TGDT: 10/18 - Blackhawks (2-1-1) vs. Coyotes (2-1-1) 9:00 PM

[dlrob315]

Blackhawks (2-1-1) vs. Coyotes (2-1-1)



Tuesday - 10.18.2011 @ 9:00 PM



Live On: WGN (HD) - Radio: WGN 720​

Hawks hope to have Hossa against Coyotes



David Kalan - NHL.com Staff Writer



Season Series: This is the first meeting of the season for Chicago and Phoenix. The teams split four games last season.



Big Story: With the Blackhawks and Coyotes both looking like they'll be jockeying for postseason position for the next seven months, a win in this early season matchup could pay enormous dividends in April. The likelihood of a win could be greater for Chicago, if they manage to get the banged up Marian Hossa in the lineup Tuesday.



Team Scope:



Blackhawks: As Chicago takes off for a two-game road swing through Phoenix and Colorado this week, all eyes are on Hossa, who suffered an upper-body injury last week in the Blackhawks' 4-3 win over Winnipeg. Hossa has not returned to the ice since, missing Saturday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Bruins and three practices. While the Hawks did manage to get a point against the defending champs in their one outing without the star Slovak winger, they certainly could use him. At the time of his injury, Hossa had tallied three points in the previous two games.



Beyond events on the Hossa front, Chicago has to be satisfied with an early-season homestand in which the team collected five of a possible six points. If the Hawks can continue to pick up points at that clip -- or even close to it -- they will easily save themselves the anxiety of waiting until the season's final day to book a postseason trip.



Coyotes: The last two seasons many hockey pundits had Phoenix left for dead only to see the team book back-to-back postseason appearances. With the offseason departure of goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov the Coyotes were widely expected to fall outside the top eight yet again, but four games into the season Phoenix's annual Lazarus impression seems to be getting under way. Despite starting the season on a three-game road trip, the Coyotes have rebounded from a 6-3 loss in San Jose in their season opener to pick up five of a possible six points in their last three games.



Phoenix's only loss in its last three games was of the shootout variety, and in its last two outings the team has outscored the reborn Jets and a Predators team widely expected to be one of the top teams in the West by a combined score of 9-3. Saturday's win over the Jets was the Coyotes' home opener and it's probably time for them to get cozy and comfortable. Phoenix plays eight of its next 10 games in the valley, a schedule that could only help the team stay alive in the early stages of the postseason race.



Who's Hot: The ageless Shane Doan has gotten off to a rollicking start for the Coyotes, tallying three goals and four assists in the first four games of the season. ... Chicago's Patrick Kane is nearly as hot as Doan. Kane has six points in four games so far this year.



Injury Report: While Hossa did not practice Monday, the Hawks are still optimistic that he'll be in the lineup Tuesday night.



Stat Pack: Could Doan be turning the trick of fine wine? The Coyotes' captain is almost certain to slow down his pace over the course of a full season, but if he's looking to break his career high of 78 points set four years ago, he's off to a good start. At this pace Doan would finish an 82-game season with 143 points.



Puck Drop: Phoenix and Chicago didn't meet in either of the Coyotes' past two postseason appearances, but the two teams have had their run-ins. The Coyotes have generally played the Hawks well, taking five of the last eight meetings between them, and with the Blackhawks expected to be one of the top contenders in the West this year, an early season win for Pheonix might start turning some heads in the conference

Coyotes @ Blackhawks 2/27/11​

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUTtCl0NM40&feature=fvst[/media]​

Blackhawks @ Coyotes 2/20/11​

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExOpEdu_LIg[/media]​

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Sweet GDT... better than that asshole Stu Grimson could do, anyways.

 

[dlrob315]

Sweet GDT... better than that asshole Stu Grimson could do, anyways.

You are capable, you just chose to use your time more wisely. You are right about this new version, the editor does get goofy.



3 - 1 Hawks





GO HAWKS

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Heh thanks... I do like your format and there's lots of info. My favorite thing to do was to add videos of past games that were noteworthy... sort of pump up videos. That's really my only suggestion, otherwise its perfect!

 

[the canadian dream]

Tighten up the defense and this should be a win. Keep allowing high 30 shots a game and teams like the Yotes will always have a chance no matter how weak they look on paper compared to us. Should be able to keep the Yoted to around 25 shots if not less.



It's as simple as that. The mechanics of the Hawks blueline is not a well oiled machine right now. That starts happening when Q puts Seabs and Keith back together so perhaps Keith can find his game yet again. Becomes clearer and clearer to me that Seabs is the reason why Keith won the Noris 2 years ago because when ever you separate the 2 Keith's game turns to crap while Seabs still remains decent (not without his few gaffs a game either but none compare to Keiths gaffs).



