TGDT: 1/3 Blackhawks @ Kings 8:00PM VERSUS

[R K]

80% PK efficiency is shitty.



However, it's better than the Hawks current percentage of 79, so I guess that's a silver lining.

What ever. 87% leads the league.



According to you they need to win 7 out of the next 9 to make the playoffs. LOL!

 

[Kerfuffle]

The PK is a fucking joke, that's for sure.



Hopefully with Hossa and Toews back (hopefully) full time, we can start to see this area improve.



Giveaways have been killing us lately, and not just on the penalty kill.



Pisani's only worth to this team seems to be killing penalties, but he's good at it.

Agreed. And the 1-for-5 is just not good enough - we are still near the cellar in terms of PK in the league. We need to go on a run of killing like 20 penalities in a row to get some respectability back to that part of our game and climb in the rankings for that stat. Right now it seems we have to hold our breath on every Hawk penalty.

 

[puckjim]

What ever. 87% leads the league.



According to you they need to win 7 out of the next 9 to make the playoffs. LOL!

Well, the Penguins started their turnaround by winning 9 out of 11, so I would suspect something similar is needed by the Hawks.

 

[R K]

Well, the Penguins started their turnaround by winning 9 out of 11, so I would expect something similar is needed by the Hawks.

they were 21-20-9



But don't let me throw anything factual into your dream land. I'm just going to have to ignore you from now on. ON all forms of media it appears.

 

[puckjim]

they were 21-20-9



But don't let me throw anything factual into your dream land. I'm just going to have to ignore you from now on. ON all forms of media it appears.

Well I could be wrong on the exact number of wins needed, but I'm close.



Bottom line is that seven of the next nine are at home. They won't get this much concentrated home cooking for the rest of the season.



They have to start seperating themselves from the pack and won't get a better opportunity this season.



That's my dream, anyways.

 

[R K]

Predictions are like asshole. Everyone has one.



No team other than the oilers are really out of it, and even they have some time, but I doubt will have anything to catch up. The Western Conference parity is massive. Other than the Canucks NO team is on fire and or pulling away. And we saw them last year go on a 9 game losing streak at one point.



so to say they must win 7 out of 9 to have a chance is just fucking ignorant.

 

[puckjim]

Predictions are like asshole. Everyone has one.



No team other than the oilers are really out of it, and even they have some time, but I doubt will have anything to catch up. The Western Conference parity is massive. Other than the Canucks NO team is on fire and or pulling away. And we saw them last year go on a 9 game losing streak at one point.

Very true. The Hawks are by no means out of it.



But at some point they will need to make a run.



A nice long homestand is a good place to start.

 

[MassHavoc]

Well I could be wrong on the exact number of wins needed, but I'm close.



Bottom line is that seven of the next nine are at home. They won't get this much concentrated home cooking for the rest of the season.



They have to start separating themselves from the pack and won't get a better opportunity this season.



That's my dream, anyways.

Um, they still have to get back into the pack. They are tied for the last spot with at least 2 games on everyone. And it's not like the teams below them are out of it. They are just as much out as they are in. I would say Edmonton is the only team actually out of it right now. Including Calgary. They may suck but one good 7 out of 9 run and they are back in it as well. And teams do strange things when people are fired. The hawks are as close to the 13 spot as they are to the 3. They need to stay healthy and get their shit together.

 

[puckjim]

Um, they still have to get back into the pack. They are tied for the last spot with at least 2 games on everyone. And it's not like the teams below them are out of it. They are just as much out as they are in. I would say Edmonton is the only team actually out of it right now. Including Calgary. They may suck but one good 7 out of 9 run and they are back in it as well. And teams do strange things when people are fired. The hawks are as close to the 13 spot as they are to the 3. They need to stay healthy and get their shit together.

All true. They have themselves to blame for how tight it is.



How important will those embarrassing losses to Edmonton be at the end of the year?



Perhaps very important, but I would not want to be so ignorant as to prognosticate.

 

[R K]

All true. They have themselves to blame for how tight it is.



How important will those embarrassing losses to Edmonton be at the end of the year?



Perhaps very important, but I would not want to be so ignorant as to prognosticate.

Edmonton...? Why stop there. There are about 10 losses of the 17 that could have been wins. Nothing you can do about them now.



And it's the games like Anaheim where we gave two points away that are the most concerning. But when you lose HALF YOUR TEAM what the hell does anyone expect. Then add the massive TOI lost due to injury. Of your Top players.

 

[PatrickShart]

Half way point this year, Hawks have 45pts.

Last year...finished with 112pts - 59 first half/53 second. Hawks had a very tough stretch early in the year, in their 3rd period play...blowing leads/games. I think I heard a stat last nite, when leading going into the 3rd...they're 11-0 the last 11 times thats happened. Seems that they've corrected that issue.



Here are the other Western Conference playoff teams from last years point totals and split points from first half/second half -

Colorad - 95pts - 52/43

Nashvil - 100pts - 51/49

LosAngl - 101pts - 49/52

Detroit - 102pts - 48/54

-----------------------------

Phoenix - 107pts - 53/54

Vancver - 103pts - 49/54

Chicago - 112pts - 59/53

SanJose - 113pts - 59/54



The Hawks have played 24 games - decided by 1 goal (I took out EN goals in those games). And the Hawks are 11-11-2 in those games. There was a very long stretch of the Hawks giving up goals within a either minute of each other, a minute of taking the lead, or the last minute of a period. That seems to have been corrected as well.



