Post Game - Blackhawks vs Blues

[the canadian dream]

What shocked me the most is the non-physical Blues team that showed up to play...Im wondering if that was their game plan match for match to see who was the better team or are they figuring out that gooning up will not take them far. For the most part of the game we made the Blues look like an AHL team....the score could have easily been 5-2. Kane was making some crazy passes and making plays happen...you all might disagree with me about the comment Im going to make but, I still feel like Sharp is not so Sharp, I feel like he has not gotten his speed to match the team or something, I feel like he is a step behind. late on that one timer from Kane. Kane man Kane has that Eye of the TIGER! baby,! Eye of the Tiger!

blues were pounding the shit out of chicago in the first period. probably didnt look like it because of all the odd men chances the hawks were getting in that period. blues played physical and the hawks were turning over the puck because of it. also the hawks were not countering the physical play taking dumb penalties. just looked like the blues werent playing physical but they actually were esp in that first period.



sharp is def sharp. he takes a lot of shots and they all arent going to hit twine. his positioning is great like always. we all know sharp goes through slumps through the year but he keeps shooting and thats fine. aslong as he doesnt go mia at the most important times...like last year in the playoffs. he and kane and bolland are growing a nice chemistry now that everyone is playing where they should be. its like having two first lines again and its awesome so far.

 

[BigPete]

i guess im the rare one who thinks shaw is playing well. i notice him everytime he is on the ice. thats all i need to be happy.im with pmx on this one. nothing needs to be changed right now.

He understands the position well. He knows what his role is as 3rd/4th line center. What is to complain about?

 

[BigPete]

blues were pounding the shit out of chicago in the first period. probably didnt look like it because of all the odd men chances the hawks were getting in that period. blues played physical and the hawks were turning over the puck because of it. also the hawks were not countering the physical play taking dumb penalties. just looked like the blues werent playing physical but they actually were esp in that first period.

I have been critical of the recent Blues teams for this. They spend so much time and energy trying to run people over that they base their whole game on smash, recover the puck, make a quick shot or pass, then defend against the counter attack. They burned out on that late in the first and it took another period and a rousing speech from the coach to get going again. They will never win the cup until they can take a controlled and measured approach to their 60 minute game plan.

 

[the canadian dream]

He understands the position well. He knows what his role is as 3rd/4th line center. What is to complain about?

He understands the position well. He knows what his role is as 3rd/4th line center. What is to complain about?

i havent seen anything yet. i havent been paying attention to his faceoff stats..maybe that? otherwise hes been working hard every shift. his positioning has been sound and hes driving the net and getting chances frim it. i dont know what else to ask for other than a few if his shots to go in...and they will as the seadon rills on. that 3rd lines been giving the opposition a little bit of problems the last three games. its a goid puck possession line with size. stalberg also brings speed. i like it and all three right now are back checking hard also. stalberg is under rated as a defensive forward. he hustles back just as hard as anyone else in the league and his speed def helps. a couple turn over gaffs sometimes but overall hes a steady defensive forward.

 

[Ton]

Craw had a good game for sure...but Elliot kept his team in the game/gave them a chance to win. Did you watch the first period? Outplaying his counterpart? Not sure about that

Did you watch the third? Craw faced 14 shots or something like that. I'd say he did pretty well and deserved the win.

 

[Ton]

Shaw is a skilled player. Skilled players can have grit.



He had 12g/23pts in 37gms last year...I think that shows some skill?



In Mayer's 13+ years in the league, his top years were 15g and 12g...26/27pts respectively - in full seasons.



08-09 OHL...listed as center

09-10 OHL...listed as center

10-11 OHL...listed as center



So yes...I do think he's much more skilled than a 38yr old Mayers.



The only one Mayers may be better than is Bollig. But that line has been good as well, and not sure why it should be split up.

Dude you have to be kidding with this garbage. Last year half his goals bounced in off his ass. I guess Carcillo is a skilled player too because he scored 13 goals one year on the 4th line. Give me a break.



You know what that stat line shows? It shows he's willing to get dirty like any gritty, hard working, blue collar player should -- thus the reason he made the team over Pirri, a player with skill which we have enough of. Kyle Calder had 25 goals one year and I would never call him a "skilled" player. Don't get me wrong, players like Shaw are good to have in a line-up and have their place on the PP because they can get to the net, they battle hard in the corners, get their hands dirty, and have enough speed to push the pace... but skilled? Not in this league.



