goal lead was safe? Not so much nowadays and the Winnipeg Jets proved that last night. Up 3-0 after the first, the Jets gave up 6 straight in the second and third period. The Avs are a much superior team, especially at home, so being down 3 wasn't a big deal. The Jets gotta get out of this current streak of losses if they have any hope at all of making the playoffs. In a related story, I received my playoff package yesterday. I might save more money this season.

Proof Of Vaccination: Respect

 As a season ticket holder of the Winnipeg Jets, I received and responded to the letter/survey about the upcoming provincial health orders that would include lifting the proof of vaccination to attend games. The survey asked: Are you very comfortable, comfortable, uncomfortable or very uncomfortable with the lifting of vaccination proof on March 1, 2022? It followed with: When would you feel comfortable with the lifting of restrictions and I believe the options were March 1, end of March, end of April or after April? 

The response from the 3900 responses were: 42% were comfortable/very comfortable having the proof of vaccination lifted on March 1, while 55% indicated they were uncomfortable/very uncomfortable. Of those that were uncomfortable, 90% would prefer the vaccination proof stay in place until at least April 30. (The full letter from True North)

Takeaways:

• Personally, my response was I was uncomfortable about the proof of vax being lifted March 1 and I indicated end of April was my preference for it to stay in place. My reason is that at full 100% capacity we are crammed into this already too small space (yes, the concourse, lineups, washrooms included), I don't feel comfortable about having unmasked, unvaccinated fans standing face to face, sitting side by side just yet. There is some comfort with the fact everyone is vaccinated and I will still wear a mask (this will be an option March 15th) when I'm in the concourse and lineups.
  

• I commend True North for taking the time to survey the fans. The fans are the ones that are paying to see their product and the satisfaction (and comfort level) of their fans should be their number one priority. The organization has following the provincial and federal laws to do with COVID protocols and they have been transparent with their protocols and rules and so far it has worked. They have responded to their surveys and have acted on the responds from that feedback. When the capacity at games were at 250 people or 50%, True North was taking a serious financial hit. When there was rumours and talks that the team would play some of their home games in another location (Saskatoon? North Dakota?) to help coup some losses, that didn't have any capacity restrictions, the team surveyed the options of their season ticket holders whether they would support the idea. The response was negative (myself included) and the team respected that feedback by playing without fans or limited capacity in Winnipeg.

• As a fan of hockey, it was tough to see postponements or games without fans, but you have to do what you have to do. True North is out to make money, but to abandon your fan base would have been a big mistake. There is a small vocal minority of fans, even season ticket holders that haven't been able to attend because they aren't vaccinated or don't want to wear a mask and as a result the Jets might not get a full sell out this season because of it. Some of the unhappy fan comments on social media are laughably predictable: "Shame on you True North, where is freedom of choice?", "My choice is to not give this organization a dime ever again. The absolute ridiculousness of this call is beyond my comprehension!", "Glad we canceled our season tickets! Shame on you for continuing to enable this discrimination.", "I will not be supported any discriminating places. Sad day when you realize just how segregated canada still is", "This is absolutely shameful, this entire time they’ve use the excuse that they just need to follow public health orders. And now they show their true colours by promoting discrimination and segregation. Shame on them for banning my children and I"....fortunately there are more comments that support True North's position. I would guess that the fully vaccinated fans that have been attending the games this season don't mind showing their proof of vaccine since they have been already.
  

This is those fan's choice, but I am glad True North won't give into complaints and "boycotts" of the dissatisfied and stick to what they feel is safest for the majority of their customers instead of just the all mighty dollar. Respect!

Hawks Lose Again: No Afternoon Delight At Home

 

 

The title says it all, the Hawks lost another home game this time to one of the better teams in the league, the Florida Panthers. Even without former head coach Joel Quenneville, the Panthers have stayed close to the top of the standing with former Hawks player, Andrew Brunette behind the bench. The Hawks are digging themselves an even bigger hole for their fading playoff hopes, they were close, but a loss is a loss.

