[A] Gagner Ties Record: CHI 4, EDM 8

[Pez68]

you think the answer is simply a goaltending swap? Come on man, get your ass together. We could have had Hasek in net last night, and likely got blown out. Story of Crow's season, will make the big save, will face only a few shots in the period, but when the puck gets low in our zone, the D craps out and allows as many chances as it takes to put the puck in the net.



I thought we would miss Campbell, but I honestly didn't think we would miss him this much in the defensive zone.



Also, Kruger shouldn't be on the team right now, especially as a fucking winger. Q needs to get his head out of his ass.

No, not really. The defense didn't shit the bed until the third period, when it was obvious no amount of effort was going to get a win with the way Crawford was playing. I understand why that third period happened, as I've been in that situation as a player. It is completely demoralizing. Of the goals Crawford gave up, only one of those was not on him. After that second goal, where he completely lost the net, he should have been pulled. He looked shaky all night and only an idiot couldn't see what was coming.



The defense has very little to do with the defensive zone problems. That's almost entirely on the positioning of the forwards, who do absolutely nothing to prevent a high cycle game, on a shift to shift and game to game basis.. Keith and Seabrook were, once again, extremely overplayed in the first two periods. Before the landslide started, BOTH of them were on pace for 30 minutes. That's fucking unacceptable. That "shutdown" line Q has put together is horseshit too. You cannot depend on two rookies to be dependable checkers.



The Hawks had almost 50 shots.

 

[Rex]

because they play a one dimensional game. I wasn't just referring to last night Pez, but it's something I've noticed for a while. The OT goal in Vancouver, the OT goal in Detroit. Forwards not taking their point man, and D men standing around when the puck is down low and waiting for the play to happen. Crow didn't have a good night last night, but at the same time, this is something that has been brewing for quite a while now, and Q has turned a blind eye to it, as has Stan.



Unless they thought the solution was pairing Keith with Leddy, and giving Keith/Seabrook 30+ minutes a night.

 

[Rex]

How many goals have we watched scored on us this season, where they just banged it in from up close? Too many to count.

 

[Pez68]

How many goals have we watched scored on us this season, where they just banged it in from up close? Too many to count.

With the rule changes, you cannot clear guys out from in front of the net before the puck gets there. As a result, you have to PREVENT the shots from the point with traffic, instead of REACT to them afterwards. Coach Q doesn't seem to fucking grasp that. The other team is WAY too open at the point, and it has been this way for two seasons now. Forwards don't just forget proper positioning in their zone.

 

[Tim]

As for a SC , this Hawks team would be destroyed by either the Bruins or the Rangers if it could get past its division opponents. It's not just Crawford....still many were puzzled when they chose signing #4 over Niemi.



The only off season F/D veteran signing that is paying dividends is J. Mayer.



The trade deadline is creeping up so we will have to wait and see what Bowman can do.

 

[Rex]

As for a SC , this Hawks team would be destroyed by either the Bruins or the Rangers if it could get past its division opponents. It's not just Crawford....still many were puzzled when they chose signing #4 over Niemi.



The only off season F/D veteran signing that is paying dividends is J. Mayer.



The trade deadline is creeping up so we will have to wait and see what Bowman can do.

I'm happy with Hjalmarsson out there. I don't expect him to put up points (though he is tied with Kruger right now, who I DO expect to put up points) I expect him to block shots, and play his position, which he does.

 

[PatrickShart]

Crawford is bad. Has been all year. The game should have been 3-1 going into the third. Would have been worse if Dubie didn't make some incredible saves.



The defense has been taking the blame all year, when sometimes....the goalie has to make a save. A .900% is pathetic in this day and age. Emery is ranked 37th and Crawford 39th in save percentage.



The D, coaches, etc is getting all the blame, when the goaltending has been failing. Most all the pressure for 2 periods was on EDM last night. Up 2-0..Hall has a partial break, Seabrook plays it perfectly....and Crawford fucks it up. The only thing Hall could do was throw the puck short side and it goes in? Then....yet another open net wrap around goal? Unable to catch Barkers shot? Shots going in from center ice vs NASH?



That demoralizes a team...they then try doing too much. Saw it with Huet as well. The team...and can't blame them...should not have any confidence in their goaltending. They won't say it...they'll take the brunt of the blame...try to do too much. But the fact is, the goaltending has been pathetic all year.

 

[LordKOTL]

I think I can safely say that just about everyone shit the bed in this past game. There's only one word for this outing: Embarassing



Crawford was Brutal. Emery was brutal. In fact, everyone not named Sharp was brutal. It seriously looked like the guys showed up for a practice.



I'm at a loss. Realy this was a game where the true character of the team should have showed up and if we had to lose, at least go down kicking and clawing, but really, The entire team looked like they had all of the Hockey ability of the Bulgarian Women's team when they face off against Slovakia.



Some of you more in the know can answer the why--why the team imploded. All I can say is that if there was any game where chairs were to be thrown and a bag skate was to be scheduled...this was it.