IMO, if the Hawks stay healthy the second half, and correct the penalty kill...there's no reason they cant get 54-55pts and make the playoffs.



Ideally, I think the Hawks need to find someone for center depth or at least a righthanded player that can play both C/W - but play the PK and win faceoffs. Bolland was 33% last nite and took the most Dzone faceoffs of any Hawk, which I'm sure is based on him being right handed and trying (and I use that loosely) to win them on his backhand. He is now at 45% on the year. I think puck possesion goes along way - especially on the PK - when the faceoff is in your own zone automatically when you can win a draw, and kill about 30 seconds right off the bat.

 

[puckjim]

Edmonton...? Why stop there. There are about 10 losses of the 17 that could have been wins. Nothing you can do about them now.



And it's the games like Anaheim where we gave two points away that are the most concerning. But when you lose HALF YOUR TEAM what the hell does anyone expect. Then add the massive TOI lost due to injury. Of your Top players.

Agree with everything. That's why this homestand is so important. Despite all of their troubles this season, a sparkling homestand prior to the Ice Capades trip can cure a lot of early-season woes.



February's and March's schedule is hell.....January might end up being the entire season.

 

[puckjim]

IMO, if the Hawks stay healthy the second half, and correct the penalty kill...there's no reason they cant get 54-55pts and make the playoffs.

Agreed. In order to get those 55 points, they need to go 27-14, or there abouts, which is .660 hockey.



They've played .520 hockey up to this point, so it goes without saying that it's a tall order.



So I guess winning 7 out of 9 this month is off....They really need to win at least 6 out of 9.



To quote Paul Simon: "..everything looks worse in black and white."

 

[MassHavoc]

Half way point this year, Hawks have 45pts.

Last year...finished with 112pts - 59 first half/53 second. Hawks had a very tough stretch early in the year, in their 3rd period play...blowing leads/games. I think I heard a stat last nite, when leading going into the 3rd...they're 11-0 the last 11 times thats happened. Seems that they've corrected that issue.



Here are the other Western Conference playoff teams from last years point totals and split points from first half/second half -

Colorad - 95pts - 52/43

Nashvil - 100pts - 51/49

LosAngl - 101pts - 49/52

Detroit - 102pts - 48/54

-----------------------------

Phoenix - 107pts - 53/54

Vancver - 103pts - 49/54

Chicago - 112pts - 59/53

SanJose - 113pts - 59/54



The Hawks have played 24 games - decided by 1 goal (I took out EN goals in those games). And the Hawks are 11-11-2 in those games. There was a very long stretch of the Hawks giving up goals within a either minute of each other, a minute of taking the lead, or the last minute of a period. That seems to have been corrected as well.



IMO, if the Hawks stay healthy the second half, and correct the penalty kill...there's no reason they cant get 54-55pts and make the playoffs.



Ideally, I think the Hawks need to find someone for center depth or at least a righthanded player that can play both C/W - but play the PK and win faceoffs. Bolland was 33% last nite and took the most Dzone faceoffs of any Hawk, which I'm sure is based on him being right handed and trying (and I use that loosely) to win them on his backhand. He is now at 45% on the year. I think puck possesion goes along way - especially on the PK - when the faceoff is in your own zone automatically when you can win a draw, and kill about 30 seconds right off the bat.

This is going to sound weird but how does the first 20 games of the season stack up to the next 21 for the hawks? Their schedule seemed to slow down a bit and they got Campbell back and seemed to be a little healthier? Did anything change or have they been about the same all year?

 

[PatrickShart]

Jezuz Mass....gonna make me do more work?



But when the got Campbell....they lost Hossa (twice, I think), Pisani and Bolland.



Get them...lost Kane. Damn near lost Toews.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

People are saying 4/5 on the PK is bad for one game? Sounds pretty good to me. Oh well, gotta bitch about something after a win I suppose.

 

[puckjim]

People are saying 4/5 on the PK is bad for one game? Sounds pretty good to me. Oh well, gotta bitch about something after a win I suppose.

People aren't saying it. The league is saying it.



The Hawks are at 79% for the season, which places them in the bottom fourth.



If that's sounds good to you, then you need to dial up those expectations a bit.



If the penalty killing is going to suck ass like it has, then the best thing the Hawks can do is cut down on the dumb penalties.

 

[R K]

People are saying 4/5 on the PK is bad for one game? Sounds pretty good to me. Oh well, gotta bitch about something after a win I suppose.

It's come to be the norm.





Mass I think the first 20 games were actually on pace. The 2nd 20 games is where the difference has been. But again look at the injuries during the 2nd 20. Hossa, Bolland, pisani, Toews.....Ect ect.....

 

[PatrickShart]

They're...

w/Campbell - 14-12-2

w/Hossa - 13-11-2



1st 20 - 9-9-2

Lst 21 - 12-8-1



I know the shot totals went down/puck possesion improved with Campbell's return. As well as Hjarlmarsson's play.

 

[PatrickShart]

It just takes 1 - ten game run to make the difference. So far this year...some teams had 10-12 game stretches -

Wash - 8-1-1 ....and 2-6-2

STL - 9-1-2 .....and 3-7-2





Hawks "best" stretch I think has been 7-3. Pitt started 6-7-1......and had a 12 game winnign streak.