Random Observations:

• The Hawks actually kept up with the Cats for the most part, out shooting them 11-3 in the first period. It was closer than the score indicated as the Panther scored 2 empty net goals after the Hawks made it close at 3-2. If the Hawks came back to win, the turning point might have been when the Panthers seemed to score to make it 4-1 midway through the third, but it was disallowed because of an offside. It was only a few moments later the Hawks made it 3-2.
• Jake McCabe left the game early with an unknown injury and Murphy left the bench briefly after taking a cross check to the face. This left Caleb Jones to play over 23 minutes, which is scary, but he scored the second Hawks goal. Defensively, the Hawks played well, so that's a positive.
  

• Jerk of the game: Radko Gudas. It was no surprise Gudas took a pair of penalties for late shots on Hagel and DeBrincat. That punch to the face of Hagel was so unnecessary and the fact both Hagel and Gudas were penalized is crazy. The league should clean up crap like that. Next time you watch a Panthers game, watch how many cheapshots Gudas lays on smaller players (it's always smaller skilled players!). He's been previously suspended for hits on Mathieu Perrault (10 games), Nikita Kucherov (2 games) and several other suspensions. What a jerk!
  

I'm out of town for a couple days, but I'll be back before the Hawks continue their home-stand against New Jersey on Friday night.

Double Shutouts: But Only One Team Wins

So, in the previous game the Blackhawks gave up seven goals against the Blue Jackets and if I told you the Hawks shut out the Stars in regulation and OT, you would think it was a win, right? Unfortunately, the Hawks failed to score as well and the game was decided in the skills competition aka: the shootout. Both goalies stubbornly gave up a goal a piece during the 3 shooter round and it took extra shooters to decide a winner. Jacob Peterson (who?) the 12th shooter, ended the game 1-0 with the Hawks still coming away with one point.

Random Thoughts:

• A scoreless game you would think might not be exciting and for the most part it wasn't. It was dull, especially the first two periods and it never got interesting until OT. Both teams has some chances, with Kane and DeBrincat with point blank chances, but for the most part the Hawks offense was pretty inoffensive. The Stars had more quality opportunities and this is another game that Fleury kept them in and earned the point. He made an amazing stop off Hintz in the dying seconds of the second period that looked like a sure goal and if he scored it would have been devastating, as goals at the end (and beginning) of a period have been the Hawks Achilles heel all season.
• Speaking of Jacob's or Jake's, interesting decision by the Hawks having defensive defenseman, Jake McCabe taking part in the shootout. Maybe, coach King had a hunch, but why not Dach or Seth Jones, if we're choosing a d-man? The shootout is a crap-shoot anyways, so why not.
  
• Jerk of the game: Since his scoring skills have been slowing degrading, I've been noticing the Stars, Jamie Benn has been becoming a bit of a jerk. Last night, after MacKenzie Entwistle had his face rammed into the corner glass by the Star's bench as he skated past their bench on the way back to the Hawks bench, Benn squirted Entwistle in the face with water. It's not a big deal, but it's a jackass move, especially as captain.. He earlier gave rookie, Lukas Reichel a late, cheap hit which has been more common with Benn lately.
  

 

Up next: Jets/Oilers, Saturday afternoon; Hawks/Panthers, Sunday afternoon.

One Win, One Loss: Down Two Goals Early, Now What?

 

Both the Blackhawks and the Jets were down 2-0 in the early part of the first period in their games and I was wondering, is scoring the first (and second) goal in a game overrated? You generally hear during telecasts about the importance of the first goal is and the top teams in the league have very high percentages of victory after getting a lead, but I've been seeing more and more games where the first goal is not a factor. Last night, the Jets were down early, but considering they were playing the predictably horrible Seattle Kraken, it was only a matter of time before the better team won. The Blackhawks on the other hand have been making it a habit this season (and last year!) of digging themselves a hole early and though they put up a valiant effort tying the game and getting within a goal twice, they kept allowing the Blue Jackets to maintain a 2 goal cushion until the empty netter that made it 7-4. So frustrating!

