Pre-Game Talk: 2015 Stanley Cup Final: Bolts vs Hawks

[BrianE]

Dubnyk, Rinne (twice), Quick (twice), Rask

The Hawks core has never had a problem with goalies with the exception of Smith. Bishop is a good goalie but I'm not worried about him being a deciding factor in this series

Agree with Hot Fuss, Hawks with too many weapons....might be over quicker than we think.

I say in 5 but break out a broom just in case.

 

[BrianE]

If Hawks let it get too wide open, goaltending will be in the spotlight. I'll just leave it at that other than say Hawks can't let TB free wheel.

Wide open, free wheel or whatever, we beat them.....Hawks have too many weapons.

Would benefit all our offensive power even Cumisky for example.

Yeah strong D is our strength but this team can do it all, watch and see is what I said since the first Nashville game.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

Hawks definitely should have been sellers at the deadline. The 2015 Hawks are first round fodder. The Anaheim series was also over after Game 5.

 

[pvr]

This

That 5goalgame poster....man o man that dude would never stop just like some of these Bolts posters now.

That dude was hilarious, I don't get these guys but I guess I was kinda like them back in late 08, 09 and 10 I just felt this team with this core group was on the cusp of something special and fans of teams like the Canucks and Sharks probably thought I was crazy cause we had been so bad for so long and I was just so confident that the Hawks were gonna be great and win championships before all these other teams that used to own us.

He was classic. But, like Spurgeon before him, the crow they are eating is keeping them silent.

You're forgetting that likely those posters are (mid) teenagers. I remember one poster who follows the NY Rangers who had something like 25,000 posts before he turned 17, and was made a moderator by 18. Absurd.

 

[Chris Hansen]

Tampa Bay is surprisingly weak beyond their top 2 lines. That means we don't have to hear endless blathering about depth prior to the series starting, very much unlike the past two.

 

[Ace Rothstein]

A limited number of tickets will be going on sale Tuesday at noon for anyone looking to score a ticket.

 

[scarchelli]

I got season tickets so unless something happens I should go to a game or two. Tickets prices aren't too bad.

Uhh..not bad for who? A multi millionaire? They are insane as is every playoff game pretty much. Do you think it's 2004 or something?

 

[Ace Rothstein]

Uhh..not bad for who? A multi millionaire? They are insane as is every playoff game pretty much. Do you think it's 2004 or something?

Tickets are considerably cheaper for STHs.

 

[BK]

Uhh..not bad for who? A multi millionaire? They are insane as is every playoff game pretty much. Do you think it's 2004 or something?

Unless you go to all the games the ticket basically pay for themselves. You just need the initial investment.

 

[hisgirlfriday]

My new favorite Toews gif

 

[scarchelli]

Unless you go to all the games the ticket basically pay for themselves. You just need the initial investment.

Not doubting the sth thing. I'm saying tickets are absurd for everyone else who isn't a sth.

 

[BrianE]

My new favorite Toews gif

man that's a good one!

 

[DPHawk]

My bracket was complete garbage but I had the the Hawks and Bolts pegged right. Hopefully I'm also right on how the finals will play out.

I'm nervous about the skill and speed that Tampa has but it feels like the Hawks are at the top of their game and they rarely get beat when that is the case.

 

[sharkhawk]

Not to brag, but look at who's on top of the HF bracket boards. All the series right and 3 of the first round series games right. Hawks win and I run the table.

 

[Bubba88]

Hawks Keep their streak going and don't win the Cup at home. Hawks in 5

 

[JaegerDice]

Lots of people on the main board righting Tampa off.

I think they're going to be as much of a challenge as Anaheim, albeit in a different way.

I think we're going 7 again.

 

[Blackhawks]

Lots of people on the main board righting Tampa off.

I think they're going to be as much of a challenge as Anaheim, albeit in a different way.

I think we're going 7 again.

Naa dont see it, not even close hawks in 4 or 5

 

[Meuracas]

Bolts fan coming in peace.

Hawks are probably my favourite team right after the Bolts, so I can't really ask for a better SCF matchup. Here's to hoping we see some good and entertaining hockey.

Good luck guys!

 

[Bubba88]

My Breakdown of this series:

Goal:
Bishop vs. Crawford
Bishop is a PO Rookie. I wouldn't call him that at all after 20 games, but it's still his 1st year. He has the same numbers as Crawford, but Crawford is more proven. Both have strenghts and weaknesses.
Crawford may have an edge because of the experience. Hawks don't have a history playing much against him, but this hasn't stopped them against Rask 2013.
Overall, I'd call it a wash with no real Advantage.

Defense:
Hawks have the better Top4. Keith is playing unreal and like he isn'T human. Seabs is having a quietly but great PO run himself. Hjammer just shuts down every line he faces. He is such a great Player. JO is fine too.
Overall the Bolts D Looks like the Ducks D. Hedman is a #1 but he still isn't that Elite and proven.
Bottom pair turned out to not lose us a round, why should they now.

Advantage Hawks


Forwards:
TBs offense is their Top6. Their Bottom 6 doesn't provide much offense. There is a huge drop off in production after the Top 6. Hawks scoring is spreaded over the Roster and lets face it, we have the best depth in the NHL.

I expect the 4th/3rd line to face the Johnson line while Toews will go up against Stamkos.
If Q goes back to Splitting up Toews and Kane, what I expect him to do, the Kane line will go out against the Callahan line. He's going to destroy them if we get the Matchups.
Hawks can roll 4 lines all the time, Bolts just can't

Advantage Hawks


Special Teams:
Tampa Bay is dangerous on the PP and good on the PK. Their numbers are better than ours and we all know our struggles at PK/PP.

Advantage Bolts


Coaching:
Cooper is a good Coach, but he is going up against one of the best. A proven 2x Cup Winning Coach.

I'd give the Hawks the Advantage



Overall, I see it over in max. 6 games. Hawks are on a Mission, have more experience and have already shown they can beat any Team. Could end up like the Ducks were the best Team the Hawks have faced.

 

[Chris Hansen]

Really, just looking at it a little more... Tampa's bottom six is terrible. Their top six is going to have to vastly outplay Chicago's if they're going to win the series, and that's a difficult proposition when Toews and Kane are involved.

TB's top guys will get theirs, but with Keith playing at this level and the rest of the top four also pretty much in peak form... It's pretty hard to imagine the Lightning coming out on top.

But that's just me. I significantly underestimated how good Anaheim was and could very easily be doing the same thing here. Still, going with Hawks in 5.

 

[Patriks7]

This. Or their speed or hitting, etc. I had a knowledgeable TB fan last night on the main boards tell me that since TB "dominated" the Hawks in the regular season (never mind the facts only two games were played between the teams and the Lightning only won one of the two games (he said they won both lol)) that the series would be over quickly in Tampa's favor.

It's almost as if people still haven't caught onto the fact that the playoff Hawks are a completely different beast from the regular season one.

 

[Fran Tarkenton]

It's hard not to pick the Bolts the way they have been playing. But it's equally hard to pick against the Hawks. It appears the Bolts fans on the main board favor their forwards, defense, and goalie over the Hawks.

problem is the 'way they have been playing' has come against East teams.

Look at the skaters New York and Montreal have thrown at them. Not the same quality or depth. Its going to be 7 games of Toews/Kane/Hossa/Sharp/Saad/et al. No more Rick Nash.

Its going to be hard for Tampa to score when they aren't controlling the puck the majority of the game.

 

[ndgt10]

Lots of people on the main board righting Tampa off.

I think they're going to be as much of a challenge as Anaheim, albeit in a different way.

I think we're going 7 again.

Agree. I see it going like this:
L, L, W, L, W, W, W

 

[Blackhawks]

Agree. I see it going like this:
L, L, W, L, W, W, W

You think we will be down 3-1 in the series? You really think so after the game 7 performance? I know how this series is going to go , the Hawks are going to come and play just like they did in game 7, they smell the cup. They will be very good defensively and just capitalize on their offensive chances, I would be very very surprised if the Hawks dont close this in 4-5 games. The only thing Tampa has for them is offense, when was the last time offense won cups? Shut down their 1.5 lines and they are toast and the Hawks know exactly how to do that. Game over.

 

[TCD Travesty]

Of their three SCF opponents I worry about the Lightning only slightly less than I did the very formidable Bruins squad (and I wasn't really worried about the Flyers at all). I suspect the closer we get to Wednesday the more I'll convince myself TB will be the biggest challenge they've ever faced. And it's really for no good reason.

If Q doesn't give away another game with a crap lineup and Towes doesn't get dominated early in the series and the depth earns their keep then it should be Hawks in 5 or 6. But even after this impressive playoff run I still can't completely trust them to have good games 1-4 or be saved by their great 5-7 track record. It's stilly and needlessly pessimistic. Maybe this board is rubbing off on me.