Road Trip IGT 2/9-2/16

[LordKOTL]

It's a must win 2 points. After a brief hiatus of leap frogging a few teams, they are back in the cellar again

I don't disagree, but Minny was a must win. Winnipeg was a must win. Boston a must-win after dropping one in Minny. In all of those games, the team played 20 minutes and choked their chickens for 40+ minutes.

Just because Edmonton is a must-win and we get the bonus of them playing without McJesus doesn't mean that the team is going to show up for more than 20 minutes tonight. In fact, the onus is on the 'hawks leadership core at this point IMHO to prove that they got a heart transplant. Officiating be damned; sleepwalking through 2/3's of the game for 3 games is what lost them the recent games.

 

[Jack Lantern]

Oilers best player McDavid is out. Hawks need to sweep the rest of this road trip else it will be early sell mode for Stan a week before the trade deadline.

 

[anotheridiot]

So let me see if I understand this.

Gilbert gets in a fight with Simmonds so the Blackhawks win in a shootout.

The tone of the season was changed so much that the Blackhawks lost the next four games, and are only ONE GAME over .500 since the earth-shattering Gilbert/Simmonds tilt.


Your justification for fighting gets dumber the more you look at it.

You brought up the fights, I am talking about the physical play and making the other team think that maybe they might get hit playing the black hawks now, so taking liberties with the talent is not going to be overlooked anymore. No more wipe out Kane at the blue line when he tries to carry the puck in, making the hawks a dump and chase team.

We have watched for at least 5 years, since Seabroke got paid, that there was actually a chance of the opposition getting hit, and yes, there were two of the three cups won when Seabroke was hitting people. As soon as he got mega rich he stopped hitting. I guess its too much to ask for us to get a guy like he was when the team was dominant. Haven't us waiting 5 years been enough?

The league followed the hawk blueprint, speed, finesse, puck possession hockey where you can use the excuse that you cannot hit when you have the puck. But this team is chasing 40 minutes a game now, its hockey man, not disney on ice. The league has passed the hawks, other teams have the speed and finesse guys that also hit. Its time for us to catch back up.

 

[Missing Chiclets]

It is a "must win'" for those that would like to see this team make the playoffs.
They have to get 6 out of every 10 possible points the rest of the way to have a good shot. They have taken 2 of the last possible 6 points; so, they have to win the next 2 to stay in the hunt.
Having said that, I don't really think they have much of a chance; as discussed earlier this week the D "Corpse" still sticks like dead fish and despite what some think, I don't think Nick Seeler or Dennis Gilbert are the solution to the problem.

 

[Missing Chiclets]

I don't disagree, but Minny was a must win. Winnipeg was a must win. Boston a must-win after dropping one in Minny. In all of those games, the team played 20 minutes and choked their chickens for 40+ minutes.

Just because Edmonton is a must-win and we get the bonus of them playing without McJesus doesn't mean that the team is going to show up for more than 20 minutes tonight. In fact, the onus is on the 'hawks leadership core at this point IMHO to prove that they got a heart transplant. Officiating be damned; sleepwalking through 2/3's of the game for 3 games is what lost them the recent games.

I am going to have to disagree with you somewhat here. I think it is too simplistic to place all of the blame of a lack of effort by the players.
The roster is flawed as I have said many times before. It is difficult to generate anything that looks like offense when you spend most of your shift playing in your end and having to help cover for D men that have no clue how to play defense.

I also see this coaching staff getting out-coached almost every night. Poor line up choices, blown line changes and mismatched line match ups.

There are players dogging it shift to shift but there is more at play here then just the players work rate.

 

[Bigfoot]

WTF kind of effort was that Cat. Holy shit pathetic

 

[LordKOTL]

Ladies and gentlemen...the defence rests...as it has since 2015-2016.

 

[zack54attack]

Well, this isn't a good start.

 

[zack54attack]

And tied!

 

[LordKOTL]

I am going to have to disagree with you somewhat here. I think it is too simplistic to place all of the blame of a lack of effort by the players.
The roster is flawed as I have said many times before. It is difficult to generate anything that looks like offense when you spend most of your shift playing in your end and having to help cover for D men that have no clue how to play defense.

I also see this coaching staff getting out-coached almost every night. Poor line up choices, blown line changes and mismatched line match ups.

There are players dogging it shift to shift but there is more at play here then just the players work rate.

The problem with the team is systemic IMHO: Players, GM, and coaching. One does not negate the other two...and my feelings about JC the Impotent and Bowman the Lesser are well-published.

But those don't excuse Toews playing like Arkhipov (as an example...he ain't the only one). As the captain, he has to set the example.

THAT being said, EXCELLENT JOB SAAD!

 

[LordKOTL]

...now THAT'S the Tazer we know and love!

 

[zack54attack]

TOEWS!

 

[LordKOTL]

The PK giveth and the PK taketh away...

 

[Jack Lantern]

4+ goals or bust. That's where all the cap dollars are.

 

[LordKOTL]

Blah. Can't hold a lead!

 

[zack54attack]

This sucks.

 

[puckjim]

Strome didn’t need to be scratched. Colliton decides to hockey at the wrong time.

 

[zack54attack]

Another loss. Oof.

 

[LordKOTL]

RIP 2020 'hawks...
...
...
...and yes, if I'm wrong I'll eat crow.

 

[puckjim]

You brought up the fights, I am talking about the physical play and making the other team think that maybe they might get hit playing the black hawks now, so taking liberties with the talent is not going to be overlooked anymore. No more wipe out Kane at the blue line when he tries to carry the puck in, making the hawks a dump and chase team.

We have watched for at least 5 years, since Seabroke got paid, that there was actually a chance of the opposition getting hit, and yes, there were two of the three cups won when Seabroke was hitting people. As soon as he got mega rich he stopped hitting. I guess its too much to ask for us to get a guy like he was when the team was dominant. Haven't us waiting 5 years been enough?

The league followed the hawk blueprint, speed, finesse, puck possession hockey where you can use the excuse that you cannot hit when you have the puck. But this team is chasing 40 minutes a game now, its hockey man, not disney on ice. The league has passed the hawks, other teams have the speed and finesse guys that also hit. Its time for us to catch back up.

Four losses in a row. If Gilbert fights in Rockford will that count as momentum?