I don't mind the third line, I think Shaw should play but he's on the ice more than I would like to see. I think I would be more comfortable with Kruger/Frolik playing on the 3rd line with Stalberg (bump their minutes up) and Shaw/Bickell (18 min for Shaw is a lot) with Bollig... but I can't complain with the results so far. The Shaw and Bickell line just reminds me of an energy line right now, not saying they should play 10 minutes a game but we have 4 lines.



Also, last thought: why is Shaw playing more minutes than Toews, Sharp, Hossa, Bolland, Stalberg, Saad? Doesn't make sense to me.

 

[bookjones]

I live close to and usually play at the US Ice Sports Complex in Fairview Heights, IL (outside St. Louis). Several months ago now the facility was severely damaged by mine subsidence. The rink was built with a lot of public funds around 1990 but it is owned by a conglomerate in Chicago that has ten other rinks up there. Hockey is popular down here but not at the level it is in Chicago or places like the Twin Cities and big cities in Michigan. As such, they have done jack nothing to repair our rink and open it back up to the public.



One of the guys in my rec league (my captain this session in fact) is a coach and program manager for the traveling peewee team in the area, the Ice Hawks. He talked to people at the Scottrade in the fall to get the Ice Hawks and other SW IL schools some ice time at the arena. They loved the business during the lockout and our league (the Scott Hockey League) subsequently signed a contract to play there on Tuesday nights until mid February. We have about 5 weeks left on our season and the Blues are doing their best to honor our contract. We couldn't play last Tuesday because the Blues had a scrimmage that was open to the public. I believe we will be good to play for the next 4 or 5 weeks straight without interruption though.



It is sooooooooo cool. Nicer ice, nicer locker rooms, better lighting, better benches, you name it. Our rink in Fairview Heights was expensive to build but has been managed and maintained poorly so this is a big step up.



Side note, we redraft our teams every new session (about three months long) and I have been with different coaches the last three times. I am a bit of a journeyman, lol. I somehow managed to be on championship teams the last two times and this team is looking like it will win the Scott Keg trophy. It is going to be so cool to lift the keg three sessions in a row and in a professional arena! (our trophy is made out of a full sized keg and a steel salad bowl in the image of the Stanley Cup)

VERY cool story. This'll be great to recount to hockey nuts you talk to for years to come, heh.

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

What shocked me the most is the non-physical Blues team that showed up to play...Im wondering if that was their game plan match for match to see who was the better team or are they figuring out that gooning up will not take them far. For the most part of the game we made the Blues look like an AHL team....the score could have easily been 5-2. Kane was making some crazy passes and making plays happen...you all might disagree with me about the comment Im going to make but, I still feel like Sharp is not so Sharp, I feel like he has not gotten his speed to match the team or something, I feel like he is a step behind. late on that one timer from Kane. Kane man Kane has that Eye of the TIGER! baby,! Eye of the Tiger!

I think the Hawks were playing the strategy of a fast and keep the puck moving quick enough that if the Blues tried to be too physical they would be too far out of position and not have the puck much. That showed very much in the first and some of the second. The Blues did adjust to just playing towards the end of the 2nd and through the 3rd and were able to be effective....the Hawks semi-turtling helped the Blues with their adjustment as well.

 

[BigPete]

VERY cool story. This'll be great to recount to hockey nuts you talk to for years to come, heh.

Thanks but sadly I tell stories well in print and badly in person.

 

[PatrickShart]

Dude you have to be kidding with this garbage. Last year half his goals bounced in off his ass. I guess Carcillo is a skilled player too because he scored 13 goals one year on the 4th line. Give me a break.



You know what that stat line shows? It shows he's willing to get dirty like any gritty, hard working, blue collar player should -- thus the reason he made the team over Pirri, a player with skill which we have enough of. Kyle Calder had 25 goals one year and I would never call him a "skilled" player. Don't get me wrong, players like Shaw are good to have in a line-up and have their place on the PP because they can get to the net, they battle hard in the corners, get their hands dirty, and have enough speed to push the pace... but skilled? Not in this league.



I don't mind the third line, I think Shaw should play but he's on the ice more than I would like to see. I think I would be more comfortable with Kruger/Frolik playing on the 3rd line with Stalberg (bump their minutes up) and Shaw/Bickell (18 min for Shaw is a lot) with Bollig... but I can't complain with the results so far. The Shaw and Bickell line just reminds me of an energy line right now, not saying they should play 10 minutes a game but we have 4 lines.