Leddy has been strong enough where he should be able to carry a second pairing with either Hammer or Montadore. Hawks defense is better than what has shown so far this season. Let's get that one straightened out.

 

[Pez68]

The problem is Keith and Leddy are both the same type of defenseman. Putting them together makes no sense whatsoever. At least not to me. You always want to balance a puck mover out with a SAH guy. Keith isn't playing "his" game when paired with Leddy, and you can tell he's just not comfortable.

 

[the canadian dream]

The problem is Keith and Leddy are both the same type of defenseman. Putting them together makes no sense whatsoever. At least not to me. You always want to balance a puck mover out with a SAH guy. Keith isn't playing "his" game when paired with Leddy, and you can tell he's just not comfortable.

Agree 100% Pez.

 

[CLWolf81]

I hope I'm wrong, but I swear if the Hawks dumb this down to the Yotes' level (and I don't care if they won their last game.... It was the Jets, after all....), they're in for a rude awakening.... Yes, folks, this is one of those games.... Don't let that record fool you.



Problem is, I think they'll also fall for it... and do exactly that.... Hawks still win at the end, 4-3.

 

[Rex]

I agree with all of the above. Keith needs Seabrook. Hammer is a SAH Dman, so I don't see why he can't be paired with Leddy.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

I agree with all of the above. Keith needs Seabrook. Hammer is a SAH Dman, so I don't see why he can't be paired with Leddy.

+1

 

[winos5]

IMO Yotes goaltending blows and their defense is meh. I see us scoring a lot of goals on this team.

 

[LordKOTL]

Here's hoping that the 'hawks decide not to play the 3rd from the locker room.



Give us a full 60 and it should be a solid, if not earned win.

 

[bookjones]

In case anyone is interested in an analysis of the Leddy-Keith thingy, the Blackhawk Up blog did IMO a very interesting and great fucking dissection of the tandem's goals against in today's post:





http://blackhawkup.com/2011/10/18/someones-gonna-have-to-pay/







Of course, if you are a fan in the "Leddy as goat" camp, you likely won't agree, lol.

 

[LordKOTL]

Good analysis. The thing is, according to that analysis, Keith/Leddy should be getting less time than Hammer/Seabs--given their defensive play.



I personally think the the difference should be split and we go back to 2/7 and 8/4--not because of any "punishment", but since Leddy and Hammer have been looking damned good, it should balance the D quite nicely as long as they are given more time out there to give Keith/Seabs a breather.

 

[MassHavoc]

In case anyone is interested in an analysis of the Leddy-Keith thingy, the Blackhawk Up blog did IMO a very interesting and great fucking dissection of the tandem's goals against in today's post:





http://blackhawkup.c...na-have-to-pay/







Of course, if you are a fan in the "Leddy as goat" camp, you likely won't agree, lol.

I love that the worthless jackass jackeal decides he needs to put his two cents in.

 

[bookjones]

Good analysis. The thing is, according to that analysis, Keith/Leddy should be getting less time than Hammer/Seabs--given their defensive play.



I personally think the the difference should be split and we go back to 2/7 and 8/4--not because of any "punishment", but since Leddy and Hammer have been looking damned good, it should balance the D quite nicely as long as they are given more time out there to give Keith/Seabs a breather.

Oh, I personally wouldn't have a problem with 2/7 being paired back up but I also don't agree with the "Leddy brings down Keith's game" meme that's currently in vogue. For my own eye test, overall Leddy has been playing quite well and looks improved upon last year. Still has some flaws which is to be expected but I think he's developing nicely.

 

[LordKOTL]

Anyone saying Leddy brings down Keith's game should be watching Water Polo.

 

[bookjones]

Anyone saying Leddy brings down Keith's game should be watching Water Polo.

Agreed, but there are some people who are of that opinion. Which hey're entitled to. I can get on board with the argument that a 2/8 split up would be good because Leddy is basically sound enough to handle it now and to get back to a PMD/SAH d-men tandems balance system if that's the system one prefers. That's reasonable. I don't agree that a split is called for because 2/8 always suck to the high heavens defensively or that somehow Leddy's improvement detracts from Keith's game---that just seems like junk logic IMO.

 

[howcho]

Looking forward to this one, after a bit of a lay off.



5-3 Hawks

 

[R K]

I love that the worthless jackass jackeal decides he needs to put his two cents in.

Won't read it just on that point alone. The guy can go **** off.



One game scheduled in 9 games is pretty fucked.



Thanks NHL for douching up the schedule. Last year 20 gams in 30 nights. so far this year 4 games in 16 nights.