Random Thoughts:

• I think the turning point to the Hawks/Jackets game was after the Hawks tied it 2-2, the Jackets scored late in the period then scored in the opening seconds of the second period to make it 4-2. It was a weak goal shot from the corner by Laine that trickled past Arvid Soderblom. A review clearly showed (see photo) the puck completely crossing the line. Not a stellar game from Soderblom, who was in net to give Fleury a break in this first of a back to back. I recall a game earlier this year when the Hawks gave up a goal right at the end of a period and opened up the next period giving up 2 goals in the first half minute. In total game time, they gave up 3 goals in under a minute!
  
• Speaking of, what's the plan if the Hawks trade Fleury at the trade deadline? Will they ride Soderblom and Kevin Lankinen or will they try to get another goalie back in a trade? If the team wants to drop to the bottom of the standings for the lottery pick, this would be the way to go. In recent years, they've been letting super quality goalies get away for next to nothing in return (Lehner, Crawford), what could Fleury yield?
  
• Similiarly to the Jets, Mark Schiefele, Patrik Laine is getting hot after a slow start to the season. Granted he missed time with injury, covid and the death of his father, so this is making the Laine/DeBois trade look slightly more even. He netted a hat trick and he extended his scoring steak to 8 games with 10 goals and 6 assists in the span.
• What are we expecting tonight? Well. Fleury will be back in net, but the Stars will be rested and hungry chasing a playoff spot. The Hawks better start on time tonight!!
  

Next game: Hawks/Stars in Chicago 7:30 pm CST

Disappointment, Redemption And Jubilation: Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad!

First of all, congratulations to the 2022 Canadian Women's Olympic Hockey team for their gold medal win last night! As usual, an amazing game and this time the Canadian women regained their status as the best in the world. It was a big day for hockey for our country and my city and as I said in the title, 2 out of 3 of those games went well.

Disappointment: The Canadian men's team didn't fare as well as the women and their games ended the same day as the women (at least in my time zone) with a loss to Sweden in the quarter finals.

•  Did we really think the Canadian team (and the US) had a hope in winning gold? Without the NHL players, the European teams had a much larger pool of talent playing in their leagues. There are still a lot of really good players that haven't come to North America and it sure showed in the depth of their lineups. Former Hawks, Marcus Kruger and Lucas Wallmark were in Sweden's lineup with Wallmark scoring the winning goal against Canada. The medals will be won by a European country, just like the old days.
  
• Please don't attack or blame the players online after the loss! It wasn't their fault they were thrown into this mess and they gave a valiant effort. Keep your snide comments to yourself and move on. The NHL season is starting to ramping up so there is lots of exciting hockey happening. 
• During the broadcast, as Canada was losing, the camera showed Shane Doan, Canada's GM, "he's not used to losing..." I had to laugh out loud because he played for Phoenix/Arizona, right? This was followed with "as a member of Team Canada" Oh...ok.
  

Redemption: The Jets redeemed themselves, at least temporarily with a convincing win against one of the top teams in the league, division rivals, the Minnesota Wild 6-3. This reinforces the theory that the Jets seem to play to the level of their competition beating the better teams in the league and losing to the bottom dwellers (Chicago, Arizona, Philadelphia, Buffalo etc.)...oh oh, the Kraken are in town tonight!

• Good news for the Jets, Mark Scheifele is starting to finally heat up. A hat trick last night and goals in his last 5. If Scheifs and Wheels can stay hot their chances look pretty good. A much needed shot, the Connor's can't do it themselves.
  