 

[PatrickShart]

So the Hawks were brutal when they were all over them, up 2-0....when it could've been more if not for some crazy saves by Dubynk?

 

[LordKOTL]

Yes. How much of the game were we all over them? How much were we not? For a bigger portion of the game, we let them walk all over us. The small portion we were playing inspired meant jack and shit in the outcome That is brutal. That is uninspiring. 5-20 minutes of playing hockey and 20-55 minutes of coasting is brutal--no matter how hard we play in the 5-20 minutes.

 

[MassHavoc]

HAH, I said it and then boom here it is...





Hawks' interest in Gagner



11:46AM ET



Beyond the jaw-dropping digit, you have to appreciate the timing as well.

Collecting eight (EIGHT!) points in a single game's work is (apologies for stating the obvious) an exceptionally effective way of boosting one's own trade value. And that's exactly what center Sam Gagner of the Edmonton Oilers accomplished Thursday, potting four goals and four assists in an 8-4 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.

In an interesting twist, the Blackhawks are rumored to be among a handful of teams interested in Gagner.

The Oilers are presumed to want a top-four defenseman in return for the 22-year-old center.

- Victoria Matiash​

ESPN's Craig Custance



Gagner's price just went up

"... Chicago GM Stan Bowman has a history of acquiring players who aren't necessarily just rentals, but chances are he'll wait and see how Brendan Morrison fits before shopping for another center. But Gagner certainly made a great pitch ..."​

 

[BigPete]

On a side note, why was the wrap-around goal allowed. Smyth was in the crease and in a small way preventing Crawford from getting to the other post. Not that he would have gotten there anyway.

While I think it is bullshit, the refs will tell you that Smyth was in the crease and on his back because the defender put him there so it was not his fault that prevented the goalie from making the play. IMHO Smyth is a dickbag camper that litterally parks inside the crease until someone moves him....which should be called as interference. There is only one person that should be IN the crease, the goalie.

 

[DBQHawkFan]

While I think it is bullshit, the refs will tell you that Smyth was in the crease and on his back because the defender put him there so it was not his fault that prevented the goalie from making the play. IMHO Smyth is a dickbag camper that litterally parks inside the crease until someone moves him....which should be called as interference. There is only one person that should be IN the crease, the goalie.

He wasn't on his back. He stayed on his feet from what I recall. It was the Hawk who went down. And he wasn't pushed in there. But he was there and the puck was not. Faceoff goes outside the zone and no goal.

 

[DBQHawkFan]

I think I can safely say that just about everyone shit the bed in this past game. There's only one word for this outing: Embarassing



Crawford was Brutal. Emery was brutal. In fact, everyone not named Sharp was brutal. It seriously looked like the guys showed up for a practice.



I'm at a loss. Realy this was a game where the true character of the team should have showed up and if we had to lose, at least go down kicking and clawing, but really, The entire team looked like they had all of the Hockey ability of the Bulgarian Women's team when they face off against Slovakia.



Some of you more in the know can answer the why--why the team imploded. All I can say is that if there was any game where chairs were to be thrown and a bag skate was to be scheduled...this was it.

Really? I guess I must have been watching a different game.

 

[Pez68]

While I think it is bullshit, the refs will tell you that Smyth was in the crease and on his back because the defender put him there so it was not his fault that prevented the goalie from making the play. IMHO Smyth is a dickbag camper that litterally parks inside the crease until someone moves him....which should be called as interference. There is only one person that should be IN the crease, the goalie.

To be fair to Smyth, Crawford wasn't getting that fucking puck anyway. Once he goes down out of the crease, forget about it.

 

[PatrickShart]

To be fair to Smyth, Crawford wasn't getting that fucking puck anyway. Once he goes down out of the crease, forget about it.

+10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

 

[Ton]

Crawford wasn't getting there because Leddy went down to block the shot (or pass) and ran right into Crawford to impede his progress.

 

[Pez68]

Leddy didn't touch him, actually. I watched that replay several times on the DVR because our assclown announcers said Leddy got tied up with him. But he never actually touched him. How about that fourth goal? Same story.

 

[Maiden]

you think the answer is simply a goaltending swap? Come on man, get your ass together. We could have had Hasek in net last night, and likely got blown out. Story of Crow's season, will make the big save, will face only a few shots in the period, but when the puck gets low in our zone, the D craps out and allows as many chances as it takes to put the puck in the net.



I thought we would miss Campbell, but I honestly didn't think we would miss him this much in the defensive zone.



Also, Kruger shouldn't be on the team right now, especially as a fucking winger. Q needs to get his head out of his ass.

Thanks for someone finally saying it.

 

[BigPete]

Leddy didn't touch him, actually. I watched that replay several times on the DVR because our assclown announcers said Leddy got tied up with him. But he never actually touched him. How about that fourth goal? Same story.

Right. And who was lying on his back blocking the goalie from reaching all the way to the far post?