IGT: 1/18/2012 Buffalo Sabres @ Chicago Blackhawks

[Jntg4]

LOL, Joe's facebooking about how mad he is that we are 1st seed.

 

[Everyday I'm Byfuglien]

LOL, Joe's facebooking about how mad he is that we are 1st seed.

wait, what?

 

[Jntg4]

He's bitching about it, you can tell he's mad. His first status after we win "1st seed... who cares. It's January"

If he didn't care he wouldn't post about it, considering it was right as the game ended and nobody else was talking about it. He's obviously not happy about it either though haha.

 

[Everyday I'm Byfuglien]

Better there than here.

 

[GaelicSoxFan]

Complaining about having the best record and guaranteeing home ice advantage (at this point)? :lmao:

 

[Everyday I'm Byfuglien]

Hey, how about Davey Bolland.

Really a nice stretch from him lately.

Garbage ass.

 

[icehogfan08]

Nice to see the bottom 6 guys producing. This team is going to be very dangerous of you can throw all 4 lines out and produce.

 

[Everyday I'm Byfuglien]

Nice to see the bottom 6 guys producing. This team is going to be very dangerous of you can throw all 4 lines out and produce.

Stalberg, Hayes and Shaw.

They're making things happen. Stalberg a little less so- he's just put on the top line and he's producing. There's not much science to that. But Hayes and Shaw have really energized things in Sharp's absence.

Shaw is out there killing penalties, playing on the pp and hitting the net. All good things. Hayes is providing Brunette and more importantly- Bolland - with an offensive spark that is just huge for this team and it's something that neither Frolik or Bickell were able to do.

It's easy to get all high on everyone in the middle of a nice little run and especially after a beat down of a shitty team but things are working pretty well right now. The best part is that it's not a complicated equation that can't reasonably be sustained.

It's pretty simple- get the PP and the 3rd line going.

Steady play from the 3rd d pairing is either icing on the cake or a by product of the stronger forward play. Either way, I like it.

 

[icehogfan08]

Stalberg, Hayes and Shaw.

They're making things happen. Stalberg a little less so- he's just put on the top line and he's producing. There's not much science to that. But Hayes and Shaw have really energized things in Sharp's absence.

Shaw is out there killing penalties, playing on the pp and hitting the net. All good things. Hayes is providing Brunette and more importantly- Bolland - with an offensive spark that is just huge for this team and it's something that neither Frolik or Bickell were able to do.

It's easy to get all high on everyone in the middle of a nice little run and especially after a beat down of a shitty team but things are working pretty well right now. The best part is that it's not a complicated equation that can't reasonably be sustained.

It's pretty simple- get the PP and the 3rd line going.

Steady play from the 3rd d pairing is either icing on the cake or a by product of the stronger forward play. Either way, I like it.

The thing with stalberg is if he isn't getting on the scoresheet he does it with his speed on a forcheck

 

[tbo41fan]

Normally true icehog, but I thought he had a very meh game tonight

 

[icehogfan08]

Normally true icehog, but I thought he had a very meh game tonight

Yeah I agree. The one thing stalberg needs to do is be cconsistent. His speed is a great toll for Kane and toews and he needs to take advantage of playing with them

 

[HawkWriter]

The thing with stalberg is if he isn't getting on the scoresheet he does it with his speed on a forcheck

Very true.

There are two sides to the sword with Stalberg. He doesn't seem to finish a lot of chances that many think he should. Some back door passes where he doesn't get good wood on or he just simply doesn't bury. On the other hand, what other player on the team is able to put themselves in those positions time and time again? Not many. Brunette could probably finish off most of those times I am talking about, but he would never be in that position. That goes for most players on the team because there isn't a forward (minus a Hossa/Sharp - but not a fill in top 6 player like Stalberg in a sense) who puts themselves in that position.

 

[HawkWriter]

Stalberg, Hayes and Shaw.

They're making things happen. Stalberg a little less so- he's just put on the top line and he's producing. There's not much science to that. But Hayes and Shaw have really energized things in Sharp's absence.

Shaw is out there killing penalties, playing on the pp and hitting the net. All good things. Hayes is providing Brunette and more importantly- Bolland - with an offensive spark that is just huge for this team and it's something that neither Frolik or Bickell were able to do.

It's easy to get all high on everyone in the middle of a nice little run and especially after a beat down of a shitty team but things are working pretty well right now. The best part is that it's not a complicated equation that can't reasonably be sustained.

It's pretty simple- get the PP and the 3rd line going.

Steady play from the 3rd d pairing is either icing on the cake or a by product of the stronger forward play. Either way, I like it.

Definitely have to give it up to Hayes. His lack of speed still scares me a little but he is playing well and using his big body. I do hope that he gets bumped down to the 4th line eventually because that 3rd line needs to be a shutdown line when playoffs come (Bolland/Frolik/Shaw would be great in a shutdown role), but that is some time away.

The thing I love about Shaw, and why I feel most confident about his future in the NHL, is his speed. He definitely has the feet to be in the NHL right now. The thing I have grown to love about Shaw...he puts the puck on net and loves the garbage goal. I haven't seen Shaw pass up many opportunities to shoot...and that makes me happy. The pretty pass isn't his game but putting a hard shot on net and bum-rushing the net for a rebound is.

 

[HawkWriter]

Bad call on Kruger's no goal. Even worse since they didn't actually make a call on it.

Also, refs missed Vanek (I think) skating with a clearly broken stick for a solid 5-10 seconds in the 3rd. I guess they didn't want to pile on Buffalo too much but come on.

Yea, the call on Kruger's goal was unfortunate. Sucks that it couldn't go to review as well. I was at the game so I have no idea on why they didn't go to review and why they called it a no goal, but I had a theory and NHL Network confirmed it (just in case they didn't say why on NBCS and people were wondering why). The play was blown dead when Kruger touched the puck because it was under the assumption that Shaw made a direct hand-pass to Kruger, without it touching the puck. Obviously the whistle doesn't blow until after the puck is in the net, but the play isn't dead when the whistle blows, the play is to be dead when the ref makes a motion of the whistle to his mouth (when Kruger touches the puck). Shaw made a great play there to get a stick on it and it should have been a goal, but o well. All things even out and the refs owe the Blackhawks one, just happy it didn't cost them.

Also, the stick thing was Leino I believe (when the stick broke on a stretch pass in front of the Blackhawks bench). No idea what he was doing on that one but he held onto his stick for a good while.

 

[ZDemp34]

Yea, the call on Kruger's goal was unfortunate. Sucks that it couldn't go to review as well. I was at the game so I have no idea on why they didn't go to review and why they called it a no goal, but I had a theory and NHL Network confirmed it (just in case they didn't say why on NBCS and people were wondering why). The play was blown dead when Kruger touched the puck because it was under the assumption that Shaw made a direct hand-pass to Kruger, without it touching the puck. Obviously the whistle doesn't blow until after the puck is in the net, but the play isn't dead when the whistle blows, the play is to be dead when the ref makes a motion of the whistle to his mouth (when Kruger touches the puck). Shaw made a great play there to get a stick on it and it should have been a goal, but o well. All things even out and the refs owe the Blackhawks one, just happy it didn't cost them.

Also, the stick thing was Leino I believe (when the stick broke on a stretch pass in front of the Blackhawks bench). No idea what he was doing on that one but he held onto his stick for a good while.

Well then....the ref completely blew that one. (no pun intended)