• This was the first game of increased capacity and about 12,500 fans showed up. What a difference with more fans in the building and the atmosphere seemed to be more pumped up than previous games. Still a lot of empty seats, but a more accurate measure of the fan's warming up to returning will be this weekend against the Oilers. It'll be interesting to see if True North will stay with current restrictions once the proof of vaccine and mask laws are lifted or if the unmasked anti-vaxxers will return. Yuck! Stay tuned!
  

 

Jubilation: What can be further said, the games between Canada and the US seem to go either way, but this year the Canadian's had a much more dominant Olympics than the Americans, crushing the competition. The Americans barely beat the Czechs and Finns in the quarters and semis and I wasn't convinced they could beat Canada in the finals. I think goaltending was a major factor for both wins against the Americans, as the Canadians were out-shot (quite badly in round play) and Desbiens clearly outplayed Cavallini with the Canadian's scoring timely goals. Too little, too late for the US.

Up next: Jets/Kraken and Hawks/Blue Jackets

Hawks Beat The Jets: That Turned Out Better Than Expected!

 

 ...If you're a Hawks fan! If you're a Jets fan this was another setback during this up and down season. After a successful road trip, the Jets disappointed the half capacity crowd losing to a team below them in the standings and there aren't too many of them, at least in the Western Conference. Personally, as a Hawks first fan, this capped off a perfect night, not only because it was a jab back at the fans around me at the game, which was very satisfying, but also I had the opportunity to sit closer up the action, so it was a thrill in so many levels! If the Hawks can put together a good solid defensive game more often, they would definitely have more wins. Fleury once again was a big factor, but the defense kept their coverage and didn't hand out too many giveaways. They kept the Jets from gaining much momentum even after their only goal and overall the Hawks played a near-perfect road game.

 

Takeaways:

•  Not sure what's up with the Jets. They seem to be playing better on the road, but their lack of any intensity is costing them games at home. To be honest, it was a dull game and a the road team took advantage of it. Is it the near empty building because of the COVID restrictions? We'll see starting on Wednesday with the elimination of capacity restrictions where the Jets potentially can have a full arena. I doubt they'll sell-out, but the larger crowd should help...or not?
• This will be a key week for the Jets as they play a set of 3 games in 4 nights at home against teams they should beat. They'll be in tough against the Wild, but it has been done recently and you can't lose against the Kraken and Oil in your building, though they did lose to the Hawks. I losing streak will be very bad timing. We'll see what Jets team shows up
  
• Speaking of pivotal points in the schedule, the Hawks begin a six game home-stand starting on Thursday against the Jackets. If they have any faint hope of making the post-season, winning a majority of those games is essential. Otherwise, figuring out who to trade away before the trade deadline will be the main thing on the team's mind.
• I stood against the glass during warmup and you really appreciate the skill and speed of the players. The size of the players astounds me and the split second decisions they have to make before they get drilled into the boards is something you don't experience on TV or in the upper deck seats. I do have an appreciation for my usual seats in the upper levels because you can see the whole play, seeing the plays develop you maintain a sense of seeing all the action. Sitting close to the ice surface apart from the play directly in front of you (in our case close to the face off dot in the Hawks end), your view is obstructed anytime the play is in the other end, especially along the near boards. Your sense of perspective and depth is very challenging and you have to reply on the jumbotron for a lot of the action.
• It was a huge thrill to watch Marc-Andre Fleury, hopefully not the last time in a Hawks jersey! He's fun to watch, during the warmup and the game, there's so much going on with him and it's obvious how much he loves the game and he looks like he's having a good time. The last off the ice during the pregame was Hagel, Kane and Fleury...telling isn't it?
  

Welcome back!! Happy Valentines Day!