Also, last thought: why is Shaw playing more minutes than Toews, Sharp, Hossa, Bolland, Stalberg, Saad? Doesn't make sense to me.

I spew garbage...but Crawford outplays every single goalie he's up against. Win or lose. And if a goal goes in...its always on "what's the defense doing"



Right, half the goals went off his ass. Got it. I'll wait for you to post a few youtube video's of 2-3 goals to "prove your point"



Shaw is more skilled than Mayers. If you can't see that, not sure what to tell you. He can make plays with the puck. Players with skill can do that. It's part of the reason he plays on the PP.



And his ice time? He's 6th on the fowards avg 16:51 a game - behind...Toews, Kane, Hossa, Sharp and Bolland. The reason his TOI is high is because he takes long shifts.



Calder avg 41pts a year (.498ppg) He had decent hands. Led the team in scoring one year too. Not bad for an unskilled player like Shaw.

 

[Ton]

I spew garbage...but Crawford outplays every single goalie he's up against. Win or lose. And if a goal goes in...its always on "what's the defense doing"



Right, half the goals went off his ass. Got it. I'll wait for you to post a few youtube video's of 2-3 goals to "prove your point"



Shaw is more skilled than Mayers. If you can't see that, not sure what to tell you. He can make plays with the puck. Players with skill can do that. It's part of the reason he plays on the PP.



And his ice time? He's 6th on the fowards avg 16:51 a game - behind...Toews, Kane, Hossa, Sharp and Bolland. The reason his TOI is high is because he takes long shifts.



Calder avg 41pts a year (.498ppg) He had decent hands. Led the team in scoring one year too. Not bad for an unskilled player like Shaw.

Never said Mayers should play over Shaw. These guys are not skilled players, they are grinders. Can grinders have some skill? Sure, but I don't go to games to watch Andrew Shaw, Kyle Calder, and Dan Carcillo snipe a goal or deke the jockstrap off a player. Kruger and Frolik have more skill IMO. I go to games expecting these guys to go hard to the net, battle in the corners, and provide energy... big difference. Occasionally you'll see these guys display some skill, but anyone at this level should have an ounce of that ability in them to make it to these level, by definition, all of them have skill. If I had to call someone up to play center with skill, it would have been Pirri by a mile, not Shaw.



You're basically proving my point that even a grinder like Calder can put up points, but guaranteed at least 75% of those points happened because of they battled hard rather than sniping a goal.



I'm don't have to pull up any YouTube videos... anyone who watched a game last year would know that Shaw scored over half his goals in front of the net with a puck deflecting off his body. It's useful, every team needs a guy that can put in the garbage goal -- a lot of guys make a career out of that. But that isn't the type of player I would consider "skilled" in the NHL.

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

One of the most amazing goals I saw live was last season was when I was in Tampa. Carcillo scored one beautiful goal. Stamkos trumped it by scoring a hat trick.



I don't know if I'd call Shaw skilled either, but I guess that's how we define the word skill.

One will defend it saying he's skilled enough to be at the NHL level. Another will say that he's lucky with the bounces. Which is it?

Q must see something in him that he's dressed over Mayers.



Like pmx said, was Calder skilled? Or was it because that's all the Blackhawks really had that season, and the burden was put on him and the rest of the "first line" that year. He led that bad team with 59 points. He was the most skilled player to be on the first line the year after the lockout. Years later he's a bust in the ECHL (and was a bust in Detroit).



Interesting debate.

 

[Ashor-redtribe]

To much bickering over who is better between Shaw, Carbomb, Saad, who is getting to much ice time, who should be on what line...ect...ect...who gives a **** they are all here for a reason.. and stop sounding like a bunch of women on PMS...arguing over men!

 

[MassHavoc]

Ok.... let's turn this frown upside down and move to the pre-game thread.... Let's talk about Kane and Sharp...

 

[BigPete]

To much bickering over who is better between Shaw, Carbomb, Saad, who is getting to much ice time, who should be on what line...ect...ect...who gives a **** they are all here for a reason.. and stop sounding like a bunch of women on PMS...arguing over men!

BWAHAHA



You ***** like crazy when we are losing.....just saying....

 

[Ashor-redtribe]

BWAHAHA



You ***** like crazy when we are losing.....just saying....

True that....

 

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