At the break

[hawksfan50]

Hawks will have 22 gamrs remaining and STL will have 25 to play after the break.. Hopefully we can beat PHX in our final pre-Olympic break game and hopefully BOS.and WPG can beat STL outright in the final 2 games STL has before the break..Would give us 86 pts and they stay at 80 Pts... Then we must play our homestretch of 22 games with urgency and a return to "A" talent and effort levels..If we fo that we canput together a nice long string of hopefully outright wins and not leave points on the board by frittering away games in OT or SO time.Then hopefully enter the playoffs as at least Division Champs and maybe WC leader, f not President's Trophy winners again..Come on BOS and WPG...help us..beat the Blues!

Click to read more...

 

[EbonyRaptor]

There was an article or blogpost I read somewhere in the last couple days that compared the remaining schedules of the Hawks, Blues and Ducks and the conclusion was the Hawks had the most difficult schedule remaining from those three teams. Course, teams get better/worse as the season goes along so it's not an exact science.

Home ice is an advantage to be sure, just think back to having games 5 and 7 at the UC against the Wings last season, but the Hawks are a good road team so not having home ice is probably less of a disadvantage for the Hawks than most other teams.

Here's the bottom line - the Hawks best game is better than every other team's best game. Home or road - they just need to be on their game and I like their chances to beat any team in a 7-game series.

Oh, and isn't the "Stanley Cup hangover" nicer this time around, to be leading the charge instead of limping into the 8th spot in the playoffs.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

The Hawks play their best hockey against the best teams. They play to the level of their competition. It was evident last year against the Wild and it's what got them in a hole against Detroit.

A tough stretch leading into the playoffs is exactly what this team needs.

 

[Callidusblackhawk]

The Hawks play their best hockey against the best teams. They play to the level of their competition. It was evident last year against the Wild and it's what got them in a hole against Detroit.

A tough stretch leading into the playoffs is exactly what this team needs.

This is so true and its the reason I wasn't very worried about the recent road trip.

 

[committedindian86]

The Hawks play their best hockey against the best teams. They play to the level of their competition. It was evident last year against the Wild and it's what got them in a hole against Detroit.

A tough stretch leading into the playoffs is exactly what this team needs.

This. So much this.

Getting hot before the playoffs would be huge, especially with the realignment back to the division playoffs, St. Louis is going to be a tough test no matter what.

 

[hawksfan50]

Unfortunately,BOS did not help us last night..so STL now just 2 back...each team has 1 game left before the break..have to hope we beat PHX outright and that Jets win outright over STL pn Saturday. But even IF we get a 4 pt lead on them at the break...they still jave 3 more games in hand over us..So probably going right yo the last game to decide who comes out on top of the division...we can no longer afford any less than top compeye efforts down the homestretch yo the finish..

 

[hawksfan50]

And of course...as predicted..STL wins the SO..gets the 2 pts to tie us but in fact goes to 1st in the Central Division due to the 3 games in hand and more wins anyway..

Take a bow...your 2nd place Q Countfy Clubbing Blackhawks...while acceoting point takens and losses to bubble teams and likely non-playiff teams,The "Mighty Blackhawks" have stumbled their way to 2nd place only in the Central.. All hail STL who just keep on TCB'ng while our Blsckhawks do not...whdre75% is deemed."good enouvh"...don't try selling that to Hitchcocl and his team the way Q haslet his.lolligaggers come to accept it for their identify...Thdy just keep winning..we cannot.muster the will to do it as consistently...so we accept time.off as normal and.do not eorry. ..we will flip the ssitch when it really matters...sure we will...sure we will.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Q coached teams since 04-05 lockout
06 Avs = 2nd round loss
07 Avs = Missed playoffs (With a 44-31-7 record)
08 Avs = 2nd round loss
09 Hawks = WCF loss
10 Hawks = SC
11 Hawks = 1st round loss
12 Hawks = 1st round loss
13 Hawks = SC

Hitch coached teams since 04-05 lockout
06 Flyers = 1st round loss
07 Flyers = Fired after pathetic start to year and being tuned out by players
07 Jackets = 4th place finish ,, No playoffs
08 Jackets = 4th place finish ,, No playoffs
09 Jackets = 4th place finish ,, 1st round loss
10 Jackets = Fired after poor performance and being tuned out by players
12 Blues = 2nd round loss (Swept in 2nd round)
13 Blues = 1st round loss

Hitchcock hasn't won a 2nd round playoff game (Let alone series) since 2004

Lets not pretend he is something more then Mike Keenan 2.0 at this point. Get a few years of play out of team before losing lockeroom and failing to perform on ice

 

[Nothingman*]

And....Hitch does not have the caliber goalie to win the Cup. That is their Achilles heal.

 

[DrunkKaner88]

Hawks need to find a way to pull away from the Blues though. Both should advance past the first round which I think would set up a matchup with them. Home ice may very well determine that series. Still not sold on the Blues goal tending but they seem to play us very well.

 

[EmeticDonut]

Blues can win the division for all I care. They won't amount to anything once the playoffs roll around. Same with the Ducks.

 

[Chris Hansen]

Hawks need to find a way to pull away from the Blues though. Both should advance past the first round which I think would set up a matchup with them. Home ice may very well determine that series. Still not sold on the Blues goal tending but they seem to play us very well.

I agree that home ice would be ideal, but taking the three games between Chicago and St. Louis this year as an aggregate, the Hawks have had a pretty definitive edge in play.

Unless the Blues are very lucky in a playoff series vs. Chicago, they don't have a particularly good shot.
Still, that's entirely possible - it's worked for three games this season.

If shootouts became a part of the playoffs, then St. Louis would definitely win

 

[hawksfan50]

It upsets me that some Blackhawks fans like krazyhawk appear to be more critical of the "drivel".I post on thrse boards than the actual DRIVEL our vaunted Blackhawks have performed.since the start of 2014...a huge slide in our offensive production...we scored 45 goals in 13 GP in October(3.46 gpg); 57 goals in 15GP in November(3.8 gpg); then 56 goals im December in 14GP (4 gpg)...so we kept trending up in offensive production per game for 3 months...but started going south once 2014 began..because in January the numbers declined too just 41 goals.in 14 games (2.93 gpg) ...and in 4 games to date in February only 8 goals (2 gpg)...thus so far 2014 has been real DRIVEL...I think that should be the focus of criticism...not the Truth I post about.. For those who trust median stats as an even truer indicator than mere average evaluation..the median goals per game stats show 3 for October,5, for November, 3 fir December and then 2.5 in January and just 2 so far in February 1.5 ....and so it looks like our noys have been mailing it in too much in 2014...repairing to Q's country club...rather than TCB. ..and with the standings points frittered away we now find the club actually ranked only 7th best in the NHL as the league determinrs overall ranking based on wins and GP.. Thus we are no longer that mighty or high flyingor however you try to justify our vainted reputation...Unless we get back to playing our best and that means our talent has to put more pucks into opposing nets agaon..we arein for big disappointment unless you believe they can flip a switch and turn it on whenever they want to...and do not be concerned about this drop-off...Maybe they can flip the switch...but that is no reason to givem them an automatic pass to avoid criticism and complaint. The are paid a lot...and when underperformance goes on so long compared to what we saw previously. ..when the trending down lasts this.long..I think that kind of DRIVEL performance ought to be a valid subject for complaint by fans.. Whether entirely the players fault for the drop-off or whether the coaches have mot cracked down on them enough, the bottom line is that this level of offensive decline cannot be allowed to keep trending down. .we must get back to whre we were in the first 3 months...We are not good enough defensively to mske up for an offensive drop-off. So plrase...get perturbed more about our Blaclhawks own substandard play in 2014 rather than any "drivel" you think comrs from my posts here. I care about my Blackhawks as much as any other Blackhawks' fans do..but I will never rubber stamp p-poor
Performance,effort,or results from them ehen I know they are capable of much better..I simply will not cheer DRIVEL from our team when that is exactly what they habe given us on avetage or on median in 2014 games..hopefully after the break we return to form and present the challenge of a real Cup contender...not the Country Club pretender we have mostly see or seen to often since the New Year in 2014 began.

 

[LBS8844]

2013-2014 is a new season, and other teams have improved. Hawks lost champions Emery, Bolland, Frolik, etc., and replaced them with something arguably somewhat less. Yes, they've dropped 6-8 points they'd have otherwise secured last season. Dropoff in "team D" and average GA - despite the personnel changes - is difficult to explain. When they are on, we can agree that the best teams in the league - even at home - are at a marked disadvantage. Barring critical injuries from Sochi, I see the Hawks top players coming back in top form, while the rest [read: Crow, Leddy, Saad] gain valuable rest/recoup. Expect a fine showing in the 22-game stretch run.

 

[krazyhawk]

Its like this 50.I have lived through the darkest years of the Hawks when winning a game was a cause for celebration and people would lay odds on when they would win another one.Right now they're the defending champs and have seemingly avoided the cup hangover.They sit 3rd overall for gods sake!! Have they been perfect?? No! Is there room for improvement?? Damn straight there is.Just because I dont rant and rave about every little mistake or deficiency doesn't mean I'm not concerned.Every team in the league makes mistakes and has deficiencies,Hawks are no different,but having survived the dark ages,I am loving this renaissance even with the imperfections of this team.

Try relaxing and enjoying the fact the Hawks are one of the best in the league.Defending champs with a good chance to repeat,warts and all.

Fans like me are well aware of the Hawks problems so no need for you to point them out to us post after post after post after post,day after day after day after day.Try relaxing a bit and enjoy the fact that even when not playing up to your standards they still manage to do well.Or does that stick in your craw too much!

 

[EricRealm]

It upsets me that some Blackhawks fans like krazyhawk appear to be more critical of the "drivel".I post on thrse boards than the actual DRIVEL our vaunted Blackhawks have performed.since the start of 2014...a huge slide in our offensive production...we scored 45 goals in 13 GP in October(3.46 gpg); 57 goals in 15GP in November(3.8 gpg); then 56 goals im December in 14GP (4 gpg)...so we kept trending up in offensive production per game for 3 months...but started going south once 2014 began..because in January the numbers declined too just 41 goals.in 14 games (2.93 gpg) ...and in 4 games to date in February only 8 goals (2 gpg)...thus so far 2014 has been real DRIVEL...I think that should be the focus of criticism...not the Truth I post about.. For those who trust median stats as an even truer indicator than mere average evaluation..the median goals per game stats show 3 for October,5, for November, 3 fir December and then 2.5 in January and just 2 so far in February 1.5 ....and so it looks like our noys have been mailing it in too much in 2014...repairing to Q's country club...rather than TCB. ..and with the standings points frittered away we now find the club actually ranked only 7th best in the NHL as the league determinrs overall ranking based on wins and GP.. Thus we are no longer that mighty or high flyingor however you try to justify our vainted reputation...Unless we get back to playing our best and that means our talent has to put more pucks into opposing nets agaon..we arein for big disappointment unless you believe they can flip a switch and turn it on whenever they want to...and do not be concerned about this drop-off...Maybe they can flip the switch...but that is no reason to givem them an automatic pass to avoid criticism and complaint. The are paid a lot...and when underperformance goes on so long compared to what we saw previously. ..when the trending down lasts this.long..I think that kind of DRIVEL performance ought to be a valid subject for complaint by fans.. Whether entirely the players fault for the drop-off or whether the coaches have mot cracked down on them enough, the bottom line is that this level of offensive decline cannot be allowed to keep trending down. .we must get back to whre we were in the first 3 months...We are not good enough defensively to mske up for an offensive drop-off. So plrase...get perturbed more about our Blaclhawks own substandard play in 2014 rather than any "drivel" you think comrs from my posts here. I care about my Blackhawks as much as any other Blackhawks' fans do..but I will never rubber stamp p-poor
Performance,effort,or results from them ehen I know they are capable of much better..I simply will not cheer DRIVEL from our team when that is exactly what they habe given us on avetage or on median in 2014 games..hopefully after the break we return to form and present the challenge of a real Cup contender...not the Country Club pretender we have mostly see or seen to often since the New Year in 2014 began.

They seem to play to the level of competition. If there's one team who can turn on the switch its the Hawks. But that switch needs to be on from here on out

 

[ChiGuySez]

Nice to see the Hawks playing .500 hockey and still remain among the leaders. Im sure they'll turn it up again for the stretch run.

 

[EmeticDonut]

Expecting the Hawks the keep the pace they had the first half of the season is just unrealistic.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Expecting the Hawks the keep the pace they had the first half of the season is just unrealistic.

They're playing like a top 5 team in the NHL. That's where their record has them. How/why is expecting them to finish around there unrealistic?

 

[ChiGuySez]

Hoping the Blues get seeded with some team from the Pacific.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Expecting the Hawks the keep the pace they had the first half of the season is just unrealistic.

Can't decide if you mean this positively or negatively. I hope they don't play at the pace they have been for most of these past 60 games. Team defense and goaltending was 1st round exit worthy for a lot of games so far.

 

[burd]

It upsets me that some Blackhawks fans like krazyhawk appear to be more critical of the "drivel".I post on thrse boards than the actual DRIVEL our vaunted Blackhawks have performed.since the start of 2014...a huge slide in our offensive production...we scored 45 goals in 13 GP in October(3.46 gpg); 57 goals in 15GP in November(3.8 gpg); then 56 goals im December in 14GP (4 gpg)...so we kept trending up in offensive production per game for 3 months...but started going south once 2014 began..because in January the numbers declined too just 41 goals.in 14 games (2.93 gpg) ...and in 4 games to date in February only 8 goals (2 gpg)...thus so far 2014 has been real DRIVEL...I think that should be the focus of criticism...not the Truth I post about.. For those who trust median stats as an even truer indicator than mere average evaluation..the median goals per game stats show 3 for October,5, for November, 3 fir December and then 2.5 in January and just 2 so far in February 1.5 ....and so it looks like our noys have been mailing it in too much in 2014...repairing to Q's country club...rather than TCB. ..and with the standings points frittered away we now find the club actually ranked only 7th best in the NHL as the league determinrs overall ranking based on wins and GP.. Thus we are no longer that mighty or high flyingor however you try to justify our vainted reputation...Unless we get back to playing our best and that means our talent has to put more pucks into opposing nets agaon..we arein for big disappointment unless you believe they can flip a switch and turn it on whenever they want to...and do not be concerned about this drop-off...Maybe they can flip the switch...but that is no reason to givem them an automatic pass to avoid criticism and complaint. The are paid a lot...and when underperformance goes on so long compared to what we saw previously. ..when the trending down lasts this.long..I think that kind of DRIVEL performance ought to be a valid subject for complaint by fans.. Whether entirely the players fault for the drop-off or whether the coaches have mot cracked down on them enough, the bottom line is that this level of offensive decline cannot be allowed to keep trending down. .we must get back to whre we were in the first 3 months...We are not good enough defensively to mske up for an offensive drop-off. So plrase...get perturbed more about our Blaclhawks own substandard play in 2014 rather than any "drivel" you think comrs from my posts here. I care about my Blackhawks as much as any other Blackhawks' fans do..but I will never rubber stamp p-poor
Performance,effort,or results from them ehen I know they are capable of much better..I simply will not cheer DRIVEL from our team when that is exactly what they habe given us on avetage or on median in 2014 games..hopefully after the break we return to form and present the challenge of a real Cup contender...not the Country Club pretender we have mostly see or seen to often since the New Year in 2014 began.

Absowutely righw. Give me the Hawkes of the 70s, 80s, 90s, or 00s ofer this bunch of overplaid, drivelink, country klubers! We diserve better.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Yeah, I'll take decades of teams that never won the Cup over the core of a team that won twice in four years. We clearly deserve better.

I keep saying this, but I honestly fear what this board will be like if we ever become so much as a mediocre team again, much less a bad one. Plenty still voraciously complain about every little thing even though we're effectively in the franchise's golden age.

 

[madgoat33]

Yeah, I'll take decades of teams that never won the Cup over the core of a team that won twice in four years. We clearly deserve better.

I keep saying this, but I honestly fear what this board will be like if we ever become so much as a mediocre team again, much less a bad one. Plenty still voraciously complain about every little thing even though we're effectively in the franchise's golden age.

why? I feel like most of the people complaining will just disappear.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

why? I feel like most of the people complaining will just disappear.

Optimism, I like it.