It's been almost 5 years since the last post on this blog and I thought what better day to reboot this thing is on Valentines Day. Actually, another reason for this date is it's the second meeting of the season between the Winnipeg Jets and the Chicago Blackhawks. The "new" focus for River City Blackhawk is on the two teams in the NHL I'm most familiar with. I have an invested interest with both teams, firstly, the Jets are my hometown team, the one I support by purchasing season tickets since the day the team returned to Winnipeg. I watched and followed the Jets since I was old enough to attend a professional game from the first year the Jets were in the WHA, through the rest of the 70's, 80's and mid-90's. For a period of time during the early 80's when I was in high school, I bought season tickets with a friend (with my own $$$$). So I'm a pretty hardcore Jets fans, but to be honest I don't love the Jets, but I was maybe a little more interested in the visiting teams. I got to see a lot of the greats from the era including, Hull, Howe, Cheevers, Gretzky, Lemieux, Messier, Savard (all of them)...you get the idea. 

While I have more of a casual relationship with the Jets, my true love is the Blackhawks! Recently our relationship has been tested with some seriously disturbing shenanigans from the organization. I've been a patient, dedicated obsessed fan since the early 70's and I never thought in my lifetime I would actually see the Hawks win the cup, but to win 3 in one decade was way beyond expectations. I stream all their games (home and away) and when they come to town I try to secure tickets. Tonight's game is no exception and fortunately this much delayed game (thanks to covid postponement) will be played at 50% capacity and I'm lucky to get this game. Speaking of lucky, I will watch the game (with my daughter) close up in a section closest to the ice, as opposed to my usual nosebleed seats. 

 Hopefully, it'll be a good game as both teams are trending in different directions with the Jets gaining 5 of 6 points in their last 3 games since the all-star break, while the Hawks have been consistently inconsistent beating the Oilers, (convincingly enough to get their coach fired) then playing like crap against the Blues on Saturday. Speaking of fired, the last time the Jets and Hawks met, the Hawks played so bad it ended up being Jeremy Colliton's last game as head coach. 

My goal with this blog is to give focus to the Jets and the Hawks, hopefully with daily updates to analyze and criticize the teams performance. I will not necessarily provide game summaries or highlights because there are sites that do a much better job at that. Let's see how this goes! Go Hawks!

2017 Stanley Cup playoffs schedule

Will the Pittsburgh Penguins repeat as Stanley Cup champions? Will the Blackhawks win their 4th cup in the 2010's? Will the President's Trophy winner overcome the jinx of finishing first in the regular season? Who will this year's Matt Murray? 

The long road to the Stanley Cup begins this Wednesday with 5 Canadian teams actually participating in this year's playoffs. Cue up the Q, ice the brews and dust off the large flat screen TV for NHL playoff hockey! There are some really good match ups in the first round, so sit back and enjoy!!.

 Here is the complete first-round schedule (All times ET, subject to change):

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Montreal Canadiens (A1) vs. New York Rangers (WC1)

Wednesday, April 12, 7pm: Rangers @ Canadiens | CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN
Friday, April 14, 7pm: Rangers @ Canadiens | CBC, TVA Sports, USA
Sunday, April 16, 7pm: Canadiens @ Rangers | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Tuesday, April 18, 7pm: Canadiens @ Rangers | NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports
*Thursday, April 20, TBD: Rangers @ Canadiens | TBD
*Saturday, April 22, TBD: Canadiens @ Rangers | TBD
*Monday, April 24, TBD: Rangers @ Canadiens | TBD

Ottawa Senators (A2) vs. Boston Bruins (A3)

Wednesday, April 12, 7pm: Bruins @ Senators | Sportsnet, TVA Sports, NHL Network
Saturday, April 15, 3pm: Bruins @ Senators | Sportsnet, TVA Sports, NBC
Monday, April 17, 7pm: Senators @ Bruins | CNBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Wednesday, April 19, 7:30pm: Senators @ Bruins | USA, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
*Friday, April 21, TBD: Bruins @ Senators | TBD
*Sunday, April 23, TBD: Senators @ Bruins | TBD
*Wednesday, April 26, TBD: Bruins @ Senators | TBD

Washington Capitals (M1) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (WC2)

Thursday, April 13, 7pm: Maple Leafs @ Capitals | USA, CBC, TVA Sports
Saturday, April 15, 7pm: Maple Leafs @ Capitals | NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports
Monday, April 17, 7pm: Capitals @ Maple Leafs | CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN
Wednesday, April 19, 7pm: Capitals @ Maple Leafs | CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN
*Friday, April 21, TBD: Maple Leafs @ Capitals | TBD
*Sunday, April 23, TBD: Capitals @ Maple Leafs | TBD
*Tuesday, April 25, TBD: Maple Leafs @ Capitals | TBD

Pittsburgh Penguins (M2) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (M3)

Wednesday, April 12, 7:30pm: Blue Jackets @ Penguins | USA, SN 360, TVA Sports
Friday, April 14, 7pm: Blue Jackets @ Penguins | NHL Network, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Sunday, April 16, 6pm: Penguins @ Blue Jackets | CNBC, SN 360, TVA Sports
Tuesday, April 18, 7:30pm: Penguins @ Blue Jackets | CNBC, SN 360, TVA Sports
*Thursday, April 20, TBD: Blue Jackets @ Penguins | TBD
*Sunday, April 23, TBD: Penguins @ Blue Jackets | TBD
*Tuesday, April 25, TBD: Blue Jackets @ Penguins | TBD

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Chicago Blackhawks (C1) vs. Nashville Predators (WC2)

Thursday, April 13, 8pm: Predators @ Blackhawks | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Saturday, April 15, 8pm: Predators @ Blackhawks | NBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Monday, April 17, 9:30pm: Blackhawks @ Predators | CNBC, SN ONE, TVA Sports
Thursday, April 20, TBD: Blackhawks @ Predators | SN 360, TVA Sports
*Saturday, April 22, TBD: Predators @ Blackhawks | TBD
*Monday, April 24, TBD: Blackhawks @ Predators | TBD
*Wednesday, April 26, TBD: Predators @ Blackhawks | TBD

Minnesota Wild (C2) vs. St. Louis Blues (C3)

Wednesday, April 12, 9:30pm: Blues @ Wild | NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports
Friday, April 14, 8pm: Blues @ Wild | NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports
Sunday, April 16, 3pm: Wild @ Blues | NBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Wednesday, April 19, 9:30pm: Wild @ Blues | NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports
*Saturday, April 22, TBD: Blues @ Wild | TBD
*Monday, April 24, TBD: Wild @ Blues | TBD
*Wednesday, April 26, TBD: Blues @ Wild | TBD

Anaheim Ducks (P1) vs. Calgary Flames (WC1)

Thursday, April 13, 10:30pm: Flames @ Ducks | NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports
Saturday, April 15, 10:30pm: Flames @ Ducks | NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports
Monday, April 17, 10pm: Ducks @ Flames | CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN
Wednesday, April 19, 10pm: Ducks @ Flames | CBC, TVA Sports, USA
*Friday, April 21, TBD: Flames @ Ducks | TBD
*Sunday, April 23, TBD: Ducks @ Flames | TBD
*Tuesday, April 25, TBD: Flames @ Ducks | TBD

Edmonton Oilers (P2) vs. San Jose Sharks (P3)

Wednesday, April 12, 10pm: Sharks @ Oilers | Sportsnet, TVA Sports, USA
Friday, April 14, 10:30pm: Sharks @ Oilers | Sportsnet, TVA Sports, NBCSN
Sunday, April 16, 10pm: Oilers @ Sharks | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Tuesday, April 18, 10pm: Oilers @ Sharks | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
*Thursday, April 20, TBD: Sharks @ Oilers | TBD
*Saturday, April 22, TBD: Oilers @ Sharks | TBD
*Monday, April 24, TBD: Sharks @ Oilers | TBD

* if necessary
TBD - To